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A review by caralaviola
The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz
2.0
**SPOILERS**
The Latecomer is a well-written story about a dysfunctional family and their inability to connect with one another until the "latecomer" child finds ways to bring them all together.
Overall, this book was not for me.
The Latecomer is a book that is ironically true to its title --- the character who is the "latecomer" does not appear until over 300 pages have already been read.
Put very simply, the first 300 pages of this book describe how the Oppenheimer family move through the world wishing they were anything but a family; just for the youngest, Phoebe, to finally appear as the missing piece. Compared to her siblings' diatribes, Phoebe's story is a breath of fresh air that I wish the author had gotten to sooner.
There is also a death due to 9/11/2001 that I thought was entirely unnecessary. Perhaps the author chose to have this character die in this heinous way (instead of, say, a heart attack) because the book is set in New York and her characters were quintessential New Yorkers? It seemed unnecessary and did not move the plot forward in any meaningful way.
The Latecomer is a well-written story about a dysfunctional family and their inability to connect with one another until the "latecomer" child finds ways to bring them all together.
Overall, this book was not for me.
The Latecomer is a book that is ironically true to its title --- the character who is the "latecomer" does not appear until over 300 pages have already been read.
Put very simply, the first 300 pages of this book describe how the Oppenheimer family move through the world wishing they were anything but a family; just for the youngest, Phoebe, to finally appear as the missing piece. Compared to her siblings' diatribes, Phoebe's story is a breath of fresh air that I wish the author had gotten to sooner.
There is also a death due to 9/11/2001 that I thought was entirely unnecessary. Perhaps the author chose to have this character die in this heinous way (instead of, say, a heart attack) because the book is set in New York and her characters were quintessential New Yorkers? It seemed unnecessary and did not move the plot forward in any meaningful way.