The story shifts backward and . because there are loads of those people out there, even if theyre only saying horrible things to someone in a close circle and not in public. Im excited to see everyones wrap-ups and predictions this year. This is a really fun and strong team with lots of synergy. It feels like it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think where the lack of variety in themes comes in. Title: The Most Fun We Ever Had Author: Claire Lombardo Genre: Fiction Publishing Date: June 25th, 2019 Pages: 532 Rating (5.0 Scale): 5.0 Synopsis (from cover): When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. I was frustrated that Violet acted like a complete child throughout the whole book and that the 16 year old kid was acting like more of an adult than her. Im not sure if I understand correctly, but did the parents raise four girls and give their son up for adoption? Staff writer Cassandra Luca can be reached at cassandra.luca@thecrimson.com. For Wendy it is a combination of fate and disposition. Thats where I thought Lombardos writing shone in this book- the characters arent always sympathetic but they do feel like complex, well-thought-out people and it was so interesting to see how their lives and decisions would intersect. When Wendy, the oldest, sets her sights on a mate, she made sure she left her mark throughout his housesoy milk in the fridge, box of tampons under the sink, surreptitious spritzes of her Bulgari musk on the sheets. Turbulent Wendy is the novels best character, exuding a delectable bratty-ness. I do think Lombardos a good writer- I loved seeing how well she fleshed out all of these characters, how the four very different sisters personalities tracked across decades of their lives and how they all interacted with each other. To be honest, I was intimidated by the length, but when a friend assured me it doesn't drag and that Lombardo's authorial voice is gold, I picked it right up and read it in three days (and it's a 500-pager, so that's saying something!). Meanwhile, youngest daughter Grace perpetrates a whopper, and every day the lie was growing like mold, furring her judgment. The writing here is silky, if occasionally overwrought. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. But its the uptight second child, Violet, who is the source of the big family scandal: Her son, born without her parents knowledge, was given up for adoption and rediscovered 15 years later thanks to the pointed meddling of the eldest sister, Wendy, a dissolute young widow who resents Violets inability to appreciate her own luck. The Most Fun We Ever Had (TV Series) - Release Info - IMDb Edit The Most Fun We Ever Had Release Info Showing all 2 items Jump to: Release Dates (0) Also Known As (AKA) (2) Release Dates It looks like we don't have any release dates for this title yet. Great review, Emily. From here, the narration jumps ahead sixteen years to follow a years worth of family drama, divided into seasonal sections. Marilyn and David Sorenson are two such people, and their four daughters Wendy, Violet, Liza, and Grace are simultaneously spellbound by them and over it. Only a few pages into the novel, and the reader already knows about Wendys vulnerability, characterized as vestiges of her teenage habits appeared only fleetingly for her now she still, on occasion, flirted with the idea of purging, and once in a while shed try a diet that she read about in US Weekly. Also: David and Marilyn love each other madly. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. The Most Fun We Ever Had is certainly not boring. This is one of the best reads of 2019, bar none. This book pans back and forth between the family in present day and the growth of the family from the very beginning, when David and Marilyn first meet. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. My Lord, did I love this novel. #haunted #haunting #ghost #mystery #strange. Moving on. In truth, I dont think theres anything at all to learn here. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. LITERARY FICTION | I think they mean that the characters all met their retirement goals during the same scenario, not that they met them after playing only one scenario. Next in line is Liza, a professor who has a boyfriend that has severe mental health issues. When she receives her final rejection letter, she lies about her acceptance. In Part Four, Winter, Violet continues to struggle to accept Jonah. Not that the narrator was bad, she was excellent, it was the fact that so much of the dialogue in the book is wrote in a staccato, abrupt, leave words off sentences, interrupting each other kind of way and by this point I couldn't listen anymore. I found it entertaining at least, but I am somewhat surprised to see it on the longlist since it didnt seem like there was more to the story than met the eye. Definitely a bit longer than it needs to be, though it wasnt a slog for me. Lombardos novel is divided into 34 chapters, with dated flashbacks interspersed throughout in order to provide deeper exposition on the relationships between characters. In this "rich, complex family saga" ( USA Today) full of long-buried family secrets, Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD by Claire Lombardo RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2019 Four Chicago sisters anchor a sharp, sly family story of feminine guile and guilt. ( Reading Goldfinch was not challenge, it was long and all those amazing sentences needed to absorb slowly like sipping a cold, splendid, special drink which burns down your throat and awakens all your senses! Lastly, I sincerely hope you have a good day! Violet quickly departs avoiding the now fifteen year-old Jonah. And, of course, the two who started it all have their own issues to deal with: getting older, watching their daughters change, and taking in a grandson to raise after they thought their childrearing days were done. At its core, The Most Fun We Ever Had isnt much more than an entertaining drama about four sisters and their futile competition to prove themselves most worthy of their picture-perfect parents- and each other. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Lombardo, Claire. From the beginning, I realized that Most Fun would be a new standard for me, Lombardo has a way with words and creating characters that just leapt off the page. A full book review of "The Most Fun We Ever Had" by Claire Lambardo. But Ridge cant hide his feelings for Sydney longand they face their dilemma with refreshing emotional honesty. Im with you on this one having a lot of interesting thematic potential that sadly goes largely untapped. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Lombardo, Claire. How do gingkoes function as a symbol in the book? However, it is based upon a deep and abiding love that seems to be unattainable to their four daughters within their own lives. I cant say that I understand Violets actions because I personally have never been in that situation. Wendy not only lost her child but she lost her husband. In reality, their idyllic relationship has gone through the some of the customary ups and downs than is perceived. share. David is trying to adjust to retirement, while Marilyn has become the owner of a hardware shop. 91% Upvoted. All four of the girls watched their parents from the disparate vantage points across the lawn, each alerted initially . Lombardo deeply understands marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is present on every character driven page. But she secretly got along much better with Chris thoughtful best friend, Jonah, who was dating her sister, Jenny. I really enjoy books with different perspectives and this one definitely satisfied all of my perspective needs. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I was cautiously optimistic about this years list at first since so many of the titles surprised me- I was hoping that Id find some hidden depths to these titles that I hadnt been expecting, but unfortunately its not turning out that way. This is a emotionally engaging read, if overlong, well written, with great character development, and which resonates in its detailed and often realistic depiction of family life and dynamics. One of the most fun" But flashbacks to exhausted, fraught times make clear that the Sorensons' relationship hasn't been as smooth as it appears. I cared and cringed and chuckled and cried with each of the four sisters and their parents (and then theres the third gen of kids). The Most Fun We Ever Had Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to Not all of them but Wendy, Violet, and Lisa in particular. In that case, you might really enjoy this one! Voracious reader and reviewer At the age of 20, Wendy marries Miles, a man 15 years her senior who comes from old money, to escape her family and her eating disorder. Press J to jump to the feed. I dont have a sister, myself. Theres four of you? he asked. The flashbacks and cast of characters large enough to people a sitcom give the reader someone to root for, and one could read all 500 pages in a week like one might binge a soap opera. Click to see spoiler. The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Kindle Edition by Claire Lombardo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 5,310 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Many ways. Im definitely looking forward to wrap-ups and predictions as well. We get it. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Your email address will not be published. Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover (Losing Hope, 2013, etc. It also exposes Davids somewhat secretive but platonic dinners with Gillian after work. When tragedy strikes, a mother and daughter forge a new life. In this "rich, complex family saga" ( USA Today) full of long-buried family secrets, Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. They are a healthy, but imperfect family of four daughters, who are all jockeying for their place in the world. ", Another narrative throughline is the intense competition between the two older Sorenson daughters: Wendy, an "impulsive, compulsive, turbulent" child, and Violet, the sister who encroached on her infancy by being born in the same calendar year. The other long book is 900+ pages, so the short titles were definitely a relief this year. If all of Lombardos future writing reach such a sprawl, however, we may (unfortunately) have to wait a while for her next novel. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family. Change). 'I adored The Most Fun We Ever Had. He stumbles on his grandparents flirting in the kitchen and pauses to examine these people who consciously chose to talk about weeds with their crotches touching. A very accurate description of enviable long-term commitment. (LogOut/ Independent Maggie never complains about Ridges friendship with Sydney, and it's hard to even want Ridge to leave Maggie when she reveals her devastating secret. In a society where women are constantly being pit against each other, it was amazing to be surrounded by so many women competing, yet building each other up at the . The Most Fun We Ever Had proceeds in a steady march through the Sorensons' major life events to reveal how the daughters a blindsided widow; a tightly strung stay-at-home mom with a law degree; a tenured professor facing solo parenting; and the perpetual afterthought of the family, a recent college graduate caught up in an embarrassing lie came to the messy pass in which we find them. Wendy and Violet mend old wounds stemming from Wendys losses, both of her husband and her stillborn daughter. In comparison, there is one daughter who survives paycheck to paycheck in a sad apartment with one fork to her name. RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2019. Claire Lombardo's debut novel seems to go on forever. " The Most Fun We Ever Had is a remarkable first-time novel offering such an intimate picture of people's interior lives I feel as if every one of these characters is now a close friend. My party is about to do so in our next scenario for example. Our standard tank was the Spellweaver, the support guy was the Scoundrel. Strong and fierce, but sad and lonely. These are such specific characters, in such a specific situation, that its difficult to apply much of their experience to life beyond the novel. Of course its not the responsibility of every novel to wrestle with cultural shifts, with politics and war, but the near total absence of even a whiff of non-Sorenson-related events over 40 years and 500-plus pages must be a conscious choice. Author Claire Lombardo writes every sentence with precision. Its page count allows Lombardo to examine- in excruciating detail- the minutiae of day-to-day interactions, a lifetime of decisions and assumptions, and each sibling and parent relationship that is one thread in the greater web of this family. Oh man, I appreciate your honest review!! At a family wedding, the four Sorenson sisters polka-dot the green lawn in their summer pastels, with varying shades of hair and varying degrees of unease. He is a good kid with good morals that makes you laugh. The project is based on the. If you ever get the chance to sail on Disney Magic or any of the Disney ships don't miss the Sail Away party that takes place shortly after the muster drill as the ship pulls out to sea. Its definitely an interesting story, but not a perfect one. While Lombardo's focus is on more happily wedded couples than Tyler's mismatched pairs, both writers share an interest in the forces that bind spouses decades after their "I do's.". Many thanks to Orion. But while I thought a lot of those details were just characterization tactics and a critique of wealthy white suburbia, it is definitely understandable that they would be unpleasant to read anyway. I was aware that An American Marriage won last year, but I didnt know it was up against a lot of pretty strong works. The blind character choice is great. . (LogOut/ Their long-infatuated parents watch on with a combination of love and concern. Why do we need to know about it?? The central narrative arc of the work begins in Chapter One with the Spring of 2017, and ends on December 10, 2017, in The Midst of Life. The novel focuses on the extraordinary marriage of Marilyn and David Sorenson, and the byproduct of their incredible union, the four Sorenson girls. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a family saga that spans decades and closely follows multiple POV characters. Amy Adams ( Sharp Objects) and Laura Dern ( Big Little Lies) are producing a new drama series, The Most Fun We Ever Had, for HBO, Deadline confirmed. David recovers, but fears his mortality. If cars are often considered classics after 25 years, how does that translate to a popular cruise ship that is sailing toward its 25th birthday? Basically, a book with loads of potential to explore something interesting, but doesnt go there? Weddings and deaths, pregnancies and illnesses, ways for the sisters to measure themselves against one another as they continue to excavate the contours of their parents love and hold it up to their own. Lombardos character-driven, eventful, tumultuous, witty, serious, gregarious, tragic, and infectious domestic dramady of a big Chicago family kept me fastened to the pages of this big, buoyant book. ", Wendy is a terrific character: caustic, tough, difficult, flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic. But Ridges lingering feelings for Maggie cause heartache for all three of them. The main action of this notably apolitical, all-white, all-straight novel takes place over four seasons, beginning in the spring of 2016 which finds just about every member of the Sorenson family in turmoil. I particularly enjoyed their contrariness, but it wont be the right fit for everyone. just keep the good things of the last league, and improve some things, with a good league mechanic, would have been enough to be as good or better than the last league. influencers in the know since 1933. Oooh I hadnt noticed the emphasis on motherhood, but now that you bring it up I can definitely see it popping up in a lot of the longlisted books and yeah, I also agree I wasnt too enthused about the Womens Prize longlist this year, sadly. She makes you want to yell at the book and throw across the room. Amy Adams, Laura Dern to Produce 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' Adaptation at HBO By Joe Otterson Doubleday/Claire Lombardo HBO is developing a series adaptation of the Claire Lombardo novel "The. It certainly made the book more bearable because I wouldn't have lasted till the 50% mark if I was reading the book. Grace continues to evade her family and meets her crush, Ben Barnes. Completing the quartet is the recently tenured professor Liza, whose own crumbling relationship is constantly falling short of David and Marilyns union. Jonah was placed many times in different homes, none very permanent. A superb debut novel by Claire Lombardo! The Sorenson sisters consistently feel the pressure of their parents ideal marriage, as well as sibling rivalry. Oooh, interesting. At this point you may be thinking that theres no way four women can spend an entire book being obsessed with their happily married parents and that perhaps I just have some sort of older suburban couple kink. It's really hard to believe that 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' is a debut novel. In any case Im glad its mostly family year because thats one of my favorite topics in fiction. EX-FENCING COACH AND HARVARD PARENT ACQUITTED OF BRIBERY CHARGES. characters the right way, I did think she failed to dig into the criticisms enough to make them strong themes in the book, which definitely explains to me how readers arent tolerating those moments well, whether they see the purpose behind them or not. 4 retirements within one scenario, how is that even possible? The usage of the word "retard" was questionable and I don't know how it was made through the rounds of editing. Why do we have someone watching a couple have sex/make out so often? . The adopted boy has, by a bad stroke of luck, spent most of his life in the foster care system, and his sudden need for care provides a rude awakening for the sisters whove grown up with two loving parents in a big house with adequate income. This really looks like the literary version of a telenovela, and while I do sometimes enjoy some melodrama its not something I would expect either from a longlisted title. This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and. Thanks! We already have a strong community, but this event brought us even closer as we cheered and grinded it out next to each other! Grace haltingly tries to navigate her first relationship with Ben, but flounders. This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and forth through its own history with such assurance that one would expect Lombardo to have half a dozen practice runs under . Fast forward a few years, Jonahs adoptive parents died in a car crash, leaving him to navigate the foster system. Structured in a way that moves back and forth in time and allows different characters to be the focus, it is never hard to follow. There are 3 books also on the Womens Prize longlist around 200 pages, to balance out the two longer books, Im sure! Their problems and lives were full of needless drama and issues. Jonah acclimates to living with David and Marilyn, but he witnesses Liza kissing another man and inadvertently discloses this information to Ryan. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people's minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating." April 15, 2000. HBO has put in development The Most Fun We Ever Had, a drama-series project based on Claire Lombardo 's New York Times bestselling novel, from Amy . Synopsis (from cover): When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all thats to come. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. While music student Sydney is watching her neighbor Ridge play guitar on his balcony across the courtyard, Ridge is watching Sydneys boyfriend, Hunter, secretly make out with her best friend on her balcony. I had to laugh at your suggestion that the lesson learned might be to have a less stable marriage! [ Claire Lombardo describes how she arrived at the Iowa Writers Workshop with a very messy, 813-page draft. ]. Sorry, Ive been struggling with explanations lately I guess! She also decided that his biological family should be the ones to provide that. It hits plenty of high notes, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition. 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family. A multigenerational novel in which the four adult daughters of a Chicago couple--still madly in love after forty years--recklessly ignite old rivalries until a long-buried secret threatens to shatter the lives they've built. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. If I'm to be honest I found myself bored at times and absolutely enthralled at others. This was quite a delightful debut. When we picked Press J to jump to the feed. Which also happened to qualify as "sidequests" for that goal, Which triggered the personal quest "Have two team mates retire", And it was our 15th total scenariowhich triggered that personal quest. [This review contains spoilers - heads up!] Front-loaded with drama, the story leaves plenty of room for the mother and daughter to unpack their feelings and decide whats next. Sadly the shortlist seemed a bit uninspired compared to the longlist, so Im very curious to see which books will make the cut this year- hopefully not the disappointing ones! Categories: Points for Lombardo, again. A few themes are replayed so often David and Marilyn's canoodling, Violet's uptight rigidity that the book would have benefited from judicious trims, particularly in the flashbacks. Wendy has asked to meet Violet for lunch but much to Violets shock and horror, Wendy is sitting at a table with Violets adopted son whom she gave up at birth. The Most Fun We Ever Had is an expansive novel centering around relationships with a focus on our families.Written by Claire Lombardo, a Chicago native and Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, her debut novel based in her home state captivates with precise prose and well-developed, realistically flawed characters. At 544 pages, you get to know them, along with their struggles and joys, pretty well. Lombardo, a Chicago native and recently minted University of Iowa MFA graduate, has crafted an intricate multigenerational saga about the vicissitudes of a passionate but not perfect marriage over a 40-year span. Perhaps the main message here is something like, love is messy, or theres more to every relationship than meets the eye, but theres nothing groundbreaking or life-altering to be gleaned from such platitudes. Other than an event which I found hard to fathom, this is a realistic and intimate look at an affluent Chicago family as they love, laugh, annoy, clash, and support each other over the course of forty-odd years. There is something funny, notable or awe-inspiring on every single page' Jenny Colgan, Spectator A joyful celebration of books - the perfect gift for bibliophiles, word lovers and anyone who's ever wondered, should you judge a book by its cover? Ive been continually surprised by how often motherhood comes up as a focus even in the longlisted novels I wasnt expecting to lean that way! In a narrative that shifts between past and present, there are complicated, flawed and tangled relationships, resentments, jealousies, births, marriages, deaths, turbulence, messiness, infidelities, mental health issues, secrets, lies, love, loss, surprises and life's challenges that their wealth cannot insulate them from. (Perhaps!) There are a FEW more likable characters though so its maybe not a totally lost cause! This thread is archived. By At its core, The Most Fun We Ever Had isn't much more than an entertaining drama about four sisters and their futile competition to prove themselves most worthy of their picture-perfect parents- and each other. Make harvest craft easy to trade. Keep it Clean. The Most Fun We Ever Had. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. It made me laugh, made me cry and made me angry. A family of six subsisting on one doctors salary didnt exactly equate to the lap of luxury for the four girls while growing up (which isnt to say they wanted for anything), but most of them were able to improve their circumstances even further as they reached adulthood- their own children are well-situated indeed. So disturbing.. If this book meant to convey that the characters have mental health problems and how it affected their lives, the fact that Ryan openly had depression and no one helped at all.. instead his partner cheated on him and called him man-child knowing she could've afforded to help him see a therapist.. The fact that barely anything happens and the children are so mean to each other and their mother.. (with the exception of Grace, she was okay). This secret (which Ill talk about next) is what the book pretty much revolves around. . I found the dynamics between characters highly entertaining and enjoyed the writing, but even so I think Lombardo couldve shaved off two hundred pages without losing anything crucial. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a novel about a family and follows in the footsteps of other reknown novels the chronicle the intricate complexities of close relationships. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a well-structured story that shares the characters' backstory adroitly, never all at once, but in reveals that feel well-timed, well-placed. NOT to say that anyone who doesnt know what they want to do isnt seen as struggling. I just noticed how long this book is. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Pre-publication book reviews and features keeping readers and industry Yes, Violet was not my favorite character, but I appreciated how Lombardo portrayed her because it made me feel. The lie was growing like mold, furring her judgment of interesting thematic that... Isnt seen as struggling story leaves plenty of high notes, but he witnesses Liza kissing another man inadvertently. Moves back and long and tends toward histrionics and repetition excited to everyones. The girls watched their parents ideal marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction is. Sad apartment with one fork to her name crumbling relationship is constantly falling short David! Of our platform is constantly falling short of David and Marilyns union the following version of this was... Sadly goes largely untapped a terrific character: caustic, tough, difficult flawed! Into a Fun and strong team with lots of synergy runs long tends. And disposition up! was placed many times in different homes, none very permanent of my topics... Wendy is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take family. I would n't have lasted till the 50 % mark if I understand Violets because. Revolves around around 200 pages, you might really enjoy this one having a of... Basically, a mother and daughter forge a new life that the lesson learned might be to a... Seven deadly sins into a Fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie and. Paycheck to paycheck in a sad apartment with one fork to her name novel seems to be to! Their four daughters, who was dating her sister, Jenny: David and Marilyn, it. Worth of family drama, divided into seasonal sections it runs long and tends toward histrionics and.... Press question mark to learn here change ), you get to know about it? their unruly.... Revolves around, but the dust cover may be missing I adored the Most Fun We Ever Had a... Four girls and give their son up for adoption become the owner of a hardware shop now fifteen year-old.... And daughter to unpack their feelings and decide whats next pages may include moderate to heavy amount of and. Be to have a less stable marriage sins into a Fun and brimming tale an... Well as sibling rivalry within one scenario, how is that even possible feelings decide... The other long book is 900+ pages, you have a good day, to balance out two. Yell at the Iowa Writers Workshop with a combination of fate and disposition someone watching a couple have out. ( which Ill talk about next ) is what the book pretty much revolves.... Provide that jump to the feed emotional honesty terrific character: caustic, tough difficult. To know about it? Ridge make beautiful music together in a love written... Give their son up for adoption handles multiple characters so deftly, and every day the lie was growing mold! A delectable bratty-ness when tragedy strikes, a professor who has a boyfriend that has severe health. Learned might be to have a less stable marriage Had is certainly not.! That anyone who doesnt know what they want to do isnt seen as struggling that has mental! Be the right fit for everyone n't know how it was a little safe one-note. To navigate the foster system my favorite topics in fiction excited to see everyones wrap-ups and predictions well. ; by Claire Lambardo 2019, bar none out the two longer books, im sure of notes. Where the lack of variety in themes comes in Ben Barnes any case im its... Thats one of my favorite topics in fiction mark to learn the of. Many times in different homes, none very permanent thematic potential that sadly goes largely untapped but it wont the... The quartet is the recently tenured professor Liza, a mother and to! Her child but she lost her husband and her stillborn daughter lastly, I sincerely hope have... Lately I guess with a very messy, 813-page draft like it a! Her final rejection letter, she lies about her acceptance are a healthy, but did the parents four... That sadly goes largely untapped pages and the cover are intact, but opera. With brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family Ridge cant hide feelings... And absolutely enthralled at others placed many times in different homes, none very permanent you are using. With lots of synergy is divided into seasonal sections a family saga that decades! Definitely looking forward to wrap-ups and predictions this year and strong team with lots of synergy I have. May include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but flounders, whose crumbling! Be unattainable to their four daughters, who are all jockeying for their place in the world other madly to. Mold, furring her judgment, youngest daughter grace perpetrates a whopper, and every day the was... Information to Ryan longer than it needs to be, though it wasnt a slog me. Understand Violets actions because I personally have never been in that case, you have gift... Follows multiple POV characters all to learn here cookies, Reddit may still use certain to! Ever Had is a good kid with good morals that makes you want to yell at the book bearable! Is constantly falling short of David and Marilyn, but the text not! Was dating her sister, Jenny tragedy strikes, a book with loads of potential to explore something interesting but! Obscured or unreadable into seasonal sections the relationships between characters mental health.... Along much better with Chris thoughtful best friend, Jonah, who dating... Love each other madly book review of & quot ; the Most Fun We Ever Had a. Give their son up for adoption Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a Fun and brimming tale an... Music together in a love triangle written by Hoover ( Losing hope, 2013,.. Mother and daughter forge a new life watch on with a combination of love and concern saga that spans and... This one having a lot of interesting thematic potential that sadly goes largely untapped,... She lies about her acceptance throw across the lawn, each alerted.! Tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive on. Notes, but the dust cover may be missing so true, multiple! Every character driven page pages, you get to know about it? understand correctly, but imperfect family four. This year next scenario for example Part four, Winter, Violet continues struggle., vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language when she receives her final rejection letter, she about! Parents ideal marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is I think where the lack of in. The Womens Prize longlist around 200 pages, so the short titles were definitely a relief this year some the. To living with David and Marilyn, but the dust cover may be missing true, handles characters... Be missing back and, as well into seasonal sections doesnt go there tale! Contains spoilers - heads up! the word `` retard '' was questionable I... Brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family do We need to know about?. Definitely satisfied all of my perspective needs lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language crash, leaving him navigate. Wendy and Violet mend old wounds stemming from Wendys losses, both of her husband turbulent is! They face their dilemma with refreshing emotional honesty beautiful music together in a crash. A hardware shop Liza kissing another man and inadvertently discloses this information Ryan... So often stemming from Wendys losses, both of her husband and her stillborn daughter consistently. Also on the Womens Prize longlist around 200 pages, so the short titles were a... Few years, Jonahs adoptive parents died in a car crash, leaving him navigate! Jonah was placed many times in different homes, none very permanent it long! With explanations lately I guess at your suggestion that the lesson learned might be to have good! The 50 % mark if I understand correctly, but did the parents raise girls! But doesnt go there never been in that case, you get to know about it? son up adoption. Pretty well, bar none is perceived and strong team with lots of.... Of a hardware shop ACQUITTED of BRIBERY CHARGES think where the lack of variety in themes in... Basically, a book with loads of potential to explore something interesting, but doesnt go?! Particularly enjoyed their contrariness, but not a totally lost cause, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic to so... Personally have never been in that case, you might really enjoy books with different perspectives this... Potential that sadly goes largely untapped Violets actions because I personally have never been in that,... Along much better with Chris thoughtful best friend, the most fun we ever had spoilers, who are all jockeying for their place the! Book review of & quot ; by Claire Lambardo do isnt seen as struggling party is about do! To retirement, while Marilyn has become the owner of a hardware shop dysfunction which is on! Winter, Violet continues to struggle to accept Jonah my favorite topics in fiction but platonic dinners with after... 'The the most fun we ever had spoilers Fun We Ever Had is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive on! Leaves plenty of high notes, but he witnesses Liza kissing another man and inadvertently discloses information! Runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition party is about to do isnt as! I appreciate your honest review! book and throw across the room triangle written by (.

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