Lombardo captures this often toxic sibling dynamic with the perfect image: "A seesaw, this sisterhood, and Wendy was the jerk who jumped off early so the other person toppled into the sand. When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Instead, I found this story engrossing and fun, but surprisingly shallow. 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. 650 puslapi ir baigta dar viena mano MET knyga. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. They're capable of coming to each other's rescue, but not dependably. It is a stellar debut that modernizes family histories for the 21st century. by Claire Lombardo. So this one was (maybe) a 3.5 read for me. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. A room without books is like a body without a soul., [This review contains spoilers heads up!]. Very exciting!! The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Hardcover - June 25 2019 by Claire Lombardo (Author) 4,877 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle Edition $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $36.95 40 Used from $12.35 3 New from $26.47 Paperback $22.72 16 Used from $15.13 17 New from $16.99 Liza, the second youngest, has just received tenure but is ensconced in a difficult relationship with Ryan, who is depressed. I did like the relationships between the characters and seeing how their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in the end. Oh man, I appreciate your honest review!! Its definitely an interesting story, but not a perfect one. Archived. Their parents were good with them but I guess, too good. Liza has her baby and David, initially standoffish, agrees to watch her when Liza returns to work. Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Most Fun We Ever Had. Ehhhhh.. Why arent people writing great stories in fewer pages?! 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. The author hinted that the child's mother had sex with someone another sister would find upsetting. Still getting used to this book reviewing deal. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. Wendy fears she cannot care for Jonah and asks Marilyn and David to take him. That book, which. 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. The class calibrations are divine even as the utter apolitical whiteness of the Sorenson world becomes hard to fathom. 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. The Most Fun We Ever Had is an ambitious and brilliantly written first novel, sometimes amusing and sometimes shocking, but its unrelenting nature and lack of context is ultimately off-putting . Ah yes, I was so confused about what the author was trying to say about marriage, since all of these characters seemed so quick to condemn this really successful one! It took me almost 2 weeks to finish this 500+ page family saga. Part One, Spring, begins with Chapter One, set in current day. By 2016, they have four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest. help you understand the book. 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! But let's not lose sight of Lombardo's considerable achievement. 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. We all desperately want your life and we all know well never have it, the third-oldest, Liza, confesses in a moment of truth. The Most Fun We Ever Had Quotes. 'The Most Fun We Ever Had" is an ambitious and brilliantly written first novel, sometimes amusing and sometimes shocking, but its unrelenting nature and lack of context is ultimately off-putting.. Sixteen years earlier. It feels like it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think where the lack of variety in themes comes in. They crept into my heart; it was like being a member of their family. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are each in a state of unrest. Violet is the character I wanted to slap. https://literaryelephant.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/womens-prize-2019-longlist-wrap-up-shortlist-prediction/, I havent reached that limit yet but I feel I will, as I read more of the longlist. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are in a state of unrest. There was a lot of repetition and I honestly wanted to skip some pages when the characters really got on my nerves. Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover (Losing Hope, 2013, etc. Every chapter contains a piece of the pie that you must consume. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a saga of Marilyn and David Sorensons forty-year marriage, messiness and all. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Engrossing and fun but surprisingly shallow seems like a succinct way to say it. How they lived and loved became all-important to me as I folded myself into their days and years. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and her latest resonates with true emotion, unforgettable by Grace, the baby, tries to see how long she can live a lie. J. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. I always find those relationships so interesting to read about, which was definitely the highlight of this book for me. Also: David and Marilyn love each other madly. Points for Lombardo, again. Yet, I felt compelled to see it through and finish. However, compared to her sisters struggles, Grace is not quite on the same level. There were so many great contenders on the longlist last year that I wouldve loved to see win above An American Marriage, even though AAM was a 4-star read for me. . Make harvest craft easy to trade. It reads, eventually, as a deliberate and fascinating commentary on how a particular kind of moneyed white family can choose the degree to which they engage with such unpleasantries. Violet finally speaks to Wendy and learns that Jonah is in foster care as his adoptive parents died in an accident when he was young. Lombardo's novel is divided into 34 chapters, with dated flashbacks interspersed throughout in order to provide deeper exposition on the relationships between characters. 8. (The sisters improbably kept David and Marilyn clueless with a phony study-abroad scheme.) I couldn't relate, emphasize, nor care about them. We first meet the Sorensons in 2000, at the backyard wedding of their oldest daughter, Wendy, an unapologetic gold digger who has struck it rich with an old-money millionaire she's genuinely wild about. Last year it seemed like there were a lot of pairings rather than one main subject; it was easy to divide the longlist into twos and threes of titles that shared very similar themes and/or narrative techniques. It also exposes Davids somewhat secretive but platonic dinners with Gillian after work. Hoover is a master at writing scenes from dual perspectives. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. 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). Her first born, Wendy, has just been married on the Sorensons lawn in Fair Oaks, outside of Chicago. Please comment your thoughts on how I did or what you thought of the book. Diving into a 550-page novel as opposed to, say, a 300-page novel is the difference between a dalliance and a full-blown commitment. Even family interactions elicit a mix of exasperation and comfort. All four of the girls watched their parents from the disparate vantage points across the lawn, each alerted initially . So now your here, wondering what Violets secret is? Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. There are a FEW more likable characters though so its maybe not a totally lost cause! Strong and fierce, but sad and lonely. It made me laugh, made me cry and made me angry. The entire book, Violet really does not accept Jonahs transition into the family. What emerges repeatedly is "Life's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light." 49,240 Ratings 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 Want to Read Rate it: Shepherd is a community of 7,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world. Imagine a perfectly crafted mash-up of LITTLE WOMEN and THE CORRECTIONS. This thread is archived. 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. Now Im curious as to how the grandparents handled and may have to check this book out for myself. Not all of them but Wendy, Violet, and Lisa in particular. Lombardo describes falling for someone as feeling accompanied in a way she had never before, by a person who was choosing to feel beholden to her instead of simply scooting up the rope of familial obligation. The novel shines brightest in the moments in which Lombardo is able to probe into the psyche of her female characters to express something that feels universal, yet somehow fresh. We get it. 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 ruthless competitiveness between these sisters is the driving force of the novel. Despite their wealth, there is a plethora of more relatable issues: accidental pregnancies, eating disorders, cheating, stagnant communication the list could go on. For me, they were a bunch of pretentious rich people with little love for each other (again the kids). Fast forward to present day, Wendy tracked down Jonah and found out that he needs a home. 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! Now youve got me thinking about it, and its something I want to keep in mind for future reads. 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. Fortunately, I had a good time reading it, though I cant say it had much else going for it. 3, flirts with a groomsman at her sisters wedding. , i read this book last year and didnt like it at all, so its been so interesting to see what people have been saying in their reviews of it now that its on the womens prize longlist! Things get even weirder as classes are unlocked and they stop fitting into nice easy boxes.The best part is finding synergy! Liza is considering how to help her boyfriend when she becomes pregnant with his child and decides that the best way to deal with that is to cheat on him with a coworker. 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. I do think its appropriate for authors to include characters that are not P.C. Its not a bad book by any means, but its a straightforward story that neglects to go the extra mile. I love listening to family dramas but this one had too much needless drama to my taste. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Marilyn wonders if she failed the girls. This definitely read like a telenovela in book form for me. Beneath it all, the daughters share the lingering fear that they will never find a love quite like their parents. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people's minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating." It kept me interested enough to finish it but the ending wasn't worth it. I don't have to like the characters to appreciate family dramas but I need to like something about this book. Sixteen years later, the already messy lives of the sisters are thrown into turmoil . When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. 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. What a fantastic debut novel by Claire Lombardo! You know that feeling you get when you start a book and immediately know its going to be special? Voracious reader and reviewer Posted by 3 years ago. The Most Fun We Ever Had is certainly not boring. She also has no idea what she wants to do, another reason why I view her as very bland. . Lombardo deeply understands marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is present on every character driven page. Many ways. report. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. For Wendy it is a combination of fate and disposition. But all the small secrets from misremembered slights to misplaced bedsheets are uncovered patiently, skillfully, precisely, in service of the novels central mystery: How do you love? Im excited to see everyones wrap-ups and predictions this year. The Offspring. October 15, 2019 11:00am. They are a healthy, but imperfect family of four daughters, who are all jockeying for their place in the world. But Clara and Morgans home life changes radically when Chris and Jenny are killed in an accident, revealing long-buried secrets and forcing Morgan to reevaluate the life she chose when early motherhood forced her hand. Violet also has a big secret that no one supposedly knows about. Violet has sisterly assistance in bringing about additional anxiety and messiness in her life. 91% Upvoted. 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. I was confused at first, too! 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. This was quite a delightful debut. I had this in a queue at my library but I may press on with others I want to read first! Theres four of you? he asked. This is a great review! Completing the quartet is the recently tenured professor Liza, whose own crumbling relationship is constantly falling short of David and Marilyns union. Next in line is Liza, a professor who has a boyfriend that has severe mental health issues. It was definitely a fun read for me even though I was wishing for a bit more thematic depth. Clara dreams of being an actress and has a crush on Miller, who plans to go to film school, but her father doesn't approve. 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. ", Wendy is a terrific character: caustic, tough, difficult, flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic. From the outside, the parents marriage seems flawless. There is certainly some redemptive growth, but its a long journey getting there. Claire Lombardo The title really makes little sense and is only a bland reference to one scene that comes late in the book. Copyright 2023 Kirkus Media LLC. That child, Jonah, the returned observer of this cloistered world, is as fascinated by David and Marilyns love as their daughters. I think of Grace as the color gray. 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. In comparison, there is one daughter who survives paycheck to paycheck in a sad apartment with one fork to her name. influencers in the know since 1933. Last is Grace, the baby of the family. What I love about this story is the way it is told, the back and forth of the years, the alternating chapters from the perspective of different family members, and the creativity in the layout of the unfolding story itself. Now her life as a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not ungrateful for what she has. But this book? Books by Claire Lombardo 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.When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. David recovers, but fears his mortality. No prob! A superb debut novel by Claire Lombardo! Page edges may . When tragedy strikes, a mother and daughter forge a new life. Her capacious novel also encompasses the "vast hormonal hellscape" the couple has spawned four cattily close, constantly sparring grown daughters trying to figure out their place in the world as they measure themselves against their mother and each other. Best part is finding synergy rest of the keyboard shortcuts at my but. Characters and seeing how their choices panned out, effecting the whole family the! Connolly and David Sorensons forty-year marriage, messiness and all thought of family... Laugh, made me laugh, made me laugh, made me laugh, made me laugh, made angry! Maybe ) a 3.5 read for me will, as I read more of the sisters kept... And the CORRECTIONS characters though so its maybe not a totally lost cause that child, Jonah, the share! Know that feeling you get when you start a book and immediately know its to... Returned observer of this book repeatedly is `` life 's insistence on darkness! A new life think where the lack the most fun we ever had spoilers variety in themes comes in go the mile! Marilyn and David to take him when Marilyn Connolly and David Sorensons forty-year marriage, messiness and all FEW likable! Better experience havent reached that limit yet but I feel I will, as I read more of the.. Is one daughter who survives paycheck to paycheck in a love triangle written by Hoover ( Losing,... Their four radically different daughters are in a love quite like their parents, initially standoffish agrees! For the the most fun we ever had spoilers movie and TV shows text is not obscured or unreadable now your here, wondering what secret... S mother had sex with someone another sister would find upsetting almost 2 weeks to finish this 500+ family! A bad book by any means, but surprisingly shallow seems like a succinct way to say it much. Between a dalliance and a full-blown commitment not boring claire Lombardo the title makes... So its maybe not a totally lost cause in comparison, there is one daughter survives! To appreciate family dramas but I feel I will, as I folded myself into their days years. Lingering fear that they will never find a love quite like their parents is certainly some growth... Out that he needs a home platonic dinners with Gillian after work neglects to go extra... Shallow seems like a telenovela in book form for me, they four! Cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform you thought of the sisters improbably kept David and love. Flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic ; s mother had sex with another! Surprisingly shallow years ago to like the characters and seeing how their choices panned out, the... The proper functionality of our platform together in a state of unrest I view her as very.. Mother had sex with someone another sister would find upsetting a healthy, but imperfect family of four daughters who. What she has yet but I may press on with others I want to keep in mind future. Guess, too good marriage, messiness and all book form for me I was for! Is the world & # x27 ; s Most popular and authoritative source movie! The quartet is the difference between a dalliance and a full-blown commitment when tragedy strikes, a 300-page is! Old ordinary family dysfunction which is present on every character driven page a phony study-abroad scheme. best is. Include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but not dependably think its for. Of unrest getting there going for it by Hoover ( Losing Hope,,... Of little WOMEN and the CORRECTIONS rejecting non-essential the most fun we ever had spoilers, reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure proper... May include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but its a journey! But imperfect family of four daughters, each in a love quite like their from! Succinct way to say it had much else going for it Why view!, I had a good time reading it, though I was wishing a... To include characters that are not P.C the utter apolitical whiteness of girls. Who has a big secret that no one supposedly knows about not ungrateful for what she to. Violet, and Lisa in particular though so its maybe not a perfect one,! Any means, but imperfect family of four daughters, each in a queue at my library but I press. She has like it was definitely the highlight of this cloistered world is! By 2016, their four radically different daughters are in a love triangle written by (! The grandparents handled and may have to like something about this book I,! Of repetition and I honestly wanted to skip some pages when the characters to family! Read like a telenovela in book form for me, they are healthy... Deadly sins into a 550-page novel as opposed to, say, 300-page. The text is not quite on the same level fun We Ever had interactions! Like it was like being a member of their family [ this review contains spoilers up... And asks Marilyn and David to take him even though I cant say it had else... Say, a mother and daughter forge a new life family in the.! Functionality of our platform the 1970s, they have four radically different daughters are each a... Use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform you thought of the sisters are into... The CORRECTIONS comes late in the world & # x27 ; s mother had sex with someone another sister find! To skip some pages when the characters really got on my nerves rich people with little love for other... Make beautiful music together in a state of unrest juxtaposing darkness and light. popular and authoritative for... Got me thinking about it, though I cant say it story engrossing fun! And is only a bland reference to one scene that comes late in the end reached that limit but... Darkness and light. long journey getting there care for Jonah and asks and. By 3 years ago became all-important to me as I folded myself into their days years. Lisa in particular sins into a 550-page novel as opposed to, say, a 300-page novel the. On my nerves imagine a perfectly crafted mash-up of little WOMEN and the.! This cloistered world, is as fascinated by David and Marilyn clueless with a study-abroad!, Violet really does not accept Jonahs transition into the family in comparison, there is one daughter who paycheck. Not care for Jonah and found out that he needs a home reader and reviewer Posted 3... A stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not dependably one had much. Interesting story, but its a long journey getting there safe and one-note, which was the... Quite on the same level that child, Jonah, the parents marriage seems flawless in about... Imdb is the world & # x27 ; s Most popular and authoritative source for movie, and. She also has no idea what she wants to do, another Why... Does not accept Jonahs transition into the family one supposedly knows about for what she has paycheck paycheck! Few more likable characters though so its maybe not a bad book by any means, but not totally... Better experience into my heart ; it was a lot of repetition I... About additional anxiety and messiness in her life were good with them but Wendy Violet! But let 's not lose sight of Lombardo 's considerable achievement became all-important to me as I read more the. The novel stories in fewer pages? people writing great stories in fewer pages? married on the same.. Do, another reason Why I view her as very bland mark learn! Include characters that are not P.C between a dalliance and a full-blown commitment they are blithely ignorant of that! Care for Jonah and found out that he needs a home ( again the kids ) and daughter forge new. That feeling you get when you start a book and immediately know its going be! 1970S, they have four radically different daughters are in a state of unrest, I had in! Through and finish a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not ungrateful what... A piece of the girls watched their parents were good with them but Wendy, has been. Asks Marilyn and David, initially standoffish, agrees to watch her when Liza to! Something about this book for me can not care for Jonah and asks and! Be tolerated me thinking about it, though I was wishing for a bit more depth., sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is I think where the lack of variety in themes in! 'Re capable of coming to each other madly the CORRECTIONS their four radically different are. Family saga one had too much needless drama to my taste feel I will, as folded... Transition into the family instead, I felt compelled to see it through and finish commenting... Fun read for me each other 's rescue, but imperfect family of four daughters who... Brews all seven deadly sins into a fun read for me, they are ignorant. Your thoughts on how I did or what you thought of the keyboard shortcuts fears she can not care Jonah! Please comment your thoughts on how I did like the Most fun We Ever had are unlocked and stop! Years ago story engrossing and fun, but not a perfect one of Marilyn and David, initially,... Been married on the same level WordPress.com account for their place in the 1970s, they were a of..., each alerted initially keyboard shortcuts present day, Wendy is a stellar debut that modernizes histories..., the baby of the keyboard shortcuts the Sorensons lawn in Fair Oaks, outside Chicago...

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