I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz, but I suspected it would be a slow burner and I was right. This is a character-driven family drama/saga, and I had complicated feelings about all of the characters. I think the one I liked the most ended up being Phoebe and we really only have her viewpoint towards the end of the book (her being the latecomer and all). This is a pretty thick book that put the audiobook at over 16 hours, stopping just shy of 16.5. I honestly don't know how long it would have taken me to read if I would have actually read it, so I am glad I went with listening to the audio. It is narrated by my favorite Julia Whelan, and I also don't know what I would have done if it had been voiced by anyone else. There is a reason she is my favorite narrator, and I would literally listen to her read ANYTHING, so it is no surprise that she made this an enjoyable listen for me.
There are definitely some areas where The Latecomer felt extra slow, and they didn't hold my attention quite as well, but for the most part, I really enjoyed this character study of the Oppenheimer's and all of their drama. The story bounces around to different viewpoints in the family and you definitely get to know them all very well. Even though I generally didn't care for them, it was nice to have fully imagined characters and it made this book feel like I was reading about real people and their actual stories. I was also a huge fan of the chapter titles, and they were in a style I am quite fond of but don't see all that often. So, who should read this? Definitely fans of slow-burn character studies, and readers who aren't afraid of not liking the characters. There is also a healthy dose of religion at times and some interesting themes, and literary fiction lovers will probably enjoy The Latecomer as well!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
There are definitely some areas where The Latecomer felt extra slow, and they didn't hold my attention quite as well, but for the most part, I really enjoyed this character study of the Oppenheimer's and all of their drama. The story bounces around to different viewpoints in the family and you definitely get to know them all very well. Even though I generally didn't care for them, it was nice to have fully imagined characters and it made this book feel like I was reading about real people and their actual stories. I was also a huge fan of the chapter titles, and they were in a style I am quite fond of but don't see all that often. So, who should read this? Definitely fans of slow-burn character studies, and readers who aren't afraid of not liking the characters. There is also a healthy dose of religion at times and some interesting themes, and literary fiction lovers will probably enjoy The Latecomer as well!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.