Good Material by Dolly Alderton

This is a Read With Jenna selection, which is not how I found this, and it was not 100% to my taste. It is a reflection on breaking up, which is perhaps the rub for me-- I have had very little to do with and am not seeking additional experiences. This is the story of what happens when Jen breaks it off with Andy and it is told largely from his point of view--she gets the last say, which is brief, but also frame shifting. He’s a 35-year-old struggling to make it comedian who was still awaiting his big break when Jen, his girlfriend of 4 years, dumped him. He is caught by surprise. She says it’s because she wants to be single but he doesn’t believe her, and is convinced that if he can only determine the real reason, they may yet reunite. He then goes on to convince us that Jen has dodged a bullet when he engages in some cyberstalking, trying to kickstart his career, and navigating the daunting practicalities of living in London unaided by Jen’s salary-- you feel as though you’ve turned up at the very worst moment in Andy's otherwise unremarkable life. There’s a distinct charm to these well-meaning characters and their relatable dramas. The dialogue is excellent throughout and the prose, consistently solid, sometimes really shines. In the end, Andy's lovelorn misadventures will prove to be the making of him.