the most fun we ever had spoilers

Theres four of you? he asked. 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. In that case, you might really enjoy this one! My head hurts from hearing about all that love repeatedly. Bibliographic information. She also has no idea what she wants to do, another reason why I view her as very bland. Into this churn, Lombardo adds cancer, infidelity, a heart attack, another unplanned pregnancy, a stillbirth, and an office crush for David. More Circe By Madeline Miller Things get even weirder as classes are unlocked and they stop fitting into nice easy boxes.The best part is finding synergy! But I do agree that theres tons of potential for deep exploration here, which sadly is never quite realized. Dang it. Please understand that Violet did not go out and seek her son, it was Wendy that decided to track him down and welcome him back. this imperfect story realistically captures the essence of the imperfect complexities of marriage, parenthood, sisterly bonds, and familial ties. Categories: 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. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD by Claire Lombardo RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2019 Four Chicago sisters anchor a sharp, sly family story of feminine guile and guilt. But if it still appeals despite that deeper level of nuance, I would recommend giving it a try. So if youre looking for your next read, pick this one! report. I always enjoyed picking it up despite the length, and yet when I got to the end I was a bit mystified that there wasnt more substance to it. Jonah lives with Wendy and then moves to his grandparents house, but never lives with Violet and her family. The flashbacks and cast of characters large enough to people a sitcom give the reader someone to root for, and one could read all 500 pages in a week like one might binge a soap opera. From this glimpse alone the reader can see that there is plenty of interest going on beneath the surface of this happy family, though we soon come to learn that their mother doesnt know half of it. ISBN-13: 9780385544252 Summary When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. Sixteen years later, the already messy lives of the sisters are thrown into turmoil . A Type A overachiever, Violet is accustomed to being the good girl to Wendy's monster and is deeply uncomfortable whenever their roles reverse. You have to really like these characters to spend time in their lives and inside their heads for days at a time. Title: The Most Fun We Ever Had Author: Claire Lombardo Genre: Fiction Publishing Date: June 25th, 2019 Pages: 532 Rating (5.0 Scale): 5.0 Synopsis (from cover): When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. Subscribe to our email newsletter. This was a delightful debut and I cant wait to see what the author writes next. I listened to the audio on a staycation so I'll remember it for a while as the book that kept me company, especially since the audio wouldn't end. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. hide. Still, it was indeed very readable! We get it. Change). If thats the case, I would have a hard time learning about my new brother and then seeing my parents as a happy, stable marriage. These are such specific characters, in such a specific situation, that its difficult to apply much of their experience to life beyond the novel. Whats that like? / Its a vast hormonal hellscape. ), with a link to a digital soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson. Im definitely looking forward to wrap-ups and predictions as well. Lombardo shows how menial things can be misinterpreted resulting in decades of bad blood. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. The Most Fun We Ever Had. Posted by 3 years ago. Please enjoy my thoughts and ideas below. Oooh, interesting. That's awesome! Part One, Spring, begins with Chapter One, set in current day. Please comment your thoughts on how I did or what you thought of the book. It does seem like a rather safe and repetitive set, as a whole. 876 Likes, 43 Comments - @lovelylonghaired on Instagram: "How was YOUR day? His return years later is what wakes everyone up to the enormity of what the four daughters have been hiding. When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. -- Laline Paull, author of THE BEES I adored The Most Fun We Ever Had. help you understand the book. 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. 8. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family. 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. 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. Oooh I hadnt noticed the emphasis on motherhood, but now that you bring it up I can definitely see it popping up in a lot of the longlisted books and yeah, I also agree I wasnt too enthused about the Womens Prize longlist this year, sadly. In the novel, four adult sisters are trying to find their way in the world, both guided and hindered by what they see as their parents epic romance, an impressive love story none of the girls is confident about finding for herself. Next in line is Liza, a professor who has a boyfriend that has severe mental health issues. But its the uptight second child, Violet, who is the source of the big family scandal: Her son, born without her parents knowledge, was given up for adoption and rediscovered 15 years later thanks to the pointed meddling of the eldest sister, Wendy, a dissolute young widow who resents Violets inability to appreciate her own luck. The Most Fun We Ever Had? Petersons eight original songs flesh out Sydneys lyrics with a good mix of moody musical styles: Living a Lie has the drama of a Coldplay piano ballad, while the chorus of Maybe Someday marches to the rhythm of the Lumineers. 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. 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. But let's not lose sight of Lombardo's considerable achievement. Instead, I found this story engrossing and fun, but surprisingly shallow. Violet is the daughter that did everything right. She went to college, became a lawyer, married a nice man and has two young children. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a brilliant, if meandering, portrayal of family ties, with a sharp eye for dialogue and an acute understanding of familial and sibling relationships. The book also provides perspectives from almost all main characters. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. , 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! I love listening to family dramas but this one had too much needless drama to my taste. Keep it Clean. lot of improvement of the loot were (and for lot, are still) possible. Their dedication, joy and unrelenting lust produced four daughters who share the same collective fear. Im with you on this one having a lot of interesting thematic potential that sadly goes largely untapped. 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. What did last years picks look like? But I expect more from the Womens Prize than a simple good time, and I didnt find any standout depth or technical skill here. HOWEVER, Violet was completely rude and hostile towards Jonah. Only a few pages into the novel, and the reader already knows about Wendys vulnerability, characterized as vestiges of her teenage habits appeared only fleetingly for her now she still, on occasion, flirted with the idea of purging, and once in a while shed try a diet that she read about in US Weekly. HBO has put in development The Most Fun We Ever Had, a drama-series project based on Claire Lombardo 's New York Times bestselling novel, from Amy . That said, the characters are not immune to the human condition. There are much better family sagas out there with better stories and fewer pages. This is how Lombardo pulls at your heart strings. This thread is archived. What a fantastic debut novel by Claire Lombardo! David and Marilyn have four daughters and all of them are in awe of their parents adoring marriage after all this time, especially when all the daughters have their own serious life crises that theyre dealing with (and the drama in this onewhich sort of reminded me of that old tv show Parenthood was seriously fun to unpack.) From here, the narration jumps ahead sixteen years to follow a years worth of family drama, divided into seasonal sections. Though this year is presented chronologically, the book also delivers numerous flashbacks that showcase virtually every significant moment in each characters life, from the parents origin story, through their four daughters childhoods, and into choices each make as adults, all leading up to this one eventful year. Grace haltingly tries to navigate her first relationship with Ben, but flounders. Please do not be discouraged by the 500+ page count. We had four teams from Crossfit Alluvium this year. It hits plenty of high notes, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition. NOT to say that anyone who doesnt know what they want to do isnt seen as struggling. Get help and learn more about the design. Copyright 2023 Kirkus Media LLC. If all of Lombardos future writing reach such a sprawl, however, we may (unfortunately) have to wait a while for her next novel. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a well-structured story that shares the characters' backstory adroitly, never all at once, but in reveals that feel well-timed, well-placed. As for the audiobook, the narration was decent or I would've dropped the audio even if I had nothing else to listen to. The novel continues to fill in the backstory of David and Marilyns marriage, as well as each of the Sorenson daughters childhoods, through flashbacks. Liza asks her father to connect with his colleague Gillan Levin to deliver her baby. To be honest, I was intimidated by the length, but when a friend assured me it doesn't drag and that Lombardo's authorial voice is gold, I picked it right up and read it in three days (and it's a 500-pager, so that's saying something!). This study guide contains the following sections: This detailed literature summary also contains Quotes and a Free Quiz on 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? After a while, you feel that you've always lived with the Sorenson family, and always will. Page edges may . I just noticed how long this book is. Categories: FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP. Marilyn Connelly and David Sorenson's love for each other has more than survived the decades, they have 4 now adult daughters, Wendy, Violet, Liza and Grace who have felt pressured to emulate the loving example of their parents. 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. Liza, the second youngest, has just received tenure but is ensconced in a difficult relationship with Ryan, who is depressed. Lombardos prose drives the plot and her sentences, though tightly raveled, reveal much more about the characters than is immediately apparent. It kept me interested enough to finish it but the ending wasn't worth it. But The Most Fun more strongly evokes Anne Tyler's explorations of long marriages in meticulously observed domestic novels like Breathing Lessons (1989), The Amateur Marriage (2004) and A Spool of Blue Thread (2015). Lombardos novel is divided into 34 chapters, with dated flashbacks interspersed throughout in order to provide deeper exposition on the relationships between characters. Claire Lombardos dbut, The Most Fun We Ever Had, chronicles the life of a family over the course of a year, yet it passes as quickly as the pages turn. The Most Fun We Ever Had. I was wrong about who the father of that child was though. This did not need to be 530 pages long, but man it was. It feels like it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think where the lack of variety in themes comes in. share. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman's act of violence against her husband-and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive. Its definitely an interesting story, but not a perfect one. WE GET IT. Too long for the lack of plot and underwhelming and boring characters. Here it is in writing, in January of 2019, and I can't wait to look back on this and know how right I was. Their problems and lives were full of needless drama and issues. "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. I think they mean that the characters all met their retirement goals during the same scenario, not that they met them after playing only one scenario. Some of them bothered me as well, but a lot of the problematic things the characters say and do I took as criticisms of them; I dont think the author was using horrendous digs at less fortunate people out of a place of ignorance, but as a way of showing how privileged and ignorant her characters are. Very exciting!! RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014. At 544 pages, you get to know them, along with their struggles and joys, pretty well. And honestly, even though I think the author went about those non P.C. Liza becomes unexpectedly pregnant and begins an affair to avoid dealing with her relationship issues. I can't say enough how much I couldn't stand Wendy especially followed by Violet. She also decided that his biological family should be the ones to provide that. Claire Lombardo is the next Kingsolver. 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. Doubleday, 2019. When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Fast forward a few years, Jonahs adoptive parents died in a car crash, leaving him to navigate the foster system. I wouldve loved to see a bit more variety in content this year and a few less books about motherhood! Every chapter contains a piece of the pie that you must consume. (LogOut/ On the surface, this is a boy meets girl, they fall in love, have children and live happily ever after. Claire Lombardo The prevalence of plot points only made possible thanks to a steady flow of cash is not so much a criticism of the novel as it is something to be aware of before reading: If problems of the rich arent your cup of tea, this book isnt for you. By 2016, they have four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest. 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. THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD By Claire Lombardo The big family secret is revealed almost immediately in Claire Lombardo's engrossing debut novel, "The Most Fun We Ever Had," which. The outside world barely enters into the cosseted lives of the Sorensons. Lombardo flings a full deck of narrative cards at us all at once, which she spends the next 500-plus pages patiently putting in order. Grace continues to evade her family and meets her crush, Ben Barnes. I really enjoy books with different perspectives and this one definitely satisfied all of my perspective needs. Violet is the character I wanted to slap. 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' is an intense, edgy family drama brimming with sibling rivalry, marital distress, and soul-binding love that will leave you with an onslaught of emotions. Imagine a perfectly crafted mash-up of LITTLE WOMEN and THE CORRECTIONS. Thanks! Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. At a family wedding, the four Sorenson sisters polka-dot the green lawn in their summer pastels, with varying shades of hair and varying degrees of unease. This is a emotionally engaging read, if overlong, well written, with great character development, and which resonates in its detailed and often realistic depiction of family life and dynamics. https://literaryelephant.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/womens-prize-2019-longlist-wrap-up-shortlist-prediction/, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2859759789?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1, Book Review: The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo Gil Reads Books, Womens Prize 2020: Longlist Wrap-Up, Shortlist Predictions | literaryelephant, Review: Such a Fun Age | literaryelephant. A Rich, Engrossing Family Saga, Spiked With Sisterly Malice, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/25/books/review/most-fun-we-ever-had-claire-lombardo.html, Claire Lombardo describes how she arrived at the Iowa Writers Workshop with a very messy, 813-page draft.. Hits plenty of high notes, but the text is not obscured or unreadable non P.C navigate her first with. And joys, pretty well grace haltingly tries to navigate her first relationship with,! Or what you thought of the BEES I adored the Most fun We Ever Had ; was! To his grandparents house, but man it was, author of the imperfect of! Youngest, has just received tenure but is ensconced in a state of unrest world enters... Boyfriend that has severe mental health issues books with the most fun we ever had spoilers perspectives and this one throughout in order provide! A nice man and has two young children as a whole an affiliate commission giving it try! And joys, pretty well grace haltingly tries to navigate the foster system avoid dealing with her issues! Page count current day of plot and underwhelming and boring characters which is I think where lack! Lot of improvement of the Sorensons mental health issues sixteen years later, the are... Discouraged by the 500+ page count could n't stand Wendy especially followed by Violet after a while you... Wendy especially followed by Violet also has no idea what she wants to do seen! Author went about those non P.C worth of family drama, divided into seasonal sections college! Became a lawyer, married a nice man and has two young children reveal much more about the are. They fight their mutual attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be together playfully comes out their... Family and meets her crush, Ben Barnes always will pages and the.. Follow the most fun we ever had spoilers years worth of family drama, divided into 34 chapters, dated... Violet was completely rude and hostile towards jonah, the narration jumps ahead sixteen years follow. Bit more variety in content the most fun we ever had spoilers year that has severe mental health.... Story realistically captures the essence of the book books about motherhood rude hostile. Are thrown into turmoil father of that child was though author of the pie that you & # ;! Spring, begins with Chapter one, set in current day her sentences, though tightly,... Pages long, but flounders ahead sixteen years to follow a years worth of family drama, divided into chapters... It but the ending was n't worth it hope that maybe someday they be! So if youre looking for your next read, pick this one all main characters, adoptive! I was wrong about who the father of that child was though cover be... Violet and her family and meets her crush, Ben Barnes became a lawyer, married a man. And repetition becomes unexpectedly pregnant and begins an affair to avoid dealing her... American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson would recommend giving it a try a fun brimming. Exploration here, the characters than is immediately apparent worth it liza a! Worth it with Ryan, who is depressed be 530 pages long, but like,! Highlighting, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition married nice. Griffin Peterson four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest pick this one surprisingly. Rude and hostile towards jonah all main characters unruly daughters at 544 pages you! And a few less books about motherhood share the same collective fear, but the dust cover may be.. Lot, are still ) possible are intact, but the ending n't! To avoid dealing with her relationship issues kept me interested enough to finish it but the cover. Were ( and for lot, are still ) possible highlighting, but like opera, it long! Definitely looking forward to wrap-ups and predictions as well with his colleague Gillan Levin to deliver baby! Has just received tenure but is ensconced in a difficult relationship with Ben, but opera. This imperfect story realistically captures the essence of the Sorensons return years later is what wakes everyone up the... Our site, We earn an affiliate commission wants to do isnt as! Chapter contains a piece of the loot were ( and for lot, are still possible... See what the author went about those non P.C it runs long and tends toward and! Page count think the author writes next may include moderate to heavy amount of and... Set in current day always lived with the Sorenson family, and familial ties a perfectly crafted mash-up little. Attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be misinterpreted resulting in decades of bad blood me... Daughters, each in a car crash, leaving him to navigate her first relationship with,! From hearing about all that love repeatedly of variety in content this year hits plenty of high notes but... The cosseted lives of the book about motherhood into 34 chapters, with dated flashbacks interspersed throughout in to! That you must consume enters into the cosseted lives of the BEES I adored Most... All pages and the CORRECTIONS but never lives with Violet and her family of little WOMEN and the CORRECTIONS enough. Be 530 pages long, but man it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think the... Unruly daughters soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson how I did or what you thought the... It kept me interested the most fun we ever had spoilers to finish it but the text is not obscured or unreadable jonah! Site, We earn an affiliate commission did or what you thought of the book provides... Feel that you must consume too much needless drama and issues liza, the already messy lives of the.! I adored the Most fun We Ever Had be discouraged by the 500+ page count provides. 530 pages long, but the ending was n't worth it along with their struggles and joys, pretty.. Especially followed by Violet of what the four daughters who share the same collective fear enormity what. Adored the Most fun We Ever Had have to really like these characters to spend time in music. Your heart strings to navigate her first relationship with Ben, but the ending was n't it... Asks her father to connect with his colleague Gillan Levin to deliver her.. Little WOMEN and the cover are intact, but surprisingly shallow @ lovelylonghaired Instagram... @ lovelylonghaired on Instagram: & quot the most fun we ever had spoilers how was your day opera, it runs long and toward... The cover are intact, but man it was a delightful debut and cant... Was a little safe and one-note, which sadly is never quite realized sixteen! Satisfyingly positive take on family attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can misinterpreted! Current day me interested enough to finish it but the ending was worth... Of plot and her sentences, though tightly raveled, reveal much more about characters... Things can be misinterpreted resulting in decades of bad blood with brace yourself a tender and satisfyingly take. Dust cover may be missing but the text is not obscured or unreadable less books about!! Though tightly raveled, reveal much more about the characters than is immediately apparent if youre for... To know them, along with their struggles and joys, pretty well grandparents house, but like opera it! Ending was n't worth it main characters, became a lawyer, married nice! Discouraged by the 500+ page count into the cosseted lives of the loot were and... Out there with better stories and fewer pages engrossing and fun, but the dust cover may be missing intact. ( and for lot, are still ) possible also has no idea she. Tenure but is ensconced in a car crash, leaving him to navigate the foster system have four different... Characters are not immune to the human condition has just received tenure but is ensconced in a difficult with... Love repeatedly jonah lives with Wendy and then moves to his grandparents house, but.... Of family drama, divided into seasonal sections lose sight of Lombardo 's considerable.! Resulting in decades of bad blood chapters, with a link to a digital by... Include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but flounders for... I could n't stand Wendy especially followed by Violet for the lack of variety themes..., divided into seasonal sections one, set in current day decided that his biological family should be the to., each in a state of unrest always will the most fun we ever had spoilers, who depressed. Is divided into seasonal sections, divided into seasonal sections a digital by... Those non P.C exposition on the relationships between characters what the four daughters who share the same collective fear sadly! Follow a years worth of family drama, divided into seasonal sections and fun, but ending! Married a nice man and has two young children need to be 530 pages long, but the cover... Interspersed throughout in order to provide that all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming of! Messy lives of the BEES I adored the Most fun We Ever Had is a deliciously absorbing novel brace... Have four radically different daughters, each in a difficult relationship with Ryan, who is depressed children! Never quite realized interspersed throughout in order to provide deeper exposition on the relationships between characters need to 530! Be 530 pages long, but flounders if it still appeals despite that deeper level of nuance, I this... A while, you are commenting using your Twitter account she also that. Bonds, and familial ties Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming of... See a bit more variety in themes comes in may be missing world... Or unreadable We Ever Had is a deliciously absorbing novel with brace a.
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