Books that follow a group of characters over decades have always been the kind that speak to me in a special way, namely, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - a gold standard that Ive held many other books to over the years. The golden couple David Sorenson and Marilyn Connelly seem to have that figured out. Claire Lombardo's The Most Fun We Ever Had debuted on the New York Times bestseller list an impressive start for this first-time novelist who started life in Oak Park. Violet is the character I wanted to slap. Feeling betrayed by the adults in her life, Clara marches forward, acting both responsible and rebellious as she navigates her teenage years without her father and her aunt, while Jonah and Morgan's relationship evolves in the wake of the accident. We already have a strong community, but this event brought us even closer as we cheered and grinded it out next to each other! Other people overwhelmed her. In fact, it creates opportunities for sexy nonverbal communication and witty text messages: Ridge tenderly washes off a message he wrote on Sydneys hand in ink, and when Sydney adds a few too many es to the word squee in her text, Ridge replies, If those letters really make up a sound, I am so, so glad I cant hear it. While they fight their mutual attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be together playfully comes out in their music. A dazzling dictionary of book blurbs, filled with writing tips, literary folklore and publishing secrets A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A small masterpiece. 8. Jonah is the character that I was backing and rooting for. That said, the characters are not immune to the human condition. Meanwhile, youngest daughter Grace perpetrates a whopper, and every day the lie was growing like mold, furring her judgment. The writing here is silky, if occasionally overwrought. The narrative alternates between flashbacks and the present, such that the former gives much-needed context to an otherwise convoluted and detail-packed story. 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. I also didn't like the timeline jumps. This book give you unlimited access to everything, all the time. Despite their wealth, there is a plethora of more relatable issues: accidental pregnancies, eating disorders, cheating, stagnant communication the list could go on. This sounds exactly like the kind of book Ill enjoy, even if it was fine but not perfect for you. It may not be the most fun youve ever had, but it has to be darn close. If all of Lombardos future writing reach such a sprawl, however, we may (unfortunately) have to wait a while for her next novel. Lombardos novel is divided into 34 chapters, with dated flashbacks interspersed throughout in order to provide deeper exposition on the relationships between characters. When she receives her final rejection letter, she lies about her acceptance. Staff writer Cassandra Luca can be reached at cassandra.luca@thecrimson.com. save. It was definitely a fun read for me even though I was wishing for a bit more thematic depth. Title: The Most Fun We Ever Had: Author: Claire Lombardo: Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2021: ISBN: 0525564233, 9780525564232: Length: 640 pages: Subjects: The novel is told from the third-person, and provides perspectives from numerous characters. '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.. Part Three, Fall, tells how Marilyn nearly died giving birth to Grace, and Gillian Levin saved her. This was quite a delightful debut. I am calling it this book will win all of the awards. It is a stellar debut that modernizes family histories for the 21st century. lot of improvement of the loot were (and for lot, are still) possible. This is a great review! (LogOut/ Back to reviews with another Womens Prize longlist title! A frightened Jonah witnesses it and runs away to Graces apartment. The Sorenson daughters all witness their parents sharing an intimate moment beneath the gingko tree and are awestruck at their love. ), with a link to a digital soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson. Not only do I get to read about the perspective of one sister, I get to read about the thoughts and emotions of all three sisters, their parents AND Jonah. This is a really fun and strong team with lots of synergy. Liza asks her father to connect with his colleague Gillan Levin to deliver her baby. This Study Guide consists of approximately 52pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - It feels like it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think where the lack of variety in themes comes in. (LogOut/ "The Most Fun We Ever Had" is a novel about a family and follows in the footsteps of other reknown novels the chronicle the intricate complexities of close relationships. You will never not be entertained. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. The Most Fun We Ever Had. I could not understand why she wasnt viewing this chance as an opportunity. The Sorenson sisters consistently feel the pressure of their parents ideal marriage, as well as sibling rivalry. A few themes are replayed so often David and Marilyn's canoodling, Violet's uptight rigidity that the book would have benefited from judicious trims, particularly in the flashbacks. I had no idea why Lombardo decided this family saga needs to be 500+ pages. All of her complaints are definitely in the book. From the beginning, I realized that Most Fun would be a new standard for me, Lombardo has a way with words and creating characters that just leapt off the page. I love books that make me feel. Morgan felt obligated to marry her high school sweetheart, Chris, when she got pregnant with their daughter, Clara. The only thing that the daughters have over their parents is sisterhood. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people's minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating." Claire Lombardo has given us all a spectacular gift: the Sorenson family. I couldn't relate, emphasize, nor care about them. Theres four of you? he asked. We had lots of flashbacks and secrets that didn't get revealed till later on in the plot but the flashbacks were just too many to my liking. 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. NOT to say that anyone who doesnt know what they want to do isnt seen as struggling. It is an important topic to be sure, but books like this just dont seem to be bringing anything new to the table, sadly. Part One, Spring, begins with Chapter One, set in current day. I did like the relationships between the characters and seeing how their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in the end. No prob! Her boys adore him but she continues to be wary. Am 3% in and am uber irritated. Colleen Hoover. This was a delightful debut and I cant wait to see what the author writes next. As for the audiobook, the narration was decent or I would've dropped the audio even if I had nothing else to listen to. because there are loads of those people out there, even if theyre only saying horrible things to someone in a close circle and not in public. 2. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. It took me almost 2 weeks to finish this 500+ page family saga. Sixteen years earlier. Definitely a bit longer than it needs to be, though it wasnt a slog for me. My reaction: 3 out of 5 stars. I didnt notice one singular theme as strongly last year, though perhaps giving voice to silenced or misrepresented women was perhaps the strongest commonality? This time were looking at Claire Lombardos The Most Fun We Ever Had, one of the largest books on the list at over 500 pages. Each character was individualized and any one of them could have leaped off the pages. When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. Page edges may . Oof, I just noticed this review on Goodreads, which may have shut the door for me: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2859759789?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. report. Arrive a few minutes early to get a spot by the stage, especially if you have little kids. Naturally, from the inside it is not without its peaks and valleys. This book gives you a behind the scenes look into this familys life and I was so grateful for it because most times we leave books wanting more information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Meet Me The Person Behind Books and Bowquets. So now your here, wondering what Violets secret is? She also decided that his biological family should be the ones to provide that. The story centers around a couple (David and Marilyn) from when they met toward their golden years, and each of their four very different daughters. In that case, you might really enjoy this one! By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. A famous painter. 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. We had four teams from Crossfit Alluvium this year. Pre-publication book reviews and features keeping readers and industry She sets the plot in motion by springing a terrible surprise on Violet, whose perfect life is just too much for her to swallow after she suffers a series of unhappy blows. If cars are often considered classics after 25 years, how does that translate to a popular cruise ship that is sailing toward its 25th birthday? At times, it feels as though there are too many details, too many implausible things that go wrong, tied up with all-too-convenient deus ex machinas. Subscribe to our email newsletter. There is definitely a family dynamic that is captured. Bibliographic information. Their parents were good with them but I guess, too good. That book, which. Points for Lombardo, again. Knopf Doubleday. [This review contains spoilers - heads up!] Categories: 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. Cassandra.Luca @ thecrimson.com, they are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them page... To get a spot by the stage, especially if you have little kids she receives her rejection. 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