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Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
Refund Timelines Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here.
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Dolly Alderton
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Good Material: A novel Hardcover – January 30, 2024

by Dolly Alderton (Author)
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A TODAY SHOW #ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK • NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR 2024 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • From the best-selling author of Ghosts and Everything I Know About Love: a story of heartbreak and friendship and how to survive both

“Like Nora Ephron, with a British twist….Delivers the most delightful aspects of classic romantic comedy—snappy dialogue, realistic relationship dynamics, humorous meet-cutes and misunderstandings—and leaves behind the clichéd gender roles and traditional marriage plot.”
—The New York Times

Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy. And he can't work out why she stopped.

Now he is. . .

Without a home

Waiting for his stand-up career to take off

Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn't looking

Set adrift on the sea of heartbreak, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of his ruined relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him. But Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story…

In this sharply funny and exquisitely relatable story of romantic disaster and friendship, Dolly Alderton offers up a love story with two endings, demonstrating once again why she is one of the most exciting writers today, and the true voice of a generation.
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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Knopf
  4. Publication date
    January 30, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    6.45 x 1.18 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    059380130X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0593801307
  8. See all details
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
9,368 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style well-written and poignant. They also say the book is worth sticking through to the end. However, some find the story pace slow and monotonous. Opinions differ on the plot, likability, and characters. Some find the book engaging and amusing, while others find it boring and unlikable.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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StorylineWriting styleBook conclusionContentPlotLikabilityCharactersStory pace
13 customers mention "Storyline"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline poignant, creative, and engaging. They also say it gives an intimate, accurate portrayal of love and miscommunication. Readers also describe the book as tender, sweet, and eye opening.

"...While a very engaging and fun read overall, I thought the book bogged down in the long and tedious process of getting to know both characters, but..." Read more

"...But it made for such a lovely end. I didn't want to stop reading." Read more

"...The ending was good, but not the most groundbreaking...." Read more

"Tender. Sweet. Funny. It's book magic. Andy is a fledgling comedian living in London whose career hasn’t yet hit the bigtime...." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing style"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style of the book well-written.

"The author is a masterful storyteller, as evidenced by the way she subtly alters the reader’s perceptions of the main characters...." Read more

"...Alderton does an excellent job writing from a male perspective...." Read more

"...Her writing is intelligent but not pretentious, engaging, and ACTUALLY funny...." Read more

"Excellent author. The language she uses is so visceral. Which makes it a difficult read...." Read more

4 customers mention "Book conclusion"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book conclusion worth sticking through to the end. They also say the book ends well, with tenderness and relatability.

"...feel like the author pulled one over on you, thinking it's a really solid book, you think you know what's happening...and it is what you think, but..." Read more

"This book ended well, with tenderness and relatability...." Read more

"This book is worth sticking through to the end. By the middle you're just frustrated with the main character and his bad choices and vulnerability...." Read more

"...It started out strong and clever, but should have been a short story." Read more

3 customers mention "Content"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the content accurate but not cliche. They also say the point of view is intriguing.

"...She makes observations on life and feelings that are accurate but not cliche, doesn't try too hard, and in a way that has a tendency to knock me..." Read more

"...The concept of a breakup from a man’s point of view was intriguing. However Andy’s perception of life without Jen was dragged out and boring...." Read more

"...the British slang or know some of the songs, but there is so much truth in these pages...." Read more

22 customers mention "Plot"7 positive15 negative

Customers are mixed about the plot. Some find the book engaging, amusing, and intelligent. They also say the writing is not pretentious. However, others say the story goes nowhere, is terrible, and has no redeeming qualities. They mention that the ending is somewhat pat.

"Good Material started out a little slow and monotonous--kind of like those first days after a break-up, but it picks up speed with each of the..." Read more

"...While a very engaging and fun read overall, I thought the book bogged down in the long and tedious process of getting to know both characters, but..." Read more

"...However Andy’s perception of life without Jen was dragged out and boring. Andy was a good person with an insecure backbone...." Read more

"I liked this book. Perhaps not award-winning, but well written and just what I needed...." Read more

14 customers mention "Likability"9 positive5 negative

Customers are mixed about the likability of the book. Some find it compellingly funny, while others find Andy exceptionally unlikable and vulgar.

"Tender. Sweet. Funny. It's book magic. Andy is a fledgling comedian living in London whose career hasn’t yet hit the bigtime...." Read more

"...- I found Andy exceptionally unlikable, and even the ending where we hear Jen's perspective makes it seems like he's exhausting...." Read more

"...Her writing is intelligent but not pretentious, engaging, and ACTUALLY funny...." Read more

"...The main character as a comedian was really a fun idea...." Read more

9 customers mention "Characters"5 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book. Some like all the characters, while others say the side characters have no personality or plot.

"...I liked all the characters, even the very minor ones, in this book." Read more

"...The side characters have no personality or plot, and the ex girlfriend is just a stand-in for all the past rejection of the main character, even..." Read more

"I liked the characters and the premise, but Andy's drunken sadness went on way too long...." Read more

"...Whiny character that didn’t make me want to find out how his story ended." Read more

4 customers mention "Story pace"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the story pace slow and monotonous.

"...get through the first half to three quarters of this book because it was slow and I was finding myself have less and less empathy for Andy-..." Read more

"Slow and predictable..." Read more

"Mopey and slow..." Read more

"SLOW AND MONOTONOUS..." Read more

Alderton's best book yet!
5 Stars
Alderton's best book yet!
This book gave me Really Good Actually vibes (but from a guy’s point of view) with a dash of Fleishman’s In Trouble and I loved it!I adore Dolly Alderton’s writing and think this is her best book yet!Bless Andy’s heart. He’s been dumped and he’s floundering. From sleeping on his friend’s couch, to obsessively checking his ex’s social media, to endlessly dissecting what went wrong, to making entirely too many bad decisions - let’s just say he’s not doing well. Will he finally be able to pick himself up and get his comedy career back on track?This book hit different. The excruciating pain from a breakup is such a near universal experience. It was relatable and cringey and heart-wrenching and nostalgic all at the same time.Where this read knocks it out of the park is at the very end when we get to hear his ex, Jen’s point of view. It adds SO MUCH to the story and made this one a 5 star for me. There’s something cathartic about having her POV at the end rather than sprinkled through the book in alternating chapters.I can’t get enough of books that show us how flawed we are when it comes to love. How we can get it so twisted, but how wonderful it can be.
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Top reviews from the United States

Avid Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Author’s Best
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
The author is a masterful storyteller, as evidenced by the way she subtly alters the reader’s perceptions of the main characters. We start out with the point of view of Andy, a heartbroken young man, devastated by (to him) the unexpected and unfathomable breakup of his longtime relationship with Jen. Then very subtly as the author shares Andy’s innermost thoughts, it becomes obvious to the reader that Jen may have had some very valid reasons for dumping Andy: he’s a selfish man-child, aimlessly going through life with the idea that he wants to be a successful standup comedian, but he won’t be bothered to make the effort to improve his increasingly stale material. Then the author switches the point of view to Jen. In the ensuing pages we learn that Jen, while enjoying Andy’s companionship, really has never had any interest in being in a permanent relationship. While a very engaging and fun read overall, I thought the book bogged down in the long and tedious process of getting to know both characters, but especially in the longer story of Andy. How many different ways do we need to be shown how Andy is a Loser? The ending is also somewhat pat—the lovers reunite for an overnight, only for Andy to finally realize Jen doesn’t want/need him. Only then he is inspired to write new material, which wows the audience. Meanwhile, Jen decides that it’s really okay to be alone, quits her prestigious job, and goes off to Find True Meaning. Will either finally achieve their hearts’ desire? Meh. I gave it 4 stars for the quality of the prose, but if I could separately rate the plot, it’d be 3 stars.
12 people found this helpful
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J. Kostanko
5.0 out of 5 stars GOOD material is a win et
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
Good Material started out a little slow and monotonous--kind of like those first days after a break-up, but it picks up speed with each of the charming characters you meet. This book felt very real-bith the pain and the relationships. Andy (the main character) is understated, pathetic, wonderful and loveable. He personified the awkward horribleness of break-ups. I loved that she took the point of view of Jen at the end. It was so unexpected and, at first, I hated it. But it made for such a lovely end. I didn't want to stop reading.
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Not-So-Sporty Spice
3.0 out of 5 stars Great ending, if you can get there
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
I honestly did not like this book through the first 80%. I just kept hoping it would get better and that's what kept me reading. The ending was good, but not the most groundbreaking.

So I don't necessarily mind books where the main characters are bad people or unlikable, so long as the author's in on it and the reader can freely root against them. Great example is the book Bad Summer People where everyone is awful and part of the fun is seeing how it'll come back around for the characters. This book is not like that. This book takes a character whose entire premise is that they have nothing going for them, they're 35 and make quite literally every wrong decision at every turn and yet still think they're the hero or at least that they're deserving of good things happening to them without ever putting in the work. So for 80% of the book I just felt like I was annoyed and exasperated. The side characters have no personality or plot, and the ex girlfriend is just a stand-in for all the past rejection of the main character, even when she gets to explain her side of the story it feels like a classic case of mansplaining her motivations because just having her say her peace at the beginning apparently isn't enough to believe she was telling the truth.

Light spoiler aheads:
- I found Andy exceptionally unlikable, and even the ending where we hear Jen's perspective makes it seems like he's exhausting. Her explaining why they were good together just felt like something you'd do in your early twenties, not your mid thirties.
- honestly no one, other than his friend's wife Jane was likable, maybe Andy's mom? They have no depth.
- the side characters didn't add any value or insights. They're like NPC, though maybe that's because it's from Andy's perspective and he's pretty self absorbed
5 people found this helpful
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carilynp
4.0 out of 5 stars Tender. Sweet. Funny. A must-read. Dolly captures emotions so well.
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
Tender. Sweet. Funny. It's book magic. Andy is a fledgling comedian living in London whose career hasn’t yet hit the bigtime. His girlfriend Jen just broke up with him after a trip to Paris. I mean, really. He’s lovesick and can’t let go. Rereading their texts looking for clues, driving himself mad cyberstalking her, and holding on with exceedingly high hopes for a reconciliation. To Jen, they’re finished, the end.

Alderton does an excellent job writing from a male perspective. How she got into Andy’s head, the nuances of his emotions, his quirks, are so well done, you’ll forget you’re reading a book written by a female author. Oh, Andy, down on his luck, a wee bit depressed, adrift, and things are only going downhill. His friends, each in their own relationships, try to comfort him, but they unintentionally make him feel worse about his plight. All that being said, this story is far from grim, there is an abundance of humor, I just can’t say more without spoiling it. In due time, our endearing Andy stumbles his way through trying to figure out lies ahead.

Alderton has a firm grasp on the vibe of her 30-something generation and she incorporates a delightful storytelling structure with a unique deviation that works like a charm.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Francesca.belmonte
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly funny
Reviewed in Italy on June 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
Discovered Dolly (first name base by now) by chance and I’ve loved her ever since!
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Francesca.belmonte
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly funny
Reviewed in Italy on June 25, 2024
Discovered Dolly (first name base by now) by chance and I’ve loved her ever since!
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Just loved it!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
I’m left wanting more!

Fantastic read. Great characters and relatable in quite a few places.

Funny, emotional, heart warming and different.
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Stephania
3.0 out of 5 stars Not my favorite
Reviewed in the Netherlands on May 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
The book arrived in good condition, but I didn't like it so much, and I was expecting another final (just a personal opinion). However, it is well written.
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NiranjanPallavi
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny, painful
Reviewed in India on March 31, 2024
Verified Purchase
It's all about this stand-up comedian navigating through some seriously rough patches in life, but trust me, it's as hilarious as it is relatable. Dolly really nailed the whole male perspective thing, wrapping it up in this warm, silly embrace that just draws you in. Seriously, I couldn't get enough of it!

This guy's journey through the highs and lows of love is like a rollercoaster ride, but in the end, it's all about finding himself. And then bam! Right at the end, we get a sneak peek into Jen's mind, flipping the script on those tired old romance tropes. This book isn't just breaking boundaries; it's shaking up the whole game!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars So real. Brilliant.
Reviewed in Germany on February 21, 2024
Verified Purchase
Took a minute to get into, then it hit hard. So real. So good.
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