Name: Erin G.'s review of Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak
Item: Necessary People
Rating: 2
Author: Erin G.

Anna Pitoniak

One of them has it all. One of them wants it all. Only one of them can win. Stella Bradley is beautiful, rich, and very good at getting herself into trouble. Violet Trapp is smart, self-aware, and laser-focused on escaping her humble background--especially after Stella gives her a glimpse into a world of glamour and wealth. They are best friends, and from the moment they meet in college, they know their roles: Stella in the spotlight, and Violet behind the scenes. After graduation, Violet moves to New York and lands a job in cable news, where she works her way up from intern to assistant to producer, and to a life where she's finally free from Stella's shadow. Until Stella decides to use her connections, beauty and charisma to land a job at the same network. Stella soon moves in front of the camera, becoming the public face of the stories that Violet has worked tirelessly to produce-and taking all the credit for it. But Violet isn't giving up so easily. As she and Stella strive for success, they each reveal just how far they'll go to get what they want--even if it means destroying the other person along the way. Set against the fast-paced backdrop of TV news, Necessary People is a propulsive work of psychological suspense about ambition and privilege, about the thin line between friendship and rivalry, about the people we need in our lives--and the people we don't.

Necessary People

Ella

Erin G.

Characters and dialogue so well-written but uneven plot doesn't justify the wild swings.

Nadine 

Unreliable narrator, twists, nasty poor ambitious people and warped people with wealth.

Named a book of the month by Marie Claire, Refinery29 and Oprah Magazine, this is the chilling and compulsive thriller about the lengths people will go to in order to get what they want.

Morgan Kinney

This got 4 stars because of how much it pissed me off. It deals with a troupe literally makes my blood boil and for some reason I don't like watching movies and won't finish some books with it. HOWEVER... I finished this book so that is a win for the author and it was done really well. It was the point of the story. 

Jessica 

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review also found here at Booked J. I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form.

Until Necessary People, I'd only heard Anna Pitoniak's name in passing. Now, I find it impossible to forget her words--this story is written beautifully and I'm absolutely going to check out The Futures. 

One of the big draws for me, personally, about Necessary People was the promise of exploring the general complexities of flawed women--women who are blatantly flawed, armed with ambitions and complexities that make them ordinary and maybe a little dangerous. I love novels that portray women as we are, which is more than just one thing; more than just background noise. 

Give me all the novels that explore the many types of us and the many types of relationships that contribute to who we are. Give me toxic, give me angst, give me hope, give me healthy--don't just draw a simple picture that feels more like background noise than actual characteristics.

Here's what you need to know about Necessary People: Anna Pitoniak doesn't skim the surface of an incredibly toxic friendship. This novel shows the sacrifices two women make for the sake of their careers and in these moments, you feel very connected to them. Even if you don't necessarily like the characters as individuals, you don't feel like they are simply characters in a book--they feel real. 

What I liked most about Violet and Stella is that they feel real. They're neither likable nor unlikable to me (although I did root for Violet quite a bit more) but they still remained relatable. I wasn't sure if I wanted to consider them frenemies or just two friends who bring an entirely toxic edge to the table, but I new that, in some way, I wanted the best for both of them. 

It's funny, I've had my share of toxic friendships in the past. Which is what makes this as universal as it is. Now, I'm not saying that these characters--their friendship and the choices they make--are fully relatable based on where they are in life. What I am saying is that Anna Pitoniak dives head first into development and it shows.

Necessary People tackles many topics that its audience will appreciate. There's something honest about it and this needs to be acknowledged. I really liked the general message behind it--and about whether your friendship is really necessary, what makes a person necessary to who you are, how to step into the light and out of the shadows, etc--and was thoroughly satisfied with the ending. 

In short, Necessary People is a great look at complex female friendships and determination. If you have ever been in a friendship that is toxic, this is something that will hit close to home. Pitoniak crafts a beautifully honest story with this one, and it's definitely one of THE books of 2019.

Anna Pinto

** spoiler alert **
           Gossip girl gone dark. Slumps a little bit in the middle but makes up for it soon after. Enjoyable summer read.

Ella &
Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak

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Ella &Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak

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Ella &
Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak