Super Short Summary

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez explores the grief and personal transformation of an unnamed narrator after her friend, a male writer and mentor, dies by suicide. She inherits his Great Dane, Apollo, and despite building regulations against pets, forms a deep, healing bond with the dog, reflecting on love, loss, and the complexities of her relationship with her deceased friend. The narrative shifts between first and third person, ultimately revealing that the story we've been reading is within a novel that mirrors the author's own experiences. The book addresses the devastating impact of a friend's suicide and the narrator's emotional journey through her bond with the dog.