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All Adults Here
When Astrid Strick witnesses a school bus accident in the center of town, it jostles loose a repressed memory from her young parenting days decades earlier. Suddenly, Astrid realizes she was not quite the parent she thought she’d been to her three, now-grown children. But to what consequence?
Astrid’s youngest son is drifting and unfocused, making parenting mistakes of his own. Her daughter is intentionally pregnant yet struggling to give up her own adolescence. And her eldest seems to measure his adult life according to standards no one else shares. But who gets to decide, so many years later, which long-ago lapses were the ones that mattered? Who decides which apologies really count? It might be that only Astrid’s thirteen-year-old granddaughter and her new friend really understand the courage it takes to tell the truth to the people you love the most.
In All Adults Here, Emma Straub’s unique alchemy of wisdom, humor, and insight come together in a deeply satisfying story about adult siblings, aging parents, high school boyfriends, middle school mean girls, the lifelong effects of birth order, and all the other things that follow us into adulthood, whether we like them to or not.
Astrid’s youngest son is drifting and unfocused, making parenting mistakes of his own. Her daughter is intentionally pregnant yet struggling to give up her own adolescence. And her eldest seems to measure his adult life according to standards no one else shares. But who gets to decide, so many years later, which long-ago lapses were the ones that mattered? Who decides which apologies really count? It might be that only Astrid’s thirteen-year-old granddaughter and her new friend really understand the courage it takes to tell the truth to the people you love the most.
In All Adults Here, Emma Straub’s unique alchemy of wisdom, humor, and insight come together in a deeply satisfying story about adult siblings, aging parents, high school boyfriends, middle school mean girls, the lifelong effects of birth order, and all the other things that follow us into adulthood, whether we like them to or not.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2020
About the author
Emma Straub
27 books5,066 followersEmma Straub is the New York Times‒bestselling author of the novels All Adults Here, Modern Lovers, The Vacationers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married. Straub's work has been published in twenty countries, and she and her husband own Books Are Magic, an independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,366 reviews
June 15, 2020
The book starts out with quirky, delightful characters. 68-year-old Astrid witnesses the accidental death of an acquaintance, decides life is short, and it's time to right wrongs. It’s time to reveal her secrets to her adult children. The children, of course, all have problems and secrets of their own. Who doesn’t?
The writing is engaging with wonderful nuggets of wisdom, which I found myself frequently highlighting. I love the theme that everyone is stumbling through life trying to get along as best we can, sometimes getting it right, sometimes getting it wrong. We are all worthy of forgiveness, acceptance and love.
Unfortunately, the author has a kitchen sink approach to the story and throws in every single hot button social issue she can think of: abuse, bullying, online pedophilia, lesbianism, gender identity, bisexuality, transgender, adultery, artificial insemination, etc, etc. The result is none are treated with the depth they deserved, and the message is diluted.
After a while, boredom set in, as the story meanders along with no plot. I love a character-driven, multi-generational tale with complicated familial relationships, but the characters quickly became caricatures and the story began to feel like a farcical fairy tale.
This was good writing and there was a potential lovely message that got lost among the sheer number of issues addressed, with nothing to drive the plot forward. I struggled to finish and should have followed my instincts to DNF. This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and it was one neither of us much enjoyed.
* I received a free digital copy of the book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
* Publication date 5/5/202 by Riverhead Books
The writing is engaging with wonderful nuggets of wisdom, which I found myself frequently highlighting. I love the theme that everyone is stumbling through life trying to get along as best we can, sometimes getting it right, sometimes getting it wrong. We are all worthy of forgiveness, acceptance and love.
Unfortunately, the author has a kitchen sink approach to the story and throws in every single hot button social issue she can think of: abuse, bullying, online pedophilia, lesbianism, gender identity, bisexuality, transgender, adultery, artificial insemination, etc, etc. The result is none are treated with the depth they deserved, and the message is diluted.
After a while, boredom set in, as the story meanders along with no plot. I love a character-driven, multi-generational tale with complicated familial relationships, but the characters quickly became caricatures and the story began to feel like a farcical fairy tale.
This was good writing and there was a potential lovely message that got lost among the sheer number of issues addressed, with nothing to drive the plot forward. I struggled to finish and should have followed my instincts to DNF. This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and it was one neither of us much enjoyed.
* I received a free digital copy of the book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
* Publication date 5/5/202 by Riverhead Books
February 28, 2023
My brain cells sending me “S.O.S.” messages because in the short time I haven’t read something literally throwing so many social, political, emotional, sexual issues at my face! I wanted to dunk my head into ice bucket to get the burning sensation out!
Okay: I’m confused because I truly read something really well-written but my grey cells endured so much pain and exhaustion because the characters have to deal with so many important traumatizing problems at the same time and I couldn’t decide if I get really sad for them or write a letter to the author to be nice of them.
The facts: I loved the quirky, adorable characters from different ages, suffering from different issues and I love the development of family dynamics. The author is so talented and her writing style picked my interest and truly understood the characters’ motives. Of course life is too short to live with secrets and too much burden: this is the important message of the book!
But the other important fact about its story: The author was like a famous chef who decided to cook a special meal with multi ingredients: She throw inside the pot: abuse, bullying, bisexualism, adultery, pedophilia, lesbianism, transgender identity, abortion, vetro-fertilization, dysfunctional parenting and cooked them in very high heat: even though those ingredients needed to be slowly stirred and blended with each other.
Maybe with the lesser issues and characters, this book could be a five starred read for me: But as you can see there are so many materials enough for more than three books and there are so many well-crafted characters who deserve their own books separately. I wish I may read more details about their stories and the way they’re dealing with their secrets.
Overall: My hearts tells me I shouldn’t give this book less than four stars because I really loved those characters. Especially Astrid and 13 years old Cecilia were my favorites. But my mind rejects my decision because the book really exhausted the hell of it ( or her- what proper way to call your mind?). So I’m giving my three solid stars. I still liked most of the characters’ stories but I wish the problematic issue bombardment gave me headaches so I keep my happy hour a little longer to cool down and watch some silly animal videos on youtube to lower my heart rate.
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Okay: I’m confused because I truly read something really well-written but my grey cells endured so much pain and exhaustion because the characters have to deal with so many important traumatizing problems at the same time and I couldn’t decide if I get really sad for them or write a letter to the author to be nice of them.
The facts: I loved the quirky, adorable characters from different ages, suffering from different issues and I love the development of family dynamics. The author is so talented and her writing style picked my interest and truly understood the characters’ motives. Of course life is too short to live with secrets and too much burden: this is the important message of the book!
But the other important fact about its story: The author was like a famous chef who decided to cook a special meal with multi ingredients: She throw inside the pot: abuse, bullying, bisexualism, adultery, pedophilia, lesbianism, transgender identity, abortion, vetro-fertilization, dysfunctional parenting and cooked them in very high heat: even though those ingredients needed to be slowly stirred and blended with each other.
Maybe with the lesser issues and characters, this book could be a five starred read for me: But as you can see there are so many materials enough for more than three books and there are so many well-crafted characters who deserve their own books separately. I wish I may read more details about their stories and the way they’re dealing with their secrets.
Overall: My hearts tells me I shouldn’t give this book less than four stars because I really loved those characters. Especially Astrid and 13 years old Cecilia were my favorites. But my mind rejects my decision because the book really exhausted the hell of it ( or her- what proper way to call your mind?). So I’m giving my three solid stars. I still liked most of the characters’ stories but I wish the problematic issue bombardment gave me headaches so I keep my happy hour a little longer to cool down and watch some silly animal videos on youtube to lower my heart rate.
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April 15, 2020
It seems that many authors believe in the more is better philosophy in writing books these days. They cram every bit of what's in vogue into their stories and oftentimes all these topics overwhelm the book. Such was the case with this book.
While I did enjoy the first half of the story, the second half seemed to be belabored with paragraphs that went on and on, and repetition that bogged down the telling. There was really no plot at all, just a plethora of people experiencing a lot of angst.
All of the topics from transsexual, gay, bisexual, bullying, artificial insemination, unfaithfulness, etc are important topics. To place them all in one book seemed to give each topic less of the attention it deserved.
Some of the characters were woefully underdeveloped and perhaps, this too was a result of too much being presented in the story.
I understand, I think, what the author was trying to do, but at times I thought perhaps this was a satire, or a fairy tale, or reality on some other plain.
This was a hard book to read and slowly the joy of the beginning turned into Boredom and a firm wish for this story to be over.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book.
Neither Jan nor I walked away with a good feeling about this story, sad to say.
While I did enjoy the first half of the story, the second half seemed to be belabored with paragraphs that went on and on, and repetition that bogged down the telling. There was really no plot at all, just a plethora of people experiencing a lot of angst.
All of the topics from transsexual, gay, bisexual, bullying, artificial insemination, unfaithfulness, etc are important topics. To place them all in one book seemed to give each topic less of the attention it deserved.
Some of the characters were woefully underdeveloped and perhaps, this too was a result of too much being presented in the story.
I understand, I think, what the author was trying to do, but at times I thought perhaps this was a satire, or a fairy tale, or reality on some other plain.
This was a hard book to read and slowly the joy of the beginning turned into Boredom and a firm wish for this story to be over.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book.
Neither Jan nor I walked away with a good feeling about this story, sad to say.
May 30, 2020
3.5 stars.
All aboard the Strick family dysfunction train!
When Astrid Strick witnesses a long-time nemesis get hit by a bus, it suddenly makes her realize two things: life is too short, so she needs to act on things before it’s too late, and perhaps equally important, she might not have been the best mother to her three children.
As she strives to make things better with her children, she also makes a major decision in her own life which further destabilizes her relationship with her oldest son, Elliott, a developer and builder, who nurses a long-held grudge and feels the need to prove himself to the town and his mother.
Meanwhile, Astrid’s daughter Porter is pregnant and yet can’t seem to give up her boyfriend from when she was a teenager, and Astrid’s youngest son, Nicky, who was an actor as a teenager and never quite gave up that lifestyle, has sent his teenage daughter to live with Astrid after an incident at her school.
All Adults Here is an interesting exploration of love, parental responsibility, infidelity, mortality, friendship, sexuality, and even gender. The book shifts narration among a number of characters—Astrid, Elliott, Porter, Nicky, Astrid’s granddaughter, and her friend.
There is a lot going on in this book and while I enjoyed most of the separate storylines, they didn’t seem to coalesce until nearly the end of the book, and no story seemed utterly complete. There was a lot that seemed to go unsaid in many cases, which was frustrating. Obviously that happens in real life, too, but when you're hoping that some loose ends in a story will get tied up, it doesn't quite help.
I really enjoy the way Emma Straub writes, though, and I can’t seem to get enough books about family dysfunction, so I still found this a good, satisfying read.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
All aboard the Strick family dysfunction train!
When Astrid Strick witnesses a long-time nemesis get hit by a bus, it suddenly makes her realize two things: life is too short, so she needs to act on things before it’s too late, and perhaps equally important, she might not have been the best mother to her three children.
As she strives to make things better with her children, she also makes a major decision in her own life which further destabilizes her relationship with her oldest son, Elliott, a developer and builder, who nurses a long-held grudge and feels the need to prove himself to the town and his mother.
Meanwhile, Astrid’s daughter Porter is pregnant and yet can’t seem to give up her boyfriend from when she was a teenager, and Astrid’s youngest son, Nicky, who was an actor as a teenager and never quite gave up that lifestyle, has sent his teenage daughter to live with Astrid after an incident at her school.
All Adults Here is an interesting exploration of love, parental responsibility, infidelity, mortality, friendship, sexuality, and even gender. The book shifts narration among a number of characters—Astrid, Elliott, Porter, Nicky, Astrid’s granddaughter, and her friend.
There is a lot going on in this book and while I enjoyed most of the separate storylines, they didn’t seem to coalesce until nearly the end of the book, and no story seemed utterly complete. There was a lot that seemed to go unsaid in many cases, which was frustrating. Obviously that happens in real life, too, but when you're hoping that some loose ends in a story will get tied up, it doesn't quite help.
I really enjoy the way Emma Straub writes, though, and I can’t seem to get enough books about family dysfunction, so I still found this a good, satisfying read.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
March 28, 2023
Dis book got issues. SO many issues. More issues than you could reasonably expect a 338-page novel to offer. Truly, Straub didn't miss a thing - bullying, paedophilia, lesbianism, gender identity, bisexuality, transgender, abuse, grief, adultery - it's ALL THERE!
But why? Why this need to cover all these hot button topics in such a teeny little book? Perhaps Straub was simply eager to please. Perhaps she just didn't want to leave anybody out. Fair enough. But it's no easy task to cover 714 hot issues in 338 pages, and it showed here. In the end, none of the issues were treated with the depth they deserved, and some - notably the story of a transgender teen (a friend of the granddaughter of the book's protagonist) - were so far removed from the main plot that it's fair to wonder why they were included at all.
But why? Why this need to cover all these hot button topics in such a teeny little book? Perhaps Straub was simply eager to please. Perhaps she just didn't want to leave anybody out. Fair enough. But it's no easy task to cover 714 hot issues in 338 pages, and it showed here. In the end, none of the issues were treated with the depth they deserved, and some - notably the story of a transgender teen (a friend of the granddaughter of the book's protagonist) - were so far removed from the main plot that it's fair to wonder why they were included at all.
July 1, 2022
I spent years thinking I wouldn't like Emma Straub's books because I've always seen such mixed reviews but I loved this SO MUCH. It's the second book of hers that I've read in the last week and I've given both 5 stars. This one was messy in all the best ways and exactly what I wanted it to be at every turn. I'm officially an Emma Straub stan, wow
CW: IVF, death of a loved one, homophobia, transphobia, grooming, cheating, deadnaming, abortion
CW: IVF, death of a loved one, homophobia, transphobia, grooming, cheating, deadnaming, abortion
May 26, 2020
Emma Straub has rapidly become one of my favored authors. She excels in domestic fiction with flawed and quirky characters, all having great intentions, and failing to deliver on those intentions. Straub allows the reader to feel the character makeup of people around you, perhaps people that look hard and crunchy on the outside yet have a soft and melty center. Straub’s characters are real and relatable. In fact, some of those private thoughts milling in your head that you are convinced no one has but you, are fodder for her fiction. Yes, you are not alone.
In “All Adults Here” the protagonist Astrid Strick is a 68-year-old widow who is questioning her parenting style, questioning all her life choices. The event that prompts her self-doubt is witnessing an acquaintance’s death. She sees how fragile life is and that life can suddenly end. This event prompts Astrid to inform her three adult children that she has a secret paramour. Furthermore, it prompts Astrid to try and get to know her children better.
Her eldest, a son, lives in her small town with his wife and twin boys. The twins don’t have a lot of action in the story, but when they do, it’s hilarious. Her middle is an unmarried daughter who she learns is pregnant through IVF. Her youngest, a son, is a married pot-smoking, laid back man who has a cigarette smoking French wife and a middle-school daughter who needs to be moved to a different school system due to dubious behavior. The granddaughter, Cecelia, moves in with Astrid and begins 8th grade. Her new best friend in the school, August, has his own inner dilemmas.
All these characters have secrets which the reader is privy to. We get to read their inner dialogue and their frustrations, with literary prose that make the reader smile and cringe. Astrid alone is fascinating, wondering if she parented correctly, if all her children’s faults and weaknesses fall solely on her shoulders. What mother hasn’t had those contemplations?
What provides Staub with her edge is her consistently bright tone. Some of her subjects she tackles are fraught with angst, but she conquers what could be morose with a sunny literary style that leads the reader to feel that all will end well. And Isn’t that what we hope in our own domestic non-fiction; that in the end, it will all work out.
In “All Adults Here” the protagonist Astrid Strick is a 68-year-old widow who is questioning her parenting style, questioning all her life choices. The event that prompts her self-doubt is witnessing an acquaintance’s death. She sees how fragile life is and that life can suddenly end. This event prompts Astrid to inform her three adult children that she has a secret paramour. Furthermore, it prompts Astrid to try and get to know her children better.
Her eldest, a son, lives in her small town with his wife and twin boys. The twins don’t have a lot of action in the story, but when they do, it’s hilarious. Her middle is an unmarried daughter who she learns is pregnant through IVF. Her youngest, a son, is a married pot-smoking, laid back man who has a cigarette smoking French wife and a middle-school daughter who needs to be moved to a different school system due to dubious behavior. The granddaughter, Cecelia, moves in with Astrid and begins 8th grade. Her new best friend in the school, August, has his own inner dilemmas.
All these characters have secrets which the reader is privy to. We get to read their inner dialogue and their frustrations, with literary prose that make the reader smile and cringe. Astrid alone is fascinating, wondering if she parented correctly, if all her children’s faults and weaknesses fall solely on her shoulders. What mother hasn’t had those contemplations?
What provides Staub with her edge is her consistently bright tone. Some of her subjects she tackles are fraught with angst, but she conquers what could be morose with a sunny literary style that leads the reader to feel that all will end well. And Isn’t that what we hope in our own domestic non-fiction; that in the end, it will all work out.
July 16, 2020
This is a very thoughtful book which encompasses many themes which surround the dynamic of family. The novel starts dramatically with Astrid Strick witnessing a death of someone she didn’t especially like but who frequently occupies her thoughts. We then meet the rest of the family in turn, we learn what makes them tick and what their issues are. There’s Elliot married to Wendy with twin whirlwind sons, the middle sibling is Porter who has a goat farm, no man (well.... she does but she shouldn’t ...) and a desire to be pregnant and finally there’s New York based hippy Nicky married to Juliette who is French and a dancer, they have a daughter Cecelia. Astrid lives in Clapham in the Hudson Valley as do the older siblings. When Cecelia isn’t exactly expelled from school but it seems wiser (though not necessarily fair) to send her to live in Clapham with her Gammy for a year.
This is a very enjoyable read with many likeable characters, especially the Strick family and Astrid's more than friend Birdie. Cecelia is an outstanding character, very true, honest and a wonderful friend to August Sullivan. She doesn’t always do the right thing but when she goes wrong it’s for reasons to do with a being caring friend and standing up for people. At times she acts with greater maturity than the adults! I like how the book explores the love of family and it’s dynamics and after a series of events occur this pulls the family closer than they have possibly ever been. They are able to be honest which makes them all feel secure. It also looks at sexuality and at acceptance of who you are with no judgements given. The town of Clapham provides a good backdrop and we see a good cross section of society on display here.
Overall, this is a very sensitive book principally about love and family which I really enjoyed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the ARC.
This is a very enjoyable read with many likeable characters, especially the Strick family and Astrid's more than friend Birdie. Cecelia is an outstanding character, very true, honest and a wonderful friend to August Sullivan. She doesn’t always do the right thing but when she goes wrong it’s for reasons to do with a being caring friend and standing up for people. At times she acts with greater maturity than the adults! I like how the book explores the love of family and it’s dynamics and after a series of events occur this pulls the family closer than they have possibly ever been. They are able to be honest which makes them all feel secure. It also looks at sexuality and at acceptance of who you are with no judgements given. The town of Clapham provides a good backdrop and we see a good cross section of society on display here.
Overall, this is a very sensitive book principally about love and family which I really enjoyed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the ARC.
July 6, 2020
Like a visit to (an even more unbelievably Utopic, if that’s even possible) Star’s Hollow, with all the family angst and worry and developmentally arrested adults and preternaturally mature teens, BUT without the enjoyable quirky absurdity - and especially without the rapid and witty dialogue.
Similar to a Shakespearean comedy in that it begins with An Event, with ensuing domestic misunderstandings and communication mishaps, and ends in festivities and reunions and tied-up loose ends - only the storytelling journey from beginning to end lacked dramatic tension as well as depth and just wasn’t FUN.
This novel was too light and lacking in character development to be insightful or moving, but neither was it insubstantial enough to serve as a “beach read.” I struggled to find a sweet spot or reading “groove” the whole time, and I never succeeded - I’m not typically a “skimmer,” but found myself inadvertently skimming a lot because I couldn’t connect to the story at times. Usually I can’t wait to get done with work and start reading, but I never really looked forward to getting back to this book, especially once I got past the initially promising beginning, and I found myself progressively bored with it. Even a glass of wine did not help jazz it up for me, guys....
I don’t believe in the concept of “unlikeable” characters per se, but I did not derive enjoyment or insight or much of anything at all from spending so much time with several of the characters (the adult siblings in particular - ugh. I just could not bring myself to care at all!). A few characters were potentially more interesting (Birdie, Cecilia, Robin), but only appeared in glimpses or were tied up in plot threads that appeared rather implausible - e.g. an entire town and family seemingly achieve complete enlightenment instantly and simultaneously. And, I couldn’t ever get a clear picture in my head of the main character Astrid, whose perspective and evolution is largely supposed to drive this whole thing. It’s bad when, you know, there’s this big and juicy matriarch “role,” and you can’t even imagine what revered actress might hypothetically be best suited to play her.
In short - I strongly agree with other reviewers that the book would have been better served by greater attention and detail paid to a smaller subset of its characters and plots. The Astrid/Birdie and Cecilia/Robin stuff in itself would have been plenty of material to flesh out for a whole - and potentially quite fulfilling - novel.
I found this novel perfectly ...fine and adequate, but flaky and unsatisfying - like a leftover-morning apple turnover at 3 PM when you’re really craving a freshly-made chocolate brownie. I tried, I did - I enjoyed the author’s last book well enough, and I really wanted to like it!
Similar to a Shakespearean comedy in that it begins with An Event, with ensuing domestic misunderstandings and communication mishaps, and ends in festivities and reunions and tied-up loose ends - only the storytelling journey from beginning to end lacked dramatic tension as well as depth and just wasn’t FUN.
This novel was too light and lacking in character development to be insightful or moving, but neither was it insubstantial enough to serve as a “beach read.” I struggled to find a sweet spot or reading “groove” the whole time, and I never succeeded - I’m not typically a “skimmer,” but found myself inadvertently skimming a lot because I couldn’t connect to the story at times. Usually I can’t wait to get done with work and start reading, but I never really looked forward to getting back to this book, especially once I got past the initially promising beginning, and I found myself progressively bored with it. Even a glass of wine did not help jazz it up for me, guys....
I don’t believe in the concept of “unlikeable” characters per se, but I did not derive enjoyment or insight or much of anything at all from spending so much time with several of the characters (the adult siblings in particular - ugh. I just could not bring myself to care at all!). A few characters were potentially more interesting (Birdie, Cecilia, Robin), but only appeared in glimpses or were tied up in plot threads that appeared rather implausible - e.g. an entire town and family seemingly achieve complete enlightenment instantly and simultaneously. And, I couldn’t ever get a clear picture in my head of the main character Astrid, whose perspective and evolution is largely supposed to drive this whole thing. It’s bad when, you know, there’s this big and juicy matriarch “role,” and you can’t even imagine what revered actress might hypothetically be best suited to play her.
In short - I strongly agree with other reviewers that the book would have been better served by greater attention and detail paid to a smaller subset of its characters and plots. The Astrid/Birdie and Cecilia/Robin stuff in itself would have been plenty of material to flesh out for a whole - and potentially quite fulfilling - novel.
I found this novel perfectly ...fine and adequate, but flaky and unsatisfying - like a leftover-morning apple turnover at 3 PM when you’re really craving a freshly-made chocolate brownie. I tried, I did - I enjoyed the author’s last book well enough, and I really wanted to like it!
August 31, 2020
Witnessing a fatal bus accident, Astrid Strick experiences an epiphany and decides she will reveal a big secret to her three children, Elliott, Porter, and Nicky — They’re all adults here, but Astrid isn’t the only one with secrets.
All Adults Here is the story of the Strick family, each dealing with their own situations. They aren’t exactly affectionate or communicative with one another. I felt neutral toward most of the characters, not loving or hating them, but not exactly relating or connecting much to them either. There were a lot of topics thrown into this story — Overall, I stayed curious enough to see how things played out.
All Adults Here is the story of the Strick family, each dealing with their own situations. They aren’t exactly affectionate or communicative with one another. I felt neutral toward most of the characters, not loving or hating them, but not exactly relating or connecting much to them either. There were a lot of topics thrown into this story — Overall, I stayed curious enough to see how things played out.
June 1, 2020
4.5 rounded up.
This book isn’t for everyone, but for whatever reason it just made me really happy. I read this at the right time and while I’ve seen reviews from friends who mentioned the kitchen sink mentality (they are correct) I still loved it despite this. I’m not an expert on writing a transgender character properly (in terms of pronouns and stereotypes regarding revealing your true self to other people), but I loved this aspect of the story and I’ll leave that criticism to people who are more knowledgeable than me. This is definitely a character driven book with a very dysfunctional family, but that again worked just fine for me.
This is my second attempt at reading a book by this author (first was a DNF, but I was no where near as mature a reader then so I’m glad I gave her another shot). Lastly, I don't believe you will enjoy this as much if you are more conservative minded socially. That's pure speculation on my point, but I feel it's important to mention.
I listened to the first 70% on audio thanks to the Libro.fm ALC program and am very grateful to them along with Penguin audio for the opportunity to listen and provide a review. The narrator was FANTASTIC and captured Astrid PERFECTLY. The last 30% I read on my kindle, courtesy of Riverhead Books and Edelweiss.
Review Date: 05/31/2020
Publication Date: 05/04/2020
This book isn’t for everyone, but for whatever reason it just made me really happy. I read this at the right time and while I’ve seen reviews from friends who mentioned the kitchen sink mentality (they are correct) I still loved it despite this. I’m not an expert on writing a transgender character properly (in terms of pronouns and stereotypes regarding revealing your true self to other people), but I loved this aspect of the story and I’ll leave that criticism to people who are more knowledgeable than me. This is definitely a character driven book with a very dysfunctional family, but that again worked just fine for me.
This is my second attempt at reading a book by this author (first was a DNF, but I was no where near as mature a reader then so I’m glad I gave her another shot). Lastly, I don't believe you will enjoy this as much if you are more conservative minded socially. That's pure speculation on my point, but I feel it's important to mention.
I listened to the first 70% on audio thanks to the Libro.fm ALC program and am very grateful to them along with Penguin audio for the opportunity to listen and provide a review. The narrator was FANTASTIC and captured Astrid PERFECTLY. The last 30% I read on my kindle, courtesy of Riverhead Books and Edelweiss.
Review Date: 05/31/2020
Publication Date: 05/04/2020
May 6, 2020
2.5 Stars. So disappointed in this book I feel like I could cry..
I was really looking forward to this and was like yeah one of the MCs is a 60 something year old Grandma & one thing about me is I have a major soft spot for Gammy's so I thought 'Yes!! Scoreeeee!!!!!!'
Then I finally got my hands on it and let me reiterate how sorely disappointed I am! 😭
This is the sort of book that tries too hard by wanting to address every social issue under the sun but not really addressing them at all at the same time; Gender identity issues, Online Pedophilia, Unresolved childhood trauma, Bisexuality etcetera etcetera
The author sort of just breezes through all this big issues and the book is filled with alot of mundane nonsense that halfway through it I'm tempted to just DNF..
The characters had real potential especially the grandkids. Cecelia and August. I hope they found happiness wherever they ended up.
I was really looking forward to this and was like yeah one of the MCs is a 60 something year old Grandma & one thing about me is I have a major soft spot for Gammy's so I thought 'Yes!! Scoreeeee!!!!!!'
Then I finally got my hands on it and let me reiterate how sorely disappointed I am! 😭
This is the sort of book that tries too hard by wanting to address every social issue under the sun but not really addressing them at all at the same time; Gender identity issues, Online Pedophilia, Unresolved childhood trauma, Bisexuality etcetera etcetera
The author sort of just breezes through all this big issues and the book is filled with alot of mundane nonsense that halfway through it I'm tempted to just DNF..
The characters had real potential especially the grandkids. Cecelia and August. I hope they found happiness wherever they ended up.
October 8, 2020
emma straub writes compulsively readable books about mostly horrible people trying to redeem themselves. saw another review describe this as a more socially progressive gilmore girls, and that's fairly accurate. this definitely fits in the "dysfunctional family drama" contemporary niche that i love so very much, but i just didn't find this gripping. a lot of the subplots that were supposed to raise the stakes here were just not compelling, or not fleshed out enough to make the stakes high enough. straub casts a wide net, and i wish she had focused on one or two themes or one or two characters instead of trying to give us this holistic perspective. maybe Astrid/Porter/Cecelia, focusing on three generations of women in the family? idk.
all in all, liked this one more than the vacationers, but i'm still left struggling to a) see why everyone was so hype about this when it came out and b) remember why i loooooved her second book, modern lovers, so much.
all in all, liked this one more than the vacationers, but i'm still left struggling to a) see why everyone was so hype about this when it came out and b) remember why i loooooved her second book, modern lovers, so much.
November 25, 2020
This book begins with a death and ends with a new life.
The Strick family is falling apart. Siblings are estranged, marriages are broken, and children are sent away. But after a school bus accident kills matriarch Astrid's old acquaintance, she is forced to rethink her views on life and the unrealistic expectations she places on her children.
It's a messy potpourri of pressing social issues that never get the coverage they deserve due to the short length. This was one of those Important Books that English teachers read in their spare time and dissect in casual conversations. But I actually liked it. I especially enjoyed the little wisdom nuggets interspersed throughout. The writing style complemented the dry humor of these characters, and I really did develop a connection with every one of them by the end.
It's a quick read, but it's not forgettable. Despite the almost overwhelming relevance of it all, the characters weren't stepped on by the Important Issues, and the voices of each of them were distinct. It's very light and beachy and easy to get through.
4 stars, enjoyed too much
The Strick family is falling apart. Siblings are estranged, marriages are broken, and children are sent away. But after a school bus accident kills matriarch Astrid's old acquaintance, she is forced to rethink her views on life and the unrealistic expectations she places on her children.
It's a messy potpourri of pressing social issues that never get the coverage they deserve due to the short length. This was one of those Important Books that English teachers read in their spare time and dissect in casual conversations. But I actually liked it. I especially enjoyed the little wisdom nuggets interspersed throughout. The writing style complemented the dry humor of these characters, and I really did develop a connection with every one of them by the end.
It's a quick read, but it's not forgettable. Despite the almost overwhelming relevance of it all, the characters weren't stepped on by the Important Issues, and the voices of each of them were distinct. It's very light and beachy and easy to get through.
4 stars, enjoyed too much
May 9, 2020
4 Adulting is Hard Stars
This was my first read by this author, Emma Straub, but I have certainly seen her titles reviewed by fellow Goodreads friends. I rather enjoyed this tale of a mother looking back on raising her (now grown) children since it is almost Mother’s Day.
This one is set in a small town in the Hudson Valley of New York and the main character is Astrid Strick, she’s a widow with three grown children. Two of them still live in town and the youngest lives in NYC. Astrid witnesses an accident and it causes her to rethink much of her parenting style and her place in life.
Life is short so she decides to open up about her choice in a life partner, hello Birdie. She apologizes to her children for a few incidents from their childhoods that she now feels that she handled badly. Was she too hard on her kids? Did she do a good job raising them? Are they good people as adults? What could she do differently? When her granddaughter is sent to live with Astrid, we get a glimpse into junior high life that I found very authentic.
The siblings in this one were damaged and real people, I liked Porter and her two brothers. There is always the dynamic of growing up in a small town. Do you stay there where everything is comfortable, and you know people or is it more of a success to “get out” and move away like youngest child Nicky has done?
As I said, this one was enjoyable to me because it focused on families and a small town. There were some funny moments and it felt like a glimpse into the lives of each of these characters.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Emma Straub, and Riverhead Books for a complimentary copy of this one to read in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first read by this author, Emma Straub, but I have certainly seen her titles reviewed by fellow Goodreads friends. I rather enjoyed this tale of a mother looking back on raising her (now grown) children since it is almost Mother’s Day.
This one is set in a small town in the Hudson Valley of New York and the main character is Astrid Strick, she’s a widow with three grown children. Two of them still live in town and the youngest lives in NYC. Astrid witnesses an accident and it causes her to rethink much of her parenting style and her place in life.
Life is short so she decides to open up about her choice in a life partner, hello Birdie. She apologizes to her children for a few incidents from their childhoods that she now feels that she handled badly. Was she too hard on her kids? Did she do a good job raising them? Are they good people as adults? What could she do differently? When her granddaughter is sent to live with Astrid, we get a glimpse into junior high life that I found very authentic.
The siblings in this one were damaged and real people, I liked Porter and her two brothers. There is always the dynamic of growing up in a small town. Do you stay there where everything is comfortable, and you know people or is it more of a success to “get out” and move away like youngest child Nicky has done?
As I said, this one was enjoyable to me because it focused on families and a small town. There were some funny moments and it felt like a glimpse into the lives of each of these characters.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Emma Straub, and Riverhead Books for a complimentary copy of this one to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2020
I love a good dysfunctional family saga. Astrid is 68 years old, living in a small NY town, when she witnesses a neighbor hit by a school bus and killed. It shakes her up and she starts questioning past decisions, especially as it relates to her parenting.
Chapters flit between what seemed like a cast of hundreds. Astrid, her children, her daughter-in-law, her granddaughter, her granddaughter’s friend. And everyone, of course, has their own issues, including sexual orientation, fidelity, single pregnancy. I wish I could say I cared about any of them. But I struggled to connect with any of them. Hell , there were a few I downright disliked.
I wanted to like this. But I really didn’t. It was a constant struggle whether I even liked it enough to finish.
The narrator, Emily Rankin, did a decent job.
Chapters flit between what seemed like a cast of hundreds. Astrid, her children, her daughter-in-law, her granddaughter, her granddaughter’s friend. And everyone, of course, has their own issues, including sexual orientation, fidelity, single pregnancy. I wish I could say I cared about any of them. But I struggled to connect with any of them. Hell , there were a few I downright disliked.
I wanted to like this. But I really didn’t. It was a constant struggle whether I even liked it enough to finish.
The narrator, Emily Rankin, did a decent job.
May 25, 2020
There is one crucial deciding factor on whether you will find this book charming, annoying, or somewhere in the middle. The story is domestic drama, the big and small problems that happen among families and friends. What will clinch it for you is the setting, which is in a lot of ways the entire book. ALL ADULTS HERE takes place in a little town in New York a short train ride from the city. It is small and quaint, everyone is kind and quirky, its main street is populated with the same locally owned shops that have been there for decades, everyone has plenty of money, and generally everyone is happily, kindly, thoughtfully progressive. It is that imaginary happy valley liberal bubble people imagine when they think of this kind of town. If that sounds like a place where you would like to settle in and spend some time, or if it sounds like a place you wouldn't be caught dead, well that tells you what you need to know about how you will relate to this book.
For me, it is extremely middle of the road. It is probably lucky I read it on audio, which hits a different part of my brain, and happy distractions are better received while I'm doing dishes or driving. It is a happy book, a book that wants to be comforting and affirming. Even though there are problems and people making bad decisions, it wants to be wholesome and sweet and make you love its imperfect people. And it is pretty good at that. It's just a question of whether you can accept the entire venture. (I am still totally unclear on why anyone moves back there after college. But then again, I am still totally unclear on how almost any of these characters actually make money soooooo)
I enjoy books where several characters interact and we get to see things from all the different points of view. This book does that really well, definitely its biggest strength is the way it moves you through these characters and makes you sympathize so deeply with all of them even as they don't always sympathize with each other. As much as other things bugged me, I still found it a well-executed happy little book. I just don't actually read all that many happy little books because I am a heartless void.
Outside of the general squeaky clean-ness, I got hung up on two things. The least 13-year-old 13-year-old perhaps to ever exist on paper and the made-for-tv-movie trans character storyline. I was mostly just baffled by young Cecilia, who is shipped off to her grandmother's house and who does not mope or get mad or rage or constantly dump on small town life as someone raised in Brooklyn. She just is a bit sad and frustrated and otherwise takes it on the chin mostly. She also gets the same meditative ruminations as the adults, which always strain credibility--none of us think thoughts that clearly, but if you can suspend disbelief it does show you how wise the author is--but all of which seem to have far too wide a scope and perspective. My hackles were up at the trans character's storyline, as they almost always are, because when this is a secondary plot in a cis-writer's book, it always means you have to brace yourself. It is never full-blown bad, but I do not think it was all that good. Very oh-we-all-love-each-other-of-course-we-accept-you-and-wow-you-are-so-beautiful stuff, and notably the character's coming out relates mostly to a cis character's growth arc, which is typical but still depressing. (The character is referred to mostly by the name and pronouns they were assigned at birth, which kind of makes sense as the character is not out and still uses them, but we so rarely have the character correctly named and gendered that it rubbed me wrong.) Other reviewers here have noted that parts of the plot feel like checking boxes of "important current topics" which I can see, but most of them didn't bother me all that much, while the trans storyline definitely felt that way.
It's definitely a rohrschach test of a book, either a perfect beach/plane read or one you'll toss across the room. But it'll say just as much about you as it does about the book. (Shout out to the heartless voids!)
For me, it is extremely middle of the road. It is probably lucky I read it on audio, which hits a different part of my brain, and happy distractions are better received while I'm doing dishes or driving. It is a happy book, a book that wants to be comforting and affirming. Even though there are problems and people making bad decisions, it wants to be wholesome and sweet and make you love its imperfect people. And it is pretty good at that. It's just a question of whether you can accept the entire venture. (I am still totally unclear on why anyone moves back there after college. But then again, I am still totally unclear on how almost any of these characters actually make money soooooo)
I enjoy books where several characters interact and we get to see things from all the different points of view. This book does that really well, definitely its biggest strength is the way it moves you through these characters and makes you sympathize so deeply with all of them even as they don't always sympathize with each other. As much as other things bugged me, I still found it a well-executed happy little book. I just don't actually read all that many happy little books because I am a heartless void.
Outside of the general squeaky clean-ness, I got hung up on two things. The least 13-year-old 13-year-old perhaps to ever exist on paper and the made-for-tv-movie trans character storyline. I was mostly just baffled by young Cecilia, who is shipped off to her grandmother's house and who does not mope or get mad or rage or constantly dump on small town life as someone raised in Brooklyn. She just is a bit sad and frustrated and otherwise takes it on the chin mostly. She also gets the same meditative ruminations as the adults, which always strain credibility--none of us think thoughts that clearly, but if you can suspend disbelief it does show you how wise the author is--but all of which seem to have far too wide a scope and perspective. My hackles were up at the trans character's storyline, as they almost always are, because when this is a secondary plot in a cis-writer's book, it always means you have to brace yourself. It is never full-blown bad, but I do not think it was all that good. Very oh-we-all-love-each-other-of-course-we-accept-you-and-wow-you-are-so-beautiful stuff, and notably the character's coming out relates mostly to a cis character's growth arc, which is typical but still depressing. (The character is referred to mostly by the name and pronouns they were assigned at birth, which kind of makes sense as the character is not out and still uses them, but we so rarely have the character correctly named and gendered that it rubbed me wrong.) Other reviewers here have noted that parts of the plot feel like checking boxes of "important current topics" which I can see, but most of them didn't bother me all that much, while the trans storyline definitely felt that way.
It's definitely a rohrschach test of a book, either a perfect beach/plane read or one you'll toss across the room. But it'll say just as much about you as it does about the book. (Shout out to the heartless voids!)
July 19, 2020
There is not a lot of drama in All Adults Here. Each character struggles with various conflicts but it lacks a page turning plot. I didn't care. I like Straub's writing and the astute, generous way she writes about family. A marvelous escape.
May 4, 2020
Astrid Strick, the matriach of the Strick family, is 68-years-old and questions some of her parenting decisions. Her three kids are adults, and each of them is struggling with decisions of their own. Told using multiple points of view, All Adults Here tackles a range of modern topics.
The characters are quirky and intriguing. The writing is engaging, but the story is all over the place. For me, there was too much happening to fully connect with any of the characters. I did enjoy the writing style though, and found this to be an enjoyable book.
A contemporary novel about family, parenting, siblings, and regrets. Recommended for fans of contemporary novels about family relationships.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are quirky and intriguing. The writing is engaging, but the story is all over the place. For me, there was too much happening to fully connect with any of the characters. I did enjoy the writing style though, and found this to be an enjoyable book.
A contemporary novel about family, parenting, siblings, and regrets. Recommended for fans of contemporary novels about family relationships.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2020
Straub has packed her novel with characters that have issues that need resolution. This is not a novel with a driving plot. Instead, there is a family headed by the matriarch Astrid Strick, her three children and her three grandchildren, that for the most part live in a small town in upstate New York. Despite the fact that there can be few secrets in such a small town, Straub’s characters do have one or two, a complicated problem and the occasional private longing. They include issues of gender identity, sexual orientation, marital infidelity, abortion, and the hunger for parental approval. Enjoy.
January 17, 2023
My favorite Emma Straub novel yet! I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one because the previous two Straub novels that I've read (The Vacationers and Modern Lovers) were enjoyable but I had a hard time connecting with and caring about the characters.
This was not the case for All Adults Here! I loved the Strick family and the fictional town of Clapham, in upstate NY, that this story takes place in. I thought Straub's observations on family dynamics, leaving the place you grow up, learning to be a parent, and navigating the changing relationships we have with our parents were so spot on. I didn't want the story to end and I'll definitely be recommending this one all summer.
This was not the case for All Adults Here! I loved the Strick family and the fictional town of Clapham, in upstate NY, that this story takes place in. I thought Straub's observations on family dynamics, leaving the place you grow up, learning to be a parent, and navigating the changing relationships we have with our parents were so spot on. I didn't want the story to end and I'll definitely be recommending this one all summer.
May 5, 2020
I’ll use a direct quote from this book to summarize it—“just south of mediocre.”
December 18, 2020
I've heard a lot of folks say that they read this in one sitting, but I had definitely had the opposite experience. Getting to know this family took me quite some time. Each individual has a different take on life's opportunities that are just as interesting as the last. Although I couldn't really find myself in one of them, I found pieces of me in each of them.
May 30, 2020
Loved this book about a dysfunctional family in a small town! Reminded me a little of Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteredge (a book I also loved).
January 8, 2021
An introspective novel begins with a bus crash witnessed by Astrid Strick, a mother, a grandmother, a wife, and a lover of a kind. The person killed in the accident is someone she knew but not really fond of… The accident incited a series of reflections back to her own life and focused on her family. Did she miss out on anything? Could she have raised her children in a better way?
True-to-life feelings, grudges held for many years among families, friends, and siblings were forthcoming. Like a family sitcom, characters were well developed and conceivably written. In between, secrets kept for years are slowly surfacing, inevitably shattering a relationship and family but somehow came around just fine, thus making the novel so much more down to earth and enjoyable.
The writing and tone are consistent and straightforward. There was no guessing or suspense in disguise, making the reading tone a little flat and tedious to follow through. So, I would say this book is not for everyone. Yet, one may find a sense of warmth, kindness, and still has a sheer depth despite the practical comical approach. Serious topics go beyond gender identity, sexuality, infidelity, abortion, teenagers, and family dynamics, all while keeping the mood on the bright side of the matter, thanks to the skillful writing approach of Emma Straub. I admire Emma Straub's full of heart and bold writing about the weighty issues in family and modern society. It's relatable and on point, thought-provoking but not relinquishing of hope. There's much truth about growing up, being an adult, and learning about life that never stops with age!
True-to-life feelings, grudges held for many years among families, friends, and siblings were forthcoming. Like a family sitcom, characters were well developed and conceivably written. In between, secrets kept for years are slowly surfacing, inevitably shattering a relationship and family but somehow came around just fine, thus making the novel so much more down to earth and enjoyable.
The writing and tone are consistent and straightforward. There was no guessing or suspense in disguise, making the reading tone a little flat and tedious to follow through. So, I would say this book is not for everyone. Yet, one may find a sense of warmth, kindness, and still has a sheer depth despite the practical comical approach. Serious topics go beyond gender identity, sexuality, infidelity, abortion, teenagers, and family dynamics, all while keeping the mood on the bright side of the matter, thanks to the skillful writing approach of Emma Straub. I admire Emma Straub's full of heart and bold writing about the weighty issues in family and modern society. It's relatable and on point, thought-provoking but not relinquishing of hope. There's much truth about growing up, being an adult, and learning about life that never stops with age!
August 8, 2020
3.5 stars
I found Emma Straub's debut The Vacationers to be just a delightfully fun read about an interesting family in a beautiful setting. All Adults Here is similar except it's not set in a vacation spot. Again, a fun family, and although some readers might not like the characters, I did. A rather light read to get me through another couple of stuck-at-home pandemic days.
I did not think the chapter towards the end about Barbara was at all necessary and only served to make me deduct a half star in my rating.
Straub's writing reminds me of Elinor Lipman -- lots of women discovering themselves and LGBTQ storylines.
I found Emma Straub's debut The Vacationers to be just a delightfully fun read about an interesting family in a beautiful setting. All Adults Here is similar except it's not set in a vacation spot. Again, a fun family, and although some readers might not like the characters, I did. A rather light read to get me through another couple of stuck-at-home pandemic days.
I did not think the chapter towards the end about Barbara was at all necessary and only served to make me deduct a half star in my rating.
Straub's writing reminds me of Elinor Lipman -- lots of women discovering themselves and LGBTQ storylines.
February 17, 2020
If you're having Gilmore Girls withdrawals but wish the show were more progressive, then you'll love Emma Straub's latest. The Strick family is all around unlikable at first read, but each character becomes more and more endearing as the book progresses. It's slower paced than Straub's previous books, but I appreciated it after the chaotically fun final chapters. It's a fun, poignant read that will stick with you long after you've finished it.
April 30, 2020
All Adults Here by Emma Straub is a so-so family drama.
After 68-year-old Astrid Strick witnesses a school bus accident in the center of Clapham, N.Y., she realizes that life is uncertain so she decides to share with her family her big secret. She is bi-sexual and for the last two years she has been in a romantic relationship with her hairdresser, Birdie. But her three grown children and her granddaughter have plenty of secrets of their own. Her daughter, thirty-seven-year-old Porter, is pregnant via a sperm bank but has started a affair with an old boyfriend. Elliott, the oldest son, has some secret business deal in the works and he and his wife are trying to cope with hyperactive toddler twins. Nicky, the youngest son, and his wife have sent their only child, 13-year-old Cecilia, up to live with Astrid after an incident at her Brooklyn school involving online pedophilia. And Cecilia's new friend in town, August, wants to be known as Robin, but middle school is tough enough without coming out as a transsexual.
Straub throws just about every social issue she can into this novel, much to the detriment of the actual narrative and character development. Issues touched upon include: aging, sexuality, gender identity, abortion, bullying, in vetro fertilization, sexual predators, adultery, and parenting issues - to name a few. The characters are dealing with so many issues that they are all one-dimensional characters. This approach left this reader wondering if the whole point of the novel was to have a cursory introduction of every possible issue Straub could add in lieu of an actual well-developed plot and fully developed characters.
The novel starts out strong and the writing had moment of great clarity, but then yet another social issue was added. The story began to meander. I wish Straub had focused on a few of her characters in depth and fully developed them while examining the effect their secrets had on their relationships and the family. I struggled to finish this one. I felt that Astrid's revelation about her and Birdie's relationship along with the stories of Cecilia and August would have been enough. It might have made a nice comparison between grandmother and granddaughter dealing with their feelings and relationships and allowed more development of their characters along with plot advancement.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
After 68-year-old Astrid Strick witnesses a school bus accident in the center of Clapham, N.Y., she realizes that life is uncertain so she decides to share with her family her big secret. She is bi-sexual and for the last two years she has been in a romantic relationship with her hairdresser, Birdie. But her three grown children and her granddaughter have plenty of secrets of their own. Her daughter, thirty-seven-year-old Porter, is pregnant via a sperm bank but has started a affair with an old boyfriend. Elliott, the oldest son, has some secret business deal in the works and he and his wife are trying to cope with hyperactive toddler twins. Nicky, the youngest son, and his wife have sent their only child, 13-year-old Cecilia, up to live with Astrid after an incident at her Brooklyn school involving online pedophilia. And Cecilia's new friend in town, August, wants to be known as Robin, but middle school is tough enough without coming out as a transsexual.
Straub throws just about every social issue she can into this novel, much to the detriment of the actual narrative and character development. Issues touched upon include: aging, sexuality, gender identity, abortion, bullying, in vetro fertilization, sexual predators, adultery, and parenting issues - to name a few. The characters are dealing with so many issues that they are all one-dimensional characters. This approach left this reader wondering if the whole point of the novel was to have a cursory introduction of every possible issue Straub could add in lieu of an actual well-developed plot and fully developed characters.
The novel starts out strong and the writing had moment of great clarity, but then yet another social issue was added. The story began to meander. I wish Straub had focused on a few of her characters in depth and fully developed them while examining the effect their secrets had on their relationships and the family. I struggled to finish this one. I felt that Astrid's revelation about her and Birdie's relationship along with the stories of Cecilia and August would have been enough. It might have made a nice comparison between grandmother and granddaughter dealing with their feelings and relationships and allowed more development of their characters along with plot advancement.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
February 5, 2022
DNF @ 47%
This book should be called ALL OVER THE PLACE! I always try to finish a book, I’m one of those people who once I start a book I finish it. I just can’t with this book.
I’ve also come to the conclusion that I should just stick with thrillers and suspense novels, or go back to reading books that were published before 2010 (if not earlier). All these new books/authors do is throw their liberal politics/views all over the pages, and you’re not even getting a full story because they are trying to cover every issue in America! This book was just not for me, and I do not recommend it.
Edit to add: Of all the books that I have read, I will unfortunately remember this book as being the worst book that I have ever read.
This book should be called ALL OVER THE PLACE! I always try to finish a book, I’m one of those people who once I start a book I finish it. I just can’t with this book.
I’ve also come to the conclusion that I should just stick with thrillers and suspense novels, or go back to reading books that were published before 2010 (if not earlier). All these new books/authors do is throw their liberal politics/views all over the pages, and you’re not even getting a full story because they are trying to cover every issue in America! This book was just not for me, and I do not recommend it.
Edit to add: Of all the books that I have read, I will unfortunately remember this book as being the worst book that I have ever read.
August 16, 2020
4.5 Real and Honest Stars
I really enjoyed this book and the honest tale it told. Astrid, the 68 year old widow and strong matriarch of her family, always admitted she was uptight and hard on her three adult children. Well, maybe not always, just lately.
Her daughter, Porter, and two sons, Elliott and Nicky, are completely different from each other. Astrid doesn't understand this at first, but eventually realizes why and how this can happen, and learns to appreciate their individual quirks and charms.
She even discovers unique things about herself. Charming and sweet as you can get while talking about ALL walks of life and accepting everyone in 2020 and beyond!
Well done Emma!
I really enjoyed this book and the honest tale it told. Astrid, the 68 year old widow and strong matriarch of her family, always admitted she was uptight and hard on her three adult children. Well, maybe not always, just lately.
Her daughter, Porter, and two sons, Elliott and Nicky, are completely different from each other. Astrid doesn't understand this at first, but eventually realizes why and how this can happen, and learns to appreciate their individual quirks and charms.
She even discovers unique things about herself. Charming and sweet as you can get while talking about ALL walks of life and accepting everyone in 2020 and beyond!
Well done Emma!
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