You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Head Up – This *might* contain spoilers!
Only read if you feel comfortable getting a head start on some of the story line.
-------------------------------------------
A most interesting read as I found my opinion of the story progressively changing for the positive the more I read. At first this tale seemed trite, my expectation being the characters would be just like those in any other "dysfunctional but semi-humorous family" novel. Then I found an interesting thing happened: I began to think about my parents and my brother.
When a story can get me to ponder my own life, I figure the story must be resonating. My parents were not like Annette and David Feldman, nor did they have life circumstances in common. But I did get to thinking about how many conversations I wished my parents and I had had, about what my Mom might have pondered about her family, about all the unsaid thoughts that would have been gratifying to share, but for myriad reasons were not, and about how much I want to spend more time with my brother now and how difficult it is to make that happen. (Though in the best of all possible ways he did surprise the heck out of me this year for my birthday, making the hour drive from his home to ours replete with hugs, two birthday desserts, a gift, and–best of all–he remained for dinner, making it a four-hour visit!!!)
That line of thinking about my family led me back to the Feldmans and Connellys, my appreciation of them newly enhanced. Their internal musings, the secrets they harbored, the entertaining yet believable way their secrets were spilled; none of the relationship fracas surprising yet all of it endearing.
Darius and Rachel: siblings that love each other at heart but each is dealing with the angst that so often accompanies being a teenager.
Elise and Mitch: Parents of Darius and Rachel, contemplating what comes next after their children have moved on to college, looking for creative challenges and meaningful ways to spend their time, each having made a leap of which one will need counseling and the other funding. And ultimately, realizing (remembering) they do have a loving relationship.
Freddie and Natasha: Freddie, the once-upon-a-time ne'r do well brother of Elise, now a prosperous businessman although nobody in his family is initially aware of this, and Natasha, his substantially younger (and wiser) girlfriend who his family initially presumes is an ornament with not much substance.
Annette and David: A family cruise conjured by Annette with the express intention of having her family together (a rarity these days) to celebrate her seventieth birthday. David, a respected obstetrician, whose office was expertly managed by Annette, no longer able to practice his craft as he deals with health issues.
And, because I liked him and he's part of the story, and because I know people who have migraines, Julian, the cruise director and Roger, his partner: one younger and not keen on the aging process, the other older and wanting a more permanent relationship.
All of their stories had me thinking about relationships, about what we choose to say to those we love and what we choose to keep inside, about how we so easily and–often wrongly–jump to conclusions about the reactions of others or what they are thinking about us, and–as with the Feldmans and Connollys–ultimately knowing everyone both needs their space, and also needs and wants to know they are loved.
Sure was a lot of introspection caused by a seemingly "trite" tale! Thank you Elyssa Friedland.
PS Thanks to Jessie Kaplan of Bronx River Books for the book suggestion. Especially after reading the book, disappointed to have missed the author talk at the shop last month, and looking forward to the book group discussion in January.
Only read if you feel comfortable getting a head start on some of the story line.
A most interesting read as I found my opinion of the story progressively changing for the positive the more I read. At first this tale seemed trite, my expectation being the characters would be just like those in any other "dysfunctional but semi-humorous family" novel. Then I found an interesting thing happened: I began to think about my parents and my brother.
When a story can get me to ponder my own life, I figure the story must be resonating. My parents were not like Annette and David Feldman, nor did they have life circumstances in common. But I did get to thinking about how many conversations I wished my parents and I had had, about what my Mom might have pondered about her family, about all the unsaid thoughts that would have been gratifying to share, but for myriad reasons were not, and about how much I want to spend more time with my brother now and how difficult it is to make that happen. (Though in the best of all possible ways he did surprise the heck out of me this year for my birthday, making the hour drive from his home to ours replete with hugs, two birthday desserts, a gift, and–best of all–he remained for dinner, making it a four-hour visit!!!)
That line of thinking about my family led me back to the Feldmans and Connellys, my appreciation of them newly enhanced. Their internal musings, the secrets they harbored, the entertaining yet believable way their secrets were spilled; none of the relationship fracas surprising yet all of it endearing.
Darius and Rachel: siblings that love each other at heart but each is dealing with the angst that so often accompanies being a teenager.
Elise and Mitch: Parents of Darius and Rachel, contemplating what comes next after their children have moved on to college, looking for creative challenges and meaningful ways to spend their time, each having made a leap of which one will need counseling and the other funding. And ultimately, realizing (remembering) they do have a loving relationship.
Freddie and Natasha: Freddie, the once-upon-a-time ne'r do well brother of Elise, now a prosperous businessman although nobody in his family is initially aware of this, and Natasha, his substantially younger (and wiser) girlfriend who his family initially presumes is an ornament with not much substance.
Annette and David: A family cruise conjured by Annette with the express intention of having her family together (a rarity these days) to celebrate her seventieth birthday. David, a respected obstetrician, whose office was expertly managed by Annette, no longer able to practice his craft as he deals with health issues.
And, because I liked him and he's part of the story, and because I know people who have migraines, Julian, the cruise director and Roger, his partner: one younger and not keen on the aging process, the other older and wanting a more permanent relationship.
All of their stories had me thinking about relationships, about what we choose to say to those we love and what we choose to keep inside, about how we so easily and–often wrongly–jump to conclusions about the reactions of others or what they are thinking about us, and–as with the Feldmans and Connollys–ultimately knowing everyone both needs their space, and also needs and wants to know they are loved.
Sure was a lot of introspection caused by a seemingly "trite" tale! Thank you Elyssa Friedland.
PS Thanks to Jessie Kaplan of Bronx River Books for the book suggestion. Especially after reading the book, disappointed to have missed the author talk at the shop last month, and looking forward to the book group discussion in January.
After reading the Floating Feldmans, I find it shocking that the unique hell of a family vacation has never before been captured in this accurate, nuanced, and ultimately optimistic way. I loved this book equally if not more than the author's prior two books, Love and Miss Communication and The Intermission. In fact, I ignored my children on our own family vacation in a compulsive need to discover how each character resolves. The dialogue reads like a game of Olympic ping pong. The characters are engaging and layered. I can't recommend this book enough.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked this up because it was being touted as "uproariously funny". Which, except for a few lines near the end, it most certainly is not. I don't know who writes those blurbs for facebook ads, but they really should be fired.
It was however, a good read. Pure drama, with half a dozen implausible situations all wrapped up neatly by the end. It would make a really good Hallmark movie.
It was however, a good read. Pure drama, with half a dozen implausible situations all wrapped up neatly by the end. It would make a really good Hallmark movie.
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first book of Friedland's. This is a story of an extended family that sailed the high seas in celebration of the matriarch's 70th birthday. This is a fun yet poignant story of the intricate and sometimes messy workings of an extended family. I found this story to be an interesting look at the different relationships and idiocies each.
Yes, this is a lighter read but the layers to the relationships did add some meat to the story.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Yes, this is a lighter read but the layers to the relationships did add some meat to the story.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Confirmed that I will never ever go on a cruise for so many reasons.