Goodreads Summary
Heartfelt and layered, The Starfish Sisters is a moving story about the complicated nature of female friendship, the joys and heartbreaks of life, and the resiliency and power that women possess.
My Summary
The story is a heartfelt one of two friends (sisters by choice) that attempt to navigate from a very adolescent friendship to an adult one. Each woman has endured different pains and yet their lives continue to bring them back together.
My thoughts
I enjoyed the storyline that Barbara O’Neal takes us through. Reading from the perspective of each woman, it was obvious that they loved one another deeply; as with everyone, they suffered through their own insecurities and jealousies, sometimes making it practically impossible to actually show that love to one another.
The concept that “the grass is always greener on the other side” was hard coded throughout the story. Suze glamorized Phoebe’s traditional family – she had both her parents, a beautiful home with a pool, and a supportive + loving grandma; while Phoebe secretly resented Suze for being more attractive, always a person of interest, someone who fully committed to their plans and aspirations.
“..my fifteen-year-old self-centeredness, I’d believed our pain to be equal”
I thought of how Suze & Phoebe complemented one another as I read through. Where one lacked, the other was able to provide comfort. There were other times when I felt like their anger and anguish seemed so immature and miniscule but I think that was also an underlying theme; at some point our friendships must mature. Some friendships just don’t make the cut and that’s unfortunate.
In some way, it seemed like both women knew things would come to a head. As much as they tried to avoid it, partially because they were scared, partially because they had too much love and respect for one another & partially because who knows why – they were finally able to acknowledge the hurt, the mistakes they’ve made, and re-assess their friendship.
The other glaringly obvious theme revolved around second chances. Both women are seemingly in their mid-50s (maybe 60s) and struggle with the thought of having a romance (Phoebe more than Suze) is it ever too late to give love another chance? Is it ever too late to give a friend another chance, even after a hurtful and deceptive past? This book allowed me to find the truths that Phoebe and Suze longed for.
“Don’t take things away from yourself before you even get to enjoy them.”
