All Adults Here

Lessons learned while/after reading this book:
A) Don't join book clubs.
B) There's good reason not to read selections from the bestseller list.

In an effort to boost morale & esprit de corps at work the administration started a book club. I joined because reading, right? To be honest I had my doubts and as soon as I saw the selection I knew it would be an uphill battle but in an effort to not be a Debbie-downer I dove in. The fact that it took me this long to finish speaks for itself.

I grew up watching telenovelas. They did/do these themes far better and they're honest in their aims.

The story revolves around Astrid, a widow of a certain age, and her three grown children who grew up and live (except one) in a picturesque town/village along the Hudson Valley. The choices they make, the roads not taken, and where they're headed along with rumination on their inner lives fill the pages. It's all a grab bag of au courant themes that preoccupy the bien pensant but everything remains on the surface. No deep consideration or thought really goes into any of the situations that arise.

Perhaps there will be an HBO miniseries but I won't be watching. I was bored to tears.

As always YMMV

this was like gilmore girls (with all the white privilege of new england) but emily smoked weed and lorelai wasn't a perpetual child

i unexpectedly really enjoyed this book. it felt detached in a sense while we followed this family through a small period of time yet learned so much about them and all the traumas that their family structure and experiences imparted onto each member. as someone who has experienced multigenerational trauma and wishes so desperately that the perpetuators of said trauma could wake the fuck up and apologize for what they've done, i really appreciated this story

i will say that while queer characters have some limelight in this book, their stories reek of white privilege, so i would proceed with caution. it's nice to read how easy and fluffy queer life is for them (in comparison to the experiences of QBIPOC) but also man am i salty i'll never have a coming out like that lol

interested in reading more from emma straub if i can get a lovely intertwined cast of characters like this again!!

DNF

The kind of book that makes you feel warm inside. Life, love, family, small town, everybody's mostly happy most of the time. Can recommend as a light reading to help cheer up.