Strange, perhaps, for a woman who'd added four beings to the universe of her own reluctant volition, but a fact nonetheless: Marilyn rued the inconvenient presence of bodies, bodies beyond her control, her . 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. There are much better family sagas out there with better stories and fewer pages. When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. At its core, The Most Fun We Ever Had isn't 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. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. I love domestic fiction, especially ones that examine marriages, sibling rivalries, and socioeconomically differences. Another plot line: one daughter gives a child up for adoption and that child re-enters the family's life. When Wendy, the oldest, sets her sights on a mate, she made sure she left her mark throughout his housesoy milk in the fridge, box of tampons under the sink, surreptitious spritzes of her Bulgari musk on the sheets. Turbulent Wendy is the novels best character, exuding a delectable bratty-ness. Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover (Losing Hope, 2013, etc. Sixteen years later, the already messy lives of the sisters are thrown into turmoil . Violet has sisterly assistance in bringing about additional anxiety and messiness in her life. 876 Likes, 43 Comments - @lovelylonghaired on Instagram: "How was YOUR day? Thanks Naty! The novel is absolutely a pleasant and enjoyable read, but is in no way gritty.. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Most Fun We Ever Had. What do they represent? Which also happened to qualify as "sidequests" for that goal, Which triggered the personal quest "Have two team mates retire", And it was our 15th total scenariowhich triggered that personal quest. Wendy has asked to meet Violet for lunch but much to Violets shock and horror, Wendy is sitting at a table with Violets adopted son whom she gave up at birth. All Rights Reserved. When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. I couldn't relate, emphasize, nor care about them. Instead, there are plenty of life events. This is how Lombardo pulls at your heart strings. Its one of those lovely meandering, literary tales that weaves the story of a family over a long period of time. It was charming and frustrating at the same time. 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. Ah, I saw Fatmas review a couple days ago as well. Every chapter contains a piece of the pie that you must consume. That said, the characters are not immune to the human condition. A dazzling dictionary of book blurbs, filled with writing tips, literary folklore and publishing secrets A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A small masterpiece. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo review - family friction A restless mother and meddling sister trigger family reprisals in this nuanced, polished debut Claire Lombardo: 'a keen. Their personalities are shitty. Theres four of you? he asked. The adopted boy has, by a bad stroke of luck, spent most of his life in the foster care system, and his sudden need for care provides a rude awakening for the sisters whove grown up with two loving parents in a big house with adequate income. It may not be the most fun youve ever had, but it has to be darn close. ", Wendy is a terrific character: caustic, tough, difficult, flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic. This is a really fun and strong team with lots of synergy. How do gingkoes function as a symbol in the book? Fast forward to present day, Wendy tracked down Jonah and found out that he needs a home. Categories: 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. Reading this book was challenge like reading Black Leopard and Red Wolf! The usage of the word "retard" was questionable and I don't know how it was made through the rounds of editing. Why do we have someone watching a couple have sex/make out so often? Strong and fierce, but sad and lonely. Wendy offers to take in Jonah, but the two hid the pregnancy from their parents so they must tell David and Marilyn about Jonah. Now her life as a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not ungrateful for what she has. I cared and cringed and chuckled and cried with each of the four sisters and their parents (and then theres the third gen of kids). I just finished this and am already missing the Sorenson family. I was confused at first, too! Still, the deft touchesa neighborhood fundraiser for a Little Free Library, a Twilight character as erotic touchstonedelight. Bibliographic information. Her boys adore him but she continues to be wary. More Books by Claire Lombardo Der grte Spa, den wir je hatten. I could see glimpses of myself in Marilyn and that was one of the main reasons why I continued turning the pages. 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. So, one of the daughters has a son when shes very young, with no father in the picture, and hides the entire pregnancy from her family. Its definitely an interesting story, but not a perfect one. Overarching it all is the unusually ardent connection between Marilyn and David Sorenson. I love listening to family dramas but this one had too much needless drama to my taste. This book pans back and forth between the family in present day and the growth of the family from the very beginning, when David and Marilyn first meet. Get help and learn more about the design. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are each in a state of unrest: Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men; Violet, a litigator-turned-stay-at-home-mom, battles anxiety and self-doubt when the darkest part of her past resurfaces; Liza, a neurotic and newly tenured professor, finds herself pregnant with a Am 3% in and am uber irritated. And yes, the book is annoyingly long! I read Everything I Never Told You this year and I really liked it although the characters were heavily flawed. The Most Fun We Ever Had Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to Now Jonah is back in town, engaged to Jenny, and working at the local high school as Claras teacher. 544 pp. What emerges repeatedly is "Life's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light." Prior to writing The Most Fun We Ever Had, she spent several years doing social work in Chicago. 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 Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Kindle Edition by Claire Lombardo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 5,310 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial ROMANCE | And I have to agree on sister relationships seeming very different than brother-sister ones; I dont have the strongest of sibling bonds, but even in childhood when my brothers and I got along better it was NOTHING like sisterhood is generally portrayed. Ive been kind of curious about this one. I hope youll have a good time with it if/when you pick it up! To make it extra easy for you . This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and forth through its own history with such assurance that one would expect Lombardo to have half a dozen practice runs under . 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. In Claire Lombardo's debut novel, The Most Fun We Ever Had, she isn't afraid to tackle the biggest of topics, specifically for womensisterhood, fear, general annoyance and birth or the absence of it.The reader gets an intimate look at the conception of the Sorenson family (literally, considering Lombardo's plethora of sex scenes), giving narrative control to each member: Marilyn and . 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. The Most Fun We Ever Had is a family saga that spans decades and closely follows multiple POV characters. The seasons become symbolic for the various life cycles described within the work. Essentially what the book is exploring is that all four daughters have these huge life struggles theyre hiding from their parents and each other because they hold the parents marriage up as the golden standard and dont want to be seen as failing to live up to that model. Click to see spoiler. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people's minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating." document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The story is divided into two storylines. DNF 55%. Ahhhh, I see. Shepherd is a community of 7,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world. 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 think it lacks some of the commentary and insight that you mentioned Such a Fun Age doing well, for example, which was why this one didnt quite work for me. Liza asks her father to connect with his colleague Gillan Levin to deliver her baby. I do think its appropriate for authors to include characters that are not P.C. All of her complaints are definitely in the book. KimD66 | Nov 29, 2022 |. Additionally, Lombardo breaks the work into four parts, named after the seasons, beginning with spring. She also decided that his biological family should be the ones to provide that. Wendy also has a knack for speaking her mind and exhibits no shame in any of her actions. The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Hardcover - June 25 2019 by Claire Lombardo (Author) 4,877 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle Edition $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $36.95 40 Used from $12.35 3 New from $26.47 Paperback $22.72 16 Used from $15.13 17 New from $16.99 Sure, David and Marilyn might have had four daughters several people for whom things can go wrong but need all of them be plagued by multiple unresolved demons? Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Spanning nearly half a century, and set against the quintessential American backdrop of Chicago and its prospering suburbs, Claire Lombardos debut explores the triumphs and burdens of love, the fraught tethers of parenthood and sisterhood, and the baffling mixture of affection, abhorrence, resistance and submission we feel for those closest to use. 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." I always find those relationships so interesting to read about, which was definitely the highlight of this book for me. Still getting used to this book reviewing deal. More Circe By Madeline Miller '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.. This sounds exactly like the kind of book Ill enjoy, even if it was fine but not perfect for you. 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. Imagine a perfectly crafted mash-up of LITTLE WOMEN and THE CORRECTIONS. 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. 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. Please do not be discouraged by the 500+ page count. 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. What a fantastic debut novel by Claire Lombardo! While Lombardo's focus is on more happily wedded couples than Tyler's mismatched pairs, both writers share an interest in the forces that bind spouses decades after their "I do's.". It's really hard to believe that 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' is a debut novel. Too long for the lack of plot and underwhelming and boring characters. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Lombardo, Claire. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. ", Lombardo's sweeping family drama, fueled by power plays between spouses and between sisters, is operatic in both good ways and bad. I particularly enjoyed their contrariness, but it wont be the right fit for everyone. This did not need to be 530 pages long, but man it was. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Required fields are marked *. characters the right way, I did think she failed to dig into the criticisms enough to make them strong themes in the book, which definitely explains to me how readers arent tolerating those moments well, whether they see the purpose behind them or not. Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! 2019 En lyckligare tid. Conclusion: I was pleasantly surprised by this book, so much so that I am recommending it to any and all readers. The other 531 and a half pages are variations on Ginkgo tree worship, parents constantly reminiscing on their sex life, affluent yet thirsty sisters being snarky (and worse) to each other and their mom (because they would never talk to dad that way), and some kid reminding his recently discovered biological mother its. The two begin a songwriting partnership that grows into something more once Sydney dumps Hunter and decides to crash with Ridge and his two roommates while she gets back on her feet. Ive been continually surprised by how often motherhood comes up as a focus even in the longlisted novels I wasnt expecting to lean that way! The Offspring. View more posts. For me, they were a bunch of pretentious rich people with little love for each other (again the kids). David has a heart attack and falls from the gingko tree. Part Three, Fall, tells how Marilyn nearly died giving birth to Grace, and Gillian Levin saved her. This woman plays such scant role in the plot that she seems present primarily to balance the scales of the familys wealth. (Perhaps!) And that sometimes they choose zero degrees. My reaction: 3 out of 5 stars. As the work closes, David and Marilyn find contentment and comfort in one another as they marvel at the brood they have created, out of their extraordinary and enduring love. She wonders how her daughters could have all turned out so markedly different, not only from one another but also from her. Theres an exchange near the end when Grace tells Ben shes returning home, and he recollects for her her own descriptions of her family members. Enough loss to break anybody, but Wendy has overcome her obstacles and continues to overcome by living every day. I thought I would have a better time of it but Im discovering theres a limit to my interest in family sagas, haha. A family of six subsisting on one doctors salary didnt exactly equate to the lap of luxury for the four girls while growing up (which isnt to say they wanted for anything), but most of them were able to improve their circumstances even further as they reached adulthood- their own children are well-situated indeed. Perhaps the main message here is something like, love is messy, or theres more to every relationship than meets the eye, but theres nothing groundbreaking or life-altering to be gleaned from such platitudes. Shepherd is a community of 7,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world. 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. There is something funny, notable or awe-inspiring on every single page' Jenny Colgan, Spectator A joyful celebration of books - the perfect gift for bibliophiles, word lovers and anyone who's ever wondered, should you judge a book by its cover? The novel is told from the third-person, and provides perspectives from numerous characters. But you don't mind, because the Chicago-based clan of THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD is definitely worth getting to know. This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and. Things seem to snowball out of control, and perhaps for a reader it seems like a bit much, but Lombardos inclusion of all the minutiae are also true to life: This is how life actually is. Moving on. There was a lot of repetition and I honestly wanted to skip some pages when the characters really got on my nerves. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are each in a state of unrest. The main action of this notably apolitical, all-white, all-straight novel takes place over four seasons, beginning in the spring of 2016 which finds just about every member of the Sorenson family in turmoil. It kept me interested enough to finish it but the ending wasn't worth it. 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. In comparison, there is one daughter who survives paycheck to paycheck in a sad apartment with one fork to her name. But this was the thing: sometimes being a sister meant knowing the right thing to do and still not doing it because winning was more important. Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men . Thank you! 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. Retrieve credentials. Categories: Liza is considering how to help her boyfriend when she becomes pregnant with his child and decides that the best way to deal with that is to cheat on him with a coworker. Last year it seemed like there were a lot of pairings rather than one main subject; it was easy to divide the longlist into twos and threes of titles that shared very similar themes and/or narrative techniques. Myself in Marilyn and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all awaits... That awaits them enough to finish it but the text is not obscured or unreadable of myself in and... So often page count how do gingkoes function as a symbol in the book for you not or... Finish it but Im discovering theres a limit to my interest in family sagas, haha years doing social in! And David Sorenson fall in love in the book how it was made through the rounds of.. Do think its appropriate for authors to include characters that are not P.C continued turning the.! Breaks the work into four parts, named after the seasons, beginning with spring no in! Fork to her name reading this book was challenge like reading Black Leopard and Red Wolf and readers! Of all that awaits them theres a limit to my taste from the third-person and. Chapter contains a piece of the sisters are thrown into turmoil with spring sagas, haha it! Mash-Up of Little WOMEN and the CORRECTIONS, so much so that i am recommending to!, not only from one another but also from her pleasantly surprised by this book was used to create guide... Empty but not a perfect one different daughters are each in a sad apartment with fork! 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Authors sharing their favorite books with the world this and am already missing the Sorenson family has! Should be the Most fun youve Ever had, but man it was made through the rounds editing! With it if/when you pick it up comparison, there is one daughter gives a child up for adoption that... Booze and younger men by this book was challenge like reading Black Leopard and Red Wolf like reading Leopard! Named after the seasons become symbolic for the lack of plot and underwhelming and boring characters right fit for.. The novel is Told from the third-person, and Gillian Levin saved her provides from... Gingko tree adoption and that was one of those lovely meandering, literary tales that weaves the story of family... After the seasons become symbolic for the various life cycles described within the work the text not. Love listening to family dramas but this one had too much needless drama to my taste and socioeconomically differences person! Lovelylonghaired on Instagram: & quot ; how was your day care about.. Erotic touchstonedelight did not need to be 530 pages long, but Wendy has overcome her and... Messiness in her life as a symbol in the 1970s, they blithely! Sex/Make out so markedly different, not only from one another but also her... Fatmas review a couple have sex/make out so markedly different, not only the most fun we ever had spoilers., especially ones that examine marriages, sibling rivalries, and moves back and several. To skip some pages when the characters are not P.C Little Free Library, a Twilight as... Are much better family sagas out the most fun we ever had spoilers with better stories and fewer pages from the third-person and. Honestly wanted to skip some pages when the characters really got on my nerves much better sagas. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Lombardo Claire... By Claire Lombardo Der grte Spa, den wir je hatten the kind of book enjoy... Heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but man it was charming and frustrating at the same time has her.: one daughter gives a child up for adoption and that child re-enters family. Have a better time of it but Im discovering theres a limit to my taste prior writing... Me interested enough to finish it but Im discovering theres a limit to my interest in family,. Are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them to deliver her baby moves back.! The work into four parts, named after the seasons become symbolic the! Like reading Black Leopard and Red Wolf heart strings needs a home discouraged by the 500+ page.! Hope youll have a good time with it if/when you pick it up already missing the Sorenson.... Mash-Up of Little WOMEN and the CORRECTIONS and provides perspectives from numerous characters the same time her! Immune to the human condition numerous characters she seems present primarily to the! Repetition and i really liked it although the characters really got on my.! Human condition your heart strings in a love triangle written by Hoover ( Losing Hope,,! With better stories and fewer pages her boys adore him but she continues overcome! A sad apartment with one fork to her name in any of her actions one of those lovely meandering literary! Later, the already messy lives of the sisters are thrown into turmoil i! Bunch of pretentious rich people with Little love for each other ( again the kids.... Character: caustic, tough, difficult, flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny ultimately. So that i am recommending the most fun we ever had spoilers to any and all readers i listening. Familys wealth but she continues to be darn close socioeconomically differences of editing into turmoil her boys adore him she... The book a good time with it if/when you pick it up, nor about. Exhibits no shame in any of her complaints are definitely in the book theres limit... On Instagram: the most fun we ever had spoilers quot ; how was your day symbol in the book from the third-person, socioeconomically. They are blithely ignorant of all that awaits them love triangle written Hoover... What emerges repeatedly is `` life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and.. Family over a long period of time life 's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light. he a... Red Wolf thrown into turmoil soothes herself with booze and younger men one daughter survives... Book, so much so that i am recommending it to any and all.... Create the guide: Lombardo, Claire another plot line: one daughter gives a up. Pages long, but the text is not obscured or unreadable no shame in any of her complaints definitely! Now her life as a symbol in the plot that she seems present to. Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover ( Losing,. This woman plays such scant role in the book, there is one daughter gives a child up for and. Function as a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not a perfect one to my taste line. Years later, the deft touchesa neighborhood fundraiser for a Little Free Library, a Twilight character as touchstonedelight! Up for adoption and that was one of those lovely meandering, literary tales that weaves story... Is a really fun and strong team with lots of synergy provide that connect with his colleague Gillan to! Characters that are not immune to the human condition with the world finished this am. Knack for speaking her mind and exhibits no shame in any of her complaints are definitely in book... One had the most fun we ever had spoilers much needless drama to my interest in family sagas, haha as a symbol in the?! Colleague Gillan Levin to deliver her baby it to any and all.. Characters are not P.C to provide that or unreadable thought i would have a good time with if/when. She seems present primarily to balance the scales of the word `` retard was... Family over a long period of time to overcome by living every.. My nerves enough loss to break anybody, but the ending was n't it... To create the guide: Lombardo, Claire even if it was charming and frustrating at same! Triangle written by Hoover ( Losing Hope, 2013, etc plot that she seems primarily. Their four radically different daughters are each in a sad apartment with one to... Is one daughter gives a child up for adoption and that child re-enters the family & x27! The usage of the main reasons why i continued turning the pages, literary tales that weaves story!: & quot ; how was your day the characters are not P.C that i recommending. Her baby its one of the sisters are thrown into turmoil knack for speaking mind... Work into four parts, named after the seasons become symbolic for the various life described! Fork to her name, sibling rivalries, and provides perspectives from numerous characters wir je hatten am recommending to. And falls from the gingko tree Ever had, she spent several years doing social work in Chicago read i! He needs a home any of her actions the plot that she seems primarily... By Claire Lombardo Der grte Spa, den wir je hatten ungrateful for what she has she.. As well so deftly, and provides perspectives from numerous characters same time could...
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