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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Absolutely 5 Stars, and destined to be in my top ten for the year. It started slow but I knew it would be worth it...the awkward family dynamics drew me in from the start and after about a third through, I didn't want to put this book down. I was so fascinated with the triplets and all the supporting characters were so interesting. I also very much enjoyed how the author brought in discussions of real art, religion, and education.
Crazy slow start. So glad I decided to push through because it had a big, rewarding pay off at the end.
Really slow build, but overall good. I think it'll be a good one for book club discussion.
Family drama, secrets, & a glimpse into the evolving maturation of a dysfunctional family. The end was worth those cringy teenage moments early on.
This one was a slow burn for me. I could barely make myself pick it up, and when I eventually reached page 124, I debated not finishing it. I didn't care about any of the characters at that point, and I found the book repetitive and annoying. I decided to hang on a bit longer... and somewhere around page 200 I got hooked, and I read the last half of the book in a frenzy.
It's the story of three unhappy IVF babies and their unhappy parents, and the fourth blastocyst, implanted seventeen years later into a surrogate (becoming in the latecomer of the title). It is essentially about the emotional distance and suffering of a family of extravagantly wealthy New Yorkers.
While I think it would have been a much better book if it had been trimmed down by 25%, I did in the end enjoy reading it very much.
It's the story of three unhappy IVF babies and their unhappy parents, and the fourth blastocyst, implanted seventeen years later into a surrogate (becoming in the latecomer of the title). It is essentially about the emotional distance and suffering of a family of extravagantly wealthy New Yorkers.
While I think it would have been a much better book if it had been trimmed down by 25%, I did in the end enjoy reading it very much.
This book is very very dense and it felt like it took me forever to finish. I’m glad I read this on my kindle because I have to admit, I used the built in dictionary quite a bit…. Overall this was a good read, though I was waiting for something more momentous that never happened. For such a dense book, it’s missing some substance. I pushed myself through it, hoping for some revelation and left the book saying “well, that was fine”.
This book is a quite lengthy character(s) study where all the characters are pretty miserable people and it’s easy to feel like you’re languishing along with them except for the fact that the author’s prose is top notch. It’s nonsensical how captivating the writing is. I knew there was supposed to be some sort of payoff for all the upfront investment, but I was left wanting after all the falling action and denouement.
My favorite scene is the one in the bookstore, setting up the introduction for the latecomer. Woof. The birthday beach scene is a close second.
I only recommend this book if you can handle the fact that 80% of this book is spent setting up the final 20%. For some reason, this felt disproportionate in comparison to regular storytelling, but I could be wrong.
My favorite scene is the one in the bookstore, setting up the introduction for the latecomer. Woof. The birthday beach scene is a close second.
I only recommend this book if you can handle the fact that 80% of this book is spent setting up the final 20%. For some reason, this felt disproportionate in comparison to regular storytelling, but I could be wrong.
3.5/5 for sure.
A generation-spanning tale of the angst of families, and the legacy of broken families.
...with a twist. The Oppenheimer kids are special... test tube babies brought into the world... just not at the same time. As the three "triplets" grow up, the grow apart, sometimes even causing pain for the others. But when the fouth frozen embryo is thawed and born, could she be the key to bringing the family back together.
A complex tale where characters shine and grow, this was an enjoyable tale, and a well-narrated audio-book.
My thanks to NetGalley for the audio-arc in exchange for an honest review!
A generation-spanning tale of the angst of families, and the legacy of broken families.
...with a twist. The Oppenheimer kids are special... test tube babies brought into the world... just not at the same time. As the three "triplets" grow up, the grow apart, sometimes even causing pain for the others. But when the fouth frozen embryo is thawed and born, could she be the key to bringing the family back together.
A complex tale where characters shine and grow, this was an enjoyable tale, and a well-narrated audio-book.
My thanks to NetGalley for the audio-arc in exchange for an honest review!