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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
The Feldman family - David; Annette, Elise, her husband Mitch; their kids, Darius and Rachel; and Elise's brother Freddy and his girlfriend, Natasha - go on a Caribbean cruise. The family is somewhat estranged and they are all hiding things from each other. After a disastrous dinner on formal night, the family tries to patch things up and rediscover each other.
I loved this book. It was funny and touching. The characters were well-drawn and all of them were well-written. The story moved along and got different perspectives as it was written in the third person. What I enjoyed most about Elyssa Friedland's book was the way she wrote Darius in particular. She captured so well the feelings and emotions of a teenage boy. She wrote Darius in a way that made me feel like I really, really knew him. I liked all her characters, but Darius was my favorite. Sensitive, insecure, nerdy, and all things teenage boy.
I particularly liked this books because it wrote the family dynamic between all of the Feldmans really well. You picked up on the angst Annette has over the whole family; the people-pleasing nature of Elise; the easy-going Mitch; the fuck-up Freddy. They are so richly drawn. It also makes a point of showing how looks and reputations can be deceiving, we are not the worst thing we do, and all families have some form for dysfunction and crazy.
No matter what kind of family you have or come from, you will identify with this book. It reminded me so much of my parents and grandparents and children and siblings. It's a really good book that you can't help but be sucked into and become a part of. I highly recommend this book.
I won this book and received no compensation in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
I loved this book. It was funny and touching. The characters were well-drawn and all of them were well-written. The story moved along and got different perspectives as it was written in the third person. What I enjoyed most about Elyssa Friedland's book was the way she wrote Darius in particular. She captured so well the feelings and emotions of a teenage boy. She wrote Darius in a way that made me feel like I really, really knew him. I liked all her characters, but Darius was my favorite. Sensitive, insecure, nerdy, and all things teenage boy.
I particularly liked this books because it wrote the family dynamic between all of the Feldmans really well. You picked up on the angst Annette has over the whole family; the people-pleasing nature of Elise; the easy-going Mitch; the fuck-up Freddy. They are so richly drawn. It also makes a point of showing how looks and reputations can be deceiving, we are not the worst thing we do, and all families have some form for dysfunction and crazy.
No matter what kind of family you have or come from, you will identify with this book. It reminded me so much of my parents and grandparents and children and siblings. It's a really good book that you can't help but be sucked into and become a part of. I highly recommend this book.
I won this book and received no compensation in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
I guess this book was supposed to be a funny look at a dysfunctional family, but I honestly didn't laugh at all. I felt the book was trying too hard to make things seem outrageous, e.g. the first scene in the book and the scene with the Baked Alaska.
I really didn't care about any of the characters, they were all absorbed in their own worlds.
The premise of the story is that Annette, the matriarch of the family, is turning 70, so she and her husband, David, invite their children and grandchildren to take a cruise together.
Elise and Freddy, siblings, haven't seen each other in quite some time. Elise is married to Mitch, and they have 2 children, Rachel and Darius. Freddy has a young girlfriend named Natasha. Elise and Mitch are both hiding secrets. Freddy hasn't told his family of his enormous success as the owner of a medical marijuana company. Annette hasn't told the family that David is dying.
While on the cruise, the family continues to be self-absorbed, and eventually everything comes to a head and secrets are spilled.
I thought this book was mediocre, but it did have some OK parts, just not enough.
#TheFloatingFeldmans #ElyssaFriedland
I really didn't care about any of the characters, they were all absorbed in their own worlds.
The premise of the story is that Annette, the matriarch of the family, is turning 70, so she and her husband, David, invite their children and grandchildren to take a cruise together.
Elise and Freddy, siblings, haven't seen each other in quite some time. Elise is married to Mitch, and they have 2 children, Rachel and Darius. Freddy has a young girlfriend named Natasha. Elise and Mitch are both hiding secrets. Freddy hasn't told his family of his enormous success as the owner of a medical marijuana company. Annette hasn't told the family that David is dying.
While on the cruise, the family continues to be self-absorbed, and eventually everything comes to a head and secrets are spilled.
I thought this book was mediocre, but it did have some OK parts, just not enough.
#TheFloatingFeldmans #ElyssaFriedland
This was very readable, somewhat enjoyable, somewhat forgettable and all in all not one I would go out of my way to either recommend or avoid. I feel like the human equivalent of this
The reviews said so funny. It wasn't. I actually found it sad, the family was keeping so many secrets from each other, that they spent the whole time worrying about their lies.
The plot of this one is pretty thin but the family unit - at times dysfunctional and disorganized and at other times close knit and loving - takes center stage. Having been on two family cruises - one at age 12 and one at 19 - I totally understand how the close quarters of cruising can bring out both the best and worst in someone. An easy read that would be good for any vacation.
I finished this book and said "eh."
It wasn't bad. It wasn't great. It was a quick read, but there wasn't much to it. The point of view swapped between the four couples (grandparents Annette and David, son Freddy and girlfriend Natasha, daughter Elise and husband Mitch and then their two kids, Rachel and Darius). None of these people were really likeable and all were harboring secrets. Predictably, all of their secrets come out and then the last part of the book deals with the aftermath.
I feel like this book could have been better if it focused on less characters. Rachel's story wasn't ever developed. Darius' focus was on writing one college application essay which was barely hinted at. I would have really liked to see more Annette and less Elise, but overall this was readable, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
It wasn't bad. It wasn't great. It was a quick read, but there wasn't much to it. The point of view swapped between the four couples (grandparents Annette and David, son Freddy and girlfriend Natasha, daughter Elise and husband Mitch and then their two kids, Rachel and Darius). None of these people were really likeable and all were harboring secrets. Predictably, all of their secrets come out and then the last part of the book deals with the aftermath.
I feel like this book could have been better if it focused on less characters. Rachel's story wasn't ever developed. Darius' focus was on writing one college application essay which was barely hinted at. I would have really liked to see more Annette and less Elise, but overall this was readable, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
trying to live up to family expectations can be exhausting. And when the Feldmans are trapped on a cruise ship long buried secrets are exposed and the family dynamic is changed forever. A story of family, misunderstandings, and trying to live up to expectations.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review