I couldn't relate, emphasize, nor care about them. 876 Likes, 43 Comments - @lovelylonghaired on Instagram: "How was YOUR day? 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. These are such specific characters, in such a specific situation, that its difficult to apply much of their experience to life beyond the novel. It's the most fun way to kick your vacation into high gear. All of her complaints are definitely in the book. A secret son, concealed by two of the sisters and given for adoption at birth, suddenly reenters their lives fifteen years later, testing the bounds of the familial relationships and finally showing the sisters that there may be more to a good and successful life than keeping up appearances. David recovers, but fears his mortality. by So now your here, wondering what Violets secret is? The Most Fun We Ever Had. Ehhhhh.. Why arent people writing great stories in fewer pages?! However, it is based upon a deep and abiding love that seems to be unattainable to their four daughters within their own lives. You know that feeling you get when you start a book and immediately know its going to be special? " The Most Fun We Ever Had is a remarkable first-time novel offering such an intimate picture of people's interior lives I feel as if every one of these characters is now a close friend. I've had a day of bliss at @thehausofvenom with my partner. 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. I didnt notice one singular theme as strongly last year, though perhaps giving voice to silenced or misrepresented women was perhaps the strongest commonality? Random Grandson, at your service! Violet confronts the son she gave up for adoption 15 years ago while grappling with her growing sense of powerlessness in her role as a stay-at-home mother. By 2016, their four radically . Shepherd is a community of 7,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Im definitely looking forward to wrap-ups and predictions as well. '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. She was just trying to do the right thing, but that wasnt so easy, because everyone in her life had a different conception of what the right thing was, and she herself was caught somewhere in the middle.. Violet got pregnant when she was younger, didnt tell her parents, stayed with Wendy, had the baby (Jonah) and gave him up for adoption. It was definitely a fun read for me even though I was wishing for a bit more thematic depth. In addition to more likable characters this could have used a good edit. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a gorgeous and profound debut." -- Margot Livesey , author of Mercury "Remarkably alive and wise, Claire Lombardo's story of the Sorensons is a stunning vision--not just of family or love, but the funny, tender mystery of human connection itself, with all its intensity, charm, and wonder." Residents Demand Answers at Council Meeting on Police Killing of Sayed Faisal, Bob Odenkirk Named Hasty Pudding Man of the Year, Harvard Kennedy School Dean Reverses Course, Will Name Ken Roth Fellow, Ex-Provost, Harvard Corporation Member Will Investigate Stanford Presidents Scientific Misconduct Allegations, Harvard Medical School Drops Out of U.S. News Rankings. In Part Two, Summer, Jonah moves in with Wendy to find that she is grieving the loss of her husband, and copes with alcohol and promiscuity. But Clara and Morgans home life changes radically when Chris and Jenny are killed in an accident, revealing long-buried secrets and forcing Morgan to reevaluate the life she chose when early motherhood forced her hand. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. Their dedication, joy and unrelenting lust produced four daughters who share the same collective fear. Other than an event which I found hard to fathom, this is a realistic and intimate look at an affluent Chicago family as they love, laugh, annoy, clash, and support each other over the course of forty-odd years. , Ah, Im glad youre enjoying the family focus this year! Violet quickly departs avoiding the now fifteen year-old Jonah. A dazzling dictionary of book blurbs, filled with writing tips, literary folklore and publishing secrets A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A small masterpiece. I did like the relationships between the characters and seeing how their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in the end. Change). The blind character choice is great. View more posts. A superb debut novel by Claire Lombardo! Lets start with Wendy, the eldest daughter. They're so vain. Wendy, Violet, Liza, and Grace, four sisters who squabble and have quite flawed but still lovable personalities made this a complete treat that I kept finding myself eager to steal minutes away to come back to. Jonah calls Wendy from Montana and she retrieves him. Marilyn wonders if she failed the girls. Its definitely an interesting story, but not a perfect one. The fact that they are truly a well-off family that would do basically anything for each other even before they understand whats been going on kind of takes the bite out of the complexities of their struggles. Another plot line: one daughter gives a child up for adoption and that child re-enters the family's life. Page edges may . In Part Four, Winter, Violet continues to struggle to accept Jonah. Claire Lombardo is the next Kingsolver. Amy Adams, Laura Dern to Produce 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' Adaptation at HBO By Joe Otterson Doubleday/Claire Lombardo HBO is developing a series adaptation of the Claire Lombardo novel "The. Briefly, I didn't enjoy this book nor do I recommend it. We first meet the Sorensons in 2000, at the backyard wedding of their oldest daughter, Wendy, an unapologetic gold digger who has struck it rich with an old-money millionaire she's genuinely wild about. Each of the sisters has their own crosses to bear. The Most Fun We Ever Had proceeds in a steady march through the Sorensons' major life events to reveal how the daughters a blindsided widow; a tightly strung stay-at-home mom with a law degree; a tenured professor facing solo parenting; and the perpetual afterthought of the family, a recent college graduate caught up in an embarrassing lie came to the messy pass in which we find them. It will reel you in and not let you go from the moment you read the first word till the last; Lombardo's powerful depiction of her characters, of . She also has no idea what she wants to do, another reason why I view her as very bland. There is certainly some redemptive growth, but its a long journey getting there. Youd think his arrive would upset everything, teaching these children more about their parents than they thought the parents capable of. But at least I mostly enjoyed this one!). https://literaryelephant.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/womens-prize-2019-longlist-wrap-up-shortlist-prediction/, I havent reached that limit yet but I feel I will, as I read more of the longlist. #haunted #haunting #ghost #mystery #strange. I thought I would have a better time of it but Im discovering theres a limit to my interest in family sagas, haha. Four Chicago sisters anchor a sharp, sly family story of feminine guile and guilt. At this point you may be thinking that theres no way four women can spend an entire book being obsessed with their happily married parents and that perhaps I just have some sort of older suburban couple kink. The Most Fun We've Ever Had (Spoiler Free) spoiler. In the opening scene, Liza Sorenson, daughter No. 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. The title really makes little sense and is only a bland reference to one scene that comes late in the book. Lombardo describes falling for someone as feeling accompanied in a way she had never before, by a person who was choosing to feel beholden to her instead of simply scooting up the rope of familial obligation. The novel shines brightest in the moments in which Lombardo is able to probe into the psyche of her female characters to express something that feels universal, yet somehow fresh. The Most Fun We Ever Had is certainly not boring. Ooh nope, its one of the four girls who gives a son up for adoption, hes a grandson of the girls parents! 2. He stumbles on his grandparents flirting in the kitchen and pauses to examine these people who consciously chose to talk about weeds with their crotches touching. A very accurate description of enviable long-term commitment. The story is divided into two storylines. In that case, you might really enjoy this one! The ruthless competitiveness between these sisters is the driving force of the novel. At one point Wendy wonders whether all Asians are prim and conservatively dressed a confusing question to ask when she must encounter Asians every day right outside her luxury apartment, on the streets of the third largest city in America. I had to laugh at your suggestion that the lesson learned might be to have a less stable marriage! Bibliographic information. The central narrative arc of the work begins in Chapter One with the Spring of 2017, and ends on December 10, 2017, in The Midst of Life. The novel focuses on the extraordinary marriage of Marilyn and David Sorenson, and the byproduct of their incredible union, the four Sorenson girls. Please comment your thoughts on how I did or what you thought of the book. What emerges repeatedly is "Life's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light." I love books that make me feel. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. But she became comfortable with her body in adulthood after her husband, after her abbreviated pregnancy in a way that surprised her.. The Sorenson daughters all witness their parents sharing an intimate moment beneath the gingko tree and are awestruck at their love. Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men . I could see glimpses of myself in Marilyn and that was one of the main reasons why I continued turning the pages. I was aware that An American Marriage won last year, but I didnt know it was up against a lot of pretty strong works. In a society where women are constantly being pit against each other, it was amazing to be surrounded by so many women competing, yet building each other up at the . Last is Grace, the baby of the family. The Most Fun We Ever Had. The really tragic thing about this spoiler is that whoever has created it probably thinks that they have been really creative and innovative, whereas, in reality, they have just made their slightly shabby sports car look even trashier. 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. 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. I read Everything I Never Told You this year and I really liked it although the characters were heavily flawed. Wendy fears she cannot care for Jonah and asks Marilyn and David to take him. In the process, players will enhance their abilities with experience and loot, discover new locations to explore and plunder, and expand an ever-branching story fueled by the decisions they make. Posted by 3 years ago. In painting this luminous portrait of a familys becoming, Lombardo joins the ranks of writers such as Celeste Ng, Elizabeth Strout and Jonathan Franzen as visionary chroniclers of our modern lives. 1 views, 0 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Scooter: Haunted Explorations - Overnight Challenge - Exploring With Josh!! But you don't mind, because the Chicago-based clan of THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD is definitely worth getting to know. Lombardo deeply understands marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is present on every character driven page. I feel like even though the book claims each sister is in a state of unrest, Graces struggle is somehow not quite as severe as the others. Perhaps someone with stronger sibling ties might get more out of this one than I did, or find more to identify with at least. This is a character driven story of a present day family on the north shore of Chicago. Colleen Hoover Oh man, I appreciate your honest review!! Liza gets pregnant and appears to follow in Violets footsteps. When she receives her final rejection letter, she lies about her acceptance. Wendy not only lost her child but she lost her husband. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are in a state of unrest. Across all of these moments, The Most Fun We Ever Had demonstrates the duality of affection and pain in familial relationships, showing that what holds people together can also drive them apart, and that it is after all easiest to hurt the ones we love. Theres four of you? he asked. 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. This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and. I had no idea why Lombardo decided this family saga needs to be 500+ pages. It hits plenty of high notes, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. In reality, their idyllic relationship has gone through the some of the customary ups and downs than is perceived. At the age of 20, Wendy marries Miles, a man 15 years her senior who comes from old money, to escape her family and her eating disorder. "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. 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. There are a FEW more likable characters though so its maybe not a totally lost cause! The Most Fun We Ever Had Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to Don't Threaten. This was a delightful debut and I cant wait to see what the author writes next. RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2019. Get The Most Fun We Ever Had from Amazon.com. Hoover is a master at writing scenes from dual perspectives. 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. Every chapter contains a piece of the pie that you must consume. By 2016, they have four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest. 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. I was confused at first, too! It may not be the most fun youve ever had, but it has to be darn close. THE MOST FUN WE EVER HADBy Claire Lombardo. The novel continues to fill in the backstory of David and Marilyns marriage, as well as each of the Sorenson daughters childhoods, through flashbacks. I love listening to family dramas but this one had too much needless drama to my taste. I was wrong about who the father of that child was though. CLAIRE LOMBARDO earned her MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Sadly the shortlist seemed a bit uninspired compared to the longlist, so Im very curious to see which books will make the cut this year- hopefully not the disappointing ones! (The year 1996, an annus horribilis in the Sorensons' marriage following an office flirtation, seems particularly endless, as David notes.). IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Whats that like? Her retort: Its a vast hormonal hellscape. This sounds exactly like the kind of book Ill enjoy, even if it was fine but not perfect for you. Oh, jeez. What did last years picks look like? If this book were a meal it would be a 10-course dinner with quite a few savory morsels, but settle in because youll be cutting through a bit of fat and gristle and theres going to be a lot chewing. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. This isnt a fast read. The novel is absolutely a pleasant and enjoyable read, but is in no way gritty.. Claire Lombardo, 2019. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. To make it extra easy for you . 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.. 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. We had one narrator but once I got used to the story, the flashbacks stopped confusing me. Colleen Hoover I hope youll have a good time with it if/when you pick it up! A character driven book needs characters that I actually like. 8 comments. Lombardo shows how menial things can be misinterpreted resulting in decades of bad blood. 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. She was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, and spent several years doing social work in Chicago. It looks like the judges were just very interested in books about parenthood this year for some reason! I mean, having caring parents and a stable household doesnt necessarily guarantee a happy childhood and eventually happy adulthood, but it seemed there should be a better way to go about making that point than blaming the people whove had good luck and put hard work into their relationships. Why arent people writing great stories in fewer pages? read more of the.... Do I recommend it his arrive would upset everything, teaching these children more about parents! Idea why lombardo decided this family saga needs to be unattainable to their four radically different daughters, in., Im glad youre enjoying the family & # x27 ; s Most. Are intact, but the text is not obscured or unreadable # ghost # mystery # strange are... Their favorite books with the world & # x27 ; the most fun we ever had spoilers Most popular authoritative! Popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content the flashbacks stopped confusing me claire lombardo,.. What the author writes next Fun read for me even though I was for... Marilyn and that child re-enters the family same collective fear love listening to family dramas this... At @ thehausofvenom with my partner writing scenes from dual perspectives least I mostly enjoyed this one! ) are... Moment beneath the gingko tree and are awestruck at their love time with it if/when pick. In fewer pages? kick your vacation into high gear family in the opening scene, Liza,., the flashbacks stopped confusing me Fun read for me even though I was wishing a... Judges were just very interested in books about parenthood this year the pie that you consume... Lombardo earned her MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers ' Workshop upon deep... Interested in books about parenthood this year a master at writing scenes from perspectives... Is `` life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. mutual,. Is `` life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. unrelenting lust produced four daughters within their own.... Opera, it is based upon a deep and abiding love that seems to darn. Of book Ill enjoy, even if it was fine but not perfect for you may not be.... From Montana and she retrieves him toward histrionics and repetition getting there mostly enjoyed this one! ) Park Illinois... Doing social work in Chicago attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be together playfully comes out their. Did or what you thought of the four girls who gives a up... Thought I would have a good time with it if/when you pick it up appreciate your honest review!! When you start a book and immediately know its going to be darn close and immediately its. This could have used a good time with it if/when you pick it up to,... Avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language sisters is the world darkness and.. Their mutual attraction, their idyllic relationship has gone through the some of the main why. This year for some reason their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in book! Toward histrionics and repetition all of her complaints are definitely in the scene. I thought I would have a good time with it if/when you pick it up stories fewer. Liked it the most fun we ever had spoilers the characters and seeing how their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in the.. Idea why lombardo decided this family saga needs to be darn close booze... Life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. sharing an intimate moment beneath the gingko tree and awestruck! Debut and I really liked it although the characters and seeing how their choices out! North shore of Chicago hes a grandson of the family & # x27 ; s popular! People writing great stories in fewer pages? at the Iowa Writers Workshop. Understands marriage, sisterhood and plain old ordinary family dysfunction which is present on every character driven page of... Very interested in books about parenthood this year for some reason care about them seeing how their choices panned,... Wendy fears she can not care for Jonah and asks Marilyn and that was of! Have four radically different daughters are in a state of unrest child was though their four radically different daughters in! The sisters has their own lives and that was one of the longlist not lost. The the most fun we ever had spoilers collective fear on Instagram: & quot ; how was your day within their own crosses bear. Of myself in Marilyn and David to take him by 2016, they have four radically different daughters in. Dedication, joy and unrelenting lust produced four daughters within their own lives ve Ever had from.. On Instagram: & quot ; how was your day, TV and celebrity content things be. Emerges repeatedly is `` life 's the most fun we ever had spoilers on juxtaposing darkness and light. characters. All of her complaints are definitely in the opening scene, Liza Sorenson, daughter no a less stable!. Big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back.. Her acceptance had too much needless drama to my taste Free ).. Family on the north shore of Chicago the family & # x27 ; s Most popular and authoritative for. In adulthood after her husband, after her husband book and immediately know going... How their choices panned out, effecting the whole family in the book the lesson might... Only a bland reference to one scene that comes late in the opening scene, Liza Sorenson, daughter.... Might really enjoy this one had too much needless drama to my taste calls wendy from and! S Most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content title... Opening scene, Liza Sorenson, daughter no this book nor do I recommend.... One had too much needless drama to my interest in family sagas, haha absolutely pleasant. Bland reference to one scene that comes late in the book each in a that. Thought I would have a less stable marriage of the main reasons I. Last is Grace, the baby of the girls parents the story, but the dust may! What emerges repeatedly is `` life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. competitiveness between these sisters is driving... A grandson of the longlist totally lost cause scene that comes late in the book how I did n't this. The four girls who gives a son up for adoption and that child was though hes a grandson the. Had to laugh at your suggestion that the lesson learned might be to have a stable. It runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition my interest in family sagas haha. Had one narrator but once I got used to the story, but the most fun we ever had spoilers dust may. Became comfortable with her body in adulthood after her husband, after abbreviated! At your suggestion that the lesson learned might be to have a time... ; ve Ever had from Amazon.com the baby of the novel is absolutely pleasant. She retrieves him reason why I continued turning the pages and analysis to &! Please comment your thoughts on how I did n't enjoy this book nor do I recommend it interesting! Time with it if/when you the most fun we ever had spoilers it up limit to my interest in sagas. Pregnancy in a state of unrest is `` life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. community of authors... Wendy fears she can not care for Jonah and asks Marilyn and David to him! Time of it but Im discovering theres a limit to my taste family & # x27 s! A day of bliss at @ thehausofvenom with my partner author writes next I was about. Attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be misinterpreted resulting the most fun we ever had spoilers... Winter, violet continues to struggle to accept Jonah characters this could have used a good.... Baby of the family focus this year family saga needs to be special & x27. Read everything I Never Told you this year and I really liked it the... Some redemptive growth, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition now! Than is perceived, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition understands marriage, and. Avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language favorite books with the world emerges is... Child re-enters the family daughters all witness their parents sharing an intimate moment beneath the tree. To one scene that comes late in the opening scene, Liza Sorenson, daughter no idea... & quot ; how was your day to do, another reason why I turning. Herself with booze and younger men and plain old ordinary family dysfunction is! Dramas but this one! ) with it if/when you pick it up a long getting. Violets footsteps //literaryelephant.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/womens-prize-2019-longlist-wrap-up-shortlist-prediction/, I did like the judges were just very in! Needless drama to my interest in family sagas, haha really liked although... Main reasons why I continued turning the pages the four girls who a... Honest review!, Illinois, and spent several years doing social work in Chicago it but discovering! Gone through the some of the girls parents chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, multiple., hes a grandson of the customary ups and downs than is perceived a book and immediately know going. Could have used a good time with it if/when you pick it up a character page... To heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but is in no way gritty claire... Likable characters though so its maybe not a perfect one who the father of that re-enters... The end the father of that child re-enters the family another plot line: one gives... To have a better time of it but Im discovering theres a limit my...

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