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mdavis26's review
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Infidelity, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
taylorfield's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Long Story Short: Told through five perspectives, a complicated family spends the spring and summer of 2016 planning a 70th birthday party for their patriarch, Adam Gardner. As Adam focuses on one last discovery to cap off his career as an oceanographer, his children, Ken and Abby, work on birthday gifts for their father, his daughter-in-law, Jenny, plans the event, and a newcomer, Steph, works her way into the group.
Anne Bogel (Modern Mrs. Darcy), a go-to when I'm in need of a recommendation, named this one of her favorite audiobooks of 2023, so I'm disappointed to say I was not impressed. I don't rate books lower because of unlikable characters, but to review this without mentioning how absolutely insufferable the characters are would be an injustice. The novel starts with Adam - unreliable narrator at best, chauvinistic and pretentious Boomer at worst. Then there's Ken, the "rich, white man with anger issues and political aspirations" trope. Abby is the opposite side of the spectrum but no better, as she stands on her feminist soapbox while simultaneously sleeping with another woman's husband (her non-belief in marriage/"traditional relationships" is the reason they aren't together, of course). Jenny was a rebel in college but vowed to be the submissive good girl when her mother died. Finally there's Steph, who may be the only redeeming main character of the bunch (possibly because she's the only one with a real problem, but I digress), yet is still somehow a stereotype. Every character is a caricature, including the secondary players. Steph's wife doesn't say anything that isn't about astrology. Tessa (one of Ken and Jenny's twins), is a brazen tomboy, while her sister Franny is more "developed" and ladylike. David only cares about sex; Jenny's dad only cares about money. George, the only overweight character, is constantly described by what he's eating and what crumbs are on his belly. Even in the out-of-character moments - Ken caring about beach erosion, for example - the conclusion finds its way back to the trope - e.g. Ken screaming at a tourist couple because he "owns the beach" and thinks he's better than them.
Character flaws aside, this novel is aggressively 2016. The Clinton v Trump presidential election starts as a talking point for the men to mention their hatred of women (both Adam and Ken would prefer Bernie Sanders despite not appearing to have any of the same ideals as the failed candidate). Focus on the election reaches a crescendo by the final meeting of the characters - a new family member's birth is scheduled early so that it will occur on election day. Peppered throughout are the smaller pop culture references, like the paraphrased, "Ew, anything but Taylor Swift," comment from one of the twins (probably Tessa). Considering the summer of 2016 is when #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty was trending, this seemingly throwaway line would have been incredibly relevant at the time. That a group of women-supporting-women characters would not support Taylor Swift while singing the praises of Hilary Clinton is an odd choice, especially since any pop star could have been used in place of Swift. The author's forceful nature to Make Sure You Know This Is 2016 is overdone in these and other moments.
All the while, what you really need to know as a reader is left to vague acknowledgments and fade-to-black scenes that reveal nothing and leave everything to the imagination. No one comes out of the other side having resolved anything, nor have they really tried. I can concede this is the nature of life, but what a cop out for a novel that supposedly "simmers with tension as secrets explode out into the open."
One final grievance (though I have many more): Tessa and Franny are not written like 12-year-olds. If there wasn't constant mention of their age, you'd think they were closer to 14/15.
Enjoyment: 2/5
Craft: 3/5
Overall: 2.5/5
Anne Bogel (Modern Mrs. Darcy), a go-to when I'm in need of a recommendation, named this one of her favorite audiobooks of 2023, so I'm disappointed to say I was not impressed. I don't rate books lower because of unlikable characters, but to review this without mentioning how absolutely insufferable the characters are would be an injustice. The novel starts with Adam - unreliable narrator at best, chauvinistic and pretentious Boomer at worst. Then there's Ken, the "rich, white man with anger issues and political aspirations" trope. Abby is the opposite side of the spectrum but no better, as she stands on her feminist soapbox while simultaneously sleeping with another woman's husband (her non-belief in marriage/"traditional relationships" is the reason they aren't together, of course). Jenny was a rebel in college but vowed to be the submissive good girl when her mother died. Finally there's Steph, who may be the only redeeming main character of the bunch (possibly because she's the only one with a real problem, but I digress), yet is still somehow a stereotype. Every character is a caricature, including the secondary players. Steph's wife doesn't say anything that isn't about astrology. Tessa (one of Ken and Jenny's twins), is a brazen tomboy, while her sister Franny is more "developed" and ladylike. David only cares about sex; Jenny's dad only cares about money. George, the only overweight character, is constantly described by what he's eating and what crumbs are on his belly. Even in the out-of-character moments - Ken caring about beach erosion, for example - the conclusion finds its way back to the trope - e.g. Ken screaming at a tourist couple because he "owns the beach" and thinks he's better than them.
Character flaws aside, this novel is aggressively 2016. The Clinton v Trump presidential election starts as a talking point for the men to mention their hatred of women (both Adam and Ken would prefer Bernie Sanders despite not appearing to have any of the same ideals as the failed candidate). Focus on the election reaches a crescendo by the final meeting of the characters - a new family member's birth is scheduled early so that it will occur on election day. Peppered throughout are the smaller pop culture references, like the paraphrased, "Ew, anything but Taylor Swift," comment from one of the twins (probably Tessa). Considering the summer of 2016 is when #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty was trending, this seemingly throwaway line would have been incredibly relevant at the time. That a group of women-supporting-women characters would not support Taylor Swift while singing the praises of Hilary Clinton is an odd choice, especially since any pop star could have been used in place of Swift. The author's forceful nature to Make Sure You Know This Is 2016 is overdone in these and other moments.
All the while, what you really need to know as a reader is left to vague acknowledgments and fade-to-black scenes that reveal nothing and leave everything to the imagination. No one comes out of the other side having resolved anything, nor have they really tried. I can concede this is the nature of life, but what a cop out for a novel that supposedly "simmers with tension as secrets explode out into the open."
One final grievance (though I have many more): Tessa and Franny are not written like 12-year-olds. If there wasn't constant mention of their age, you'd think they were closer to 14/15.
Enjoyment: 2/5
Craft: 3/5
Overall: 2.5/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Child-on-child sexual abuseacresofclams's review
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Alcohol
Moderate: Grief, Sexism, Death of parent, and Incest
Minor: Miscarriage and Suicidal thoughts
demanda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Incest, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage
astoriareader's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
SYNOPSIS:
- This story is about the Gardner family in Cape Cod. Adam, Ken, & Abby are a family of three, as Emily unexpectedly passed when Abby was born.
- Adam, the father, is nearing his 70th birthday. He is a well-known scientist / oceanographer, and he loves humpback whales. As he nears retirement, he is trying to have one final “breakthrough” to feel relevant and useful again. He, however, has bipolar disorder, and he has purposefully been messing with his dosages in his pursuit to achieve the perfect mania state to make a breakthrough.
- Ken and Abby, the siblings, are adults now. Ken is married to Abby’s best friend, and he had two twin girls. He only cares about money and success, and he is a jerk. He has done well in business, and he hopes to get into politics. On the flip side, Abby is an artist, and she is very talented. She has a dog, and she lives in her art studio.
- Another main character is Steph, who believes she may be Adam’s daughter, and she is there for the summer to learn more about her new family members .
MY THOUGHTS
- Well-written story + good character development
- Family drama with complex relationships set in Cape Cod
- Medium pacing
- Ahhh, I couldn’t handle Ken’s character. He was awful, but the author did write the character well. In fact, the author did a great job portraying many male characters in the book. Many have troubling attitudes toward women.
- One of my favorite things about the book was the contrast between the men and the women. The men act entitled, emotionally stunted, misogynistic, and lacking. The women, particularly Abby & Steph, act capable, emotionally mature, smart, & resilient.
- The exploration of an aging father’s inability to emotionally connect with his kids was fascinating, too.
- There are some triggering topics that are revealed in the plot, so I would recommend looking up triggers if you are trying to avoid anything in particular.
- I enjoyed the vivid descriptions, and I was able to picture the setting.
- The ending was pretty abrupt, and I was disappointed that some things were left unresolved. I would have liked more of a resolution with Adam’s mental health & a confrontation between Ken and Abby. For that reason, I am giving this one 4 stars, instead of 5.
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️family drama with complex relationships in Cape Cod. overall, really enjoyed it, but ending was abrupt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Mental illness
Moderate: Incest, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
laurenabeth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Adrienne Brodeur’s writing is some of my favorite modern style, and while Little Monsters is captivating and thoughtful, I found the end to be just a bit abrupt. I was hoping for more resolution with Adam’s mental health and with the rift between siblings, but ultimately I suppose that isn’t the point of the book. Adrienne Brodeur, in general, seems to write about how the nature of love is ugly and complicated, and this book absolutely captures that. I’d recommend this, but give a strong trigger warning for mental health disorders and abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, Incest, and Alcoholism
Minor: Drug use and Grief
gondorgirl's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical content, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, and Grief
theyellowbrickreader's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Incest
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Alcoholism
elliez's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Pregnancy
Moderate: Incest and Alcoholism
lololovesthings's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
"Little Monsters" by Adrienne Brodeur is an uneven character-driven family drama full of secrets, lies, deception, patriarchy, oddities, and crimes, but is intriguing, nonetheless. Here, we have another book about rich people doing horrible things and not caring about the fallout around them. If that's your bag, you'll likely enjoy this book. I did not particularly enjoy the writing style. I think there are too many points of view going on here, but it could be that it's just too long in the end. Despite being full of drama, I found these characters to be relatively believable. It shows how money shields people from manners and tact and allows them to get away with acting and existing in ways that poor people can't. They are insistent, demanding, selfish, sick, intolerable, twisted, and privileged. All of the men in this book, from patriarch Adam to friend David to brother Ken, benefit from having the women in their lives stay silent and complicit, and subservient to their needs, wants, wishes, and dominance. I absolutely LOATHED Ken and hated his chapters the most. This is not a complaint because I think author Adrienne Brodeur does a spectacular job making her readers absolutely hate him so, so much. He's one of the most detestable characters I have read recently. In fact, most of these characters have flaws that are basically unforgivable. *SPOILER* There's infidelity, incest, drug/alcohol issues, child abuse, mental illness, parental abandonment... it's a veritable kitchen sink soup of trauma. Finally, I think the book is too long and too slow, but simultaneously still leaves too many unanswered questions for me to be content with its ending. A lot of the unnecessary length could have been used to tie up loose ends and make things clearer, but Adrienne Brodeur seems content to end her book hazily and gutlessly. I wanted more resolution and didn't get it, which caused a no less than 0.5-star drop in my rating. Despite this, I cannot deny that this book is wildly readable because I kept wanting to know what happened and how it was going to end. I only wish the ending had been more satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley, Adrienne Brodeur, Avid Reader Press, and Simon & Schuster for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Adrienne Brodeur, Avid Reader Press, and Simon & Schuster for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Infidelity, Incest, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abandonment and Suicidal thoughts