Ginder focuses his gaze on friends, not family, and offsets his trademark humor with pathos. The bittersweet mood of the proceedings renders his main characters and their actions more believable ... Ginder rotates his characters’ perspectives, which results in a richly variegated narrative. However, some episodes are too fragmentary and end just as they are getting started ... But Ginder hits far more often than he misses, routinely impressing with sharp dialogue, bold set-pieces, and compelling portrayals of enduring or foundering friendships. The book’s final section, comprising a reunion at a funeral, could have been mawkish but instead is moving ... A riveting tale.
Funny and poignant ... Throughout, Ginder effectively portrays the recurring joy of lasting friendships along with the pain of growing apart. It’s a triumph.
