Honestly? I thought THE LATECOMER was so good, I'm annoyed by the cover. While it might convey a pregnancy during the early days of IVF (test tubes), I'm not sure it keys the reader in to what a sweeping, well-written novel awaits.
THE LATECOMER tells the story of the Oppenheimers, beginning with patriarch Salo's time at Cornell and continuing through to his children's college years. There's tragedy and daily drudgery on display, as Jean Hanff Korelitz tells the story of a family in all their many imperfections. That is to say, there's a fair amount of unlikable behavior; also, this is a book about a family that feels real.
Still, as interesting as the plot and characters are, it's the writing that's the showstopper for me. Paired with the brilliant narration of Julia Whelan? Excellent reading experience. One I'd recommend first and foremost to fans of Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads, but really anyone into well-written family sagas. THE LATECOMER is a bit of a doorstopper, and I'd have read another 100 pages.
THE LATECOMER tells the story of the Oppenheimers, beginning with patriarch Salo's time at Cornell and continuing through to his children's college years. There's tragedy and daily drudgery on display, as Jean Hanff Korelitz tells the story of a family in all their many imperfections. That is to say, there's a fair amount of unlikable behavior; also, this is a book about a family that feels real.
Still, as interesting as the plot and characters are, it's the writing that's the showstopper for me. Paired with the brilliant narration of Julia Whelan? Excellent reading experience. One I'd recommend first and foremost to fans of Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads, but really anyone into well-written family sagas. THE LATECOMER is a bit of a doorstopper, and I'd have read another 100 pages.