The Mutual Friend

A Novel

By: Carter Bays

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

"This is a rare thing: an original, intelligent novel that’s not just a perfect summer beach read, but one that deserves serious awards consideration as well. Put down your phone and pick it up… A major accomplishment.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From the co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, a hilarious and thought-provoking debut novel set in New York City, following an unforgettable cast of characters as they navigate life, love, loss, ambition, and spirituality—without ever looking up from their phones.

It’s the summer of 2015, and Alice Quick needs to get to work. She’s twenty-eight years old, grieving her mother, barely scraping by as a nanny, and freshly kicked out of her apartment. If she can just get her act together and sign up for the MCAT, she can start chasing her dream of becoming a doctor . . . but in the Age of Distraction, the distractions are so distracting. There’s her tech millionaire brother’s religious awakening. His picture-perfect wife’s emotional breakdown. Her chaotic new roommate’s thirst for adventure. And, of course, there’s the biggest distraction of all: love.

From within the story of one summer in one woman’s life, a tapestry of characters is unearthed, tied to one another by threads both seen and unseen. Filled with all the warmth, humor, and heart that gained How I Met Your Mother its cult following, The Mutual Friend captures in sparkling detail the chaos of contemporary life—a life lived simultaneously in two different worlds, the physical one and the one behind our screens—and reveals how connected we all truly are.

©2022 Carter Bays (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A whip-smart comedy of manners for the era of buzzing gadgets.”—The Washington Post

“Carter Bays is best known for the long-running sitcom How I Met Your Mother. His debut novel The Mutual Friend is like a sophisticated literary version, centering on a New York City–based ensemble with plenty to say about the discontents of modern life and the difficulty of connection.”—NPR

“The first book I’ve read that effectively captures social media’s dominance in our love lives, and the humiliating experience of being online and yearning for attention. The Mutual Friend is gentle, warm, and the most I have laughed while reading this year.”—BuzzFeed, “25 Book Recommendations for the Holiday Season”

Best book I’ve listened to in a long while

Much like How I Met Your Mother, author Carter Bays’ most well known work, plot takes a back seat to well drawn characters and an intricate, puzzle-like, but well-grounded look at their relationships and memorable scenes from their lives. Not at all related to the TV show but sharp eyed readers will notice a couple of nods its way. George Newbern provided an excellent narration. Like my favorite episodes of HIMYM, there’s broad humor and witty dialogue mashed together with some surprisingly satisfying feels. Really enjoyed this.

clever and delightful

Every now and then you come across an author who is able to weave a multi-layer storyline that intrigues and entertains you. I listened to this as an audiobook, and I found reasons to jump in the car in order to keep listening. All of these characters are seriously flawed and utterly likeable!

Amazing

It is a fast passed journey of sadness and joy. A lot of sadness before you feel the bit of joy. Your head will literally spin as you bounce down this modern tale of the human spirit.

HIMYM meets Social Media

I already did a very extensive review of this on Goodreads but I'll just say it again: this book is phenomenal, writing and plot-wise. Loved, loved the smooth shifts from POV to POV. It was quite refreshing. Though I think Newbern (the narrator) struggled on that. Lots of characters but Bays managed to tie them all together quite nicely into a tapestry and not a botch crochet job. Conclusion? Buy and read it!

So enjoyable!

This was such an enjoyable story. Well written and well read! Loved the characters and the setting. Highly recommend.

Loved the story and terrific narration!

This is a complicated, interweaving story in wonderful ways, and the writer sticks the landing with a satisfying, unexpected ending. In the hands of the wrong reader it could have gone off the rails but Newbern was great! Highly recommend!

Worth the read

It was a good book to listen to while doing things around the house. The jump from character to character without a heading or notice was hard to follow at first. The ending did not tie up as many plot lines as I had hoped, but it was basically understood. Lots of stories and characters. Overall, worth it.

Great Story but you have to pay attention

this is an awesome story but it jumps to different characters throughout the story. I enjoyed it but just be prepared.

A Sorry, Sloppy Mess

To say this book was wretched would be a compliment. Convoluted story line, too many characters, and a lack of depth. What a colossal waste of my precious leisure time.

Couldn’t get theu it

I like the reader, but the story is annoying and talks about nothing. I am abandoning this “book”
I don’t care what happens to these people