Take a photo of a barcode or cover
ericbuscemi 's review for:
This is Where I Leave You
by Jonathan Tropper
I read this after seeing this article about books to read before they are made into movies in 2014 -- and that this one will star Jason Bateman as protagonist Judd Foxman.
Probably because of the Jason Bateman adaptation, as well as the dysfunctional family theme, I'm seeing this compared to Arrested Development a good deal, but this reminded me more of the Hank Azaria comedy Eulogy and the British comedy Death at a Funeral, although darker than both. I mean, the beginning of this book was real darkest timeline kind of stuff, the grimdark of black comedies.
The novel really balances the depressing state of Judd's life -- not only contending with the death of his father, but the loss of his wife, home, and job after discovering his shock jock radio host boss in bed with his wife -- with the humor of tangled grown-up family dynamics. And while his outlook improves as he sorts through events, feelings, and old friends, family and acquaintances, it offers no easy, pat solutions about the difficult decisions he faces, and does not tie a bow at the end of the novel wrapping it up.
As for realism in the novel, which could be at odds considering its comedic elements, let me give a long-winded parallel. I waited tables to put myself through grad school around the time the movie Waiting came out. People would ask me if the movie, which depicted a day in the life of slackers Justin Long and Ryan Reynolds working in a chain restaurant, was anything like actually working in a chain restaurant. My answer was that no, no one day was like that, but if you distilled the entire three years I spent in the chain restaurant industry (at three locations for two different chains), then yes, it really captured the spirit. This novel did the same thing. While no one week in even the craziest of families could be this filled with drama and ridiculousness, it seems more like it shortened the time span for the sake of storytelling rather than being so absurd that it would have to be fictional. Author Jonathan Tropper does a really nice job of making a good size cast of three-dimensional characters that are easily differentiated, and have their own motives without villainizing any one character.
All in all, an excellent novel about love, life, family, exactly what it means to be an adult, and all while constantly making me smirk, nod my head, and even occasionally laugh out loud. I am looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation and will try to update this review with my opinion of that after I see it.
Probably because of the Jason Bateman adaptation, as well as the dysfunctional family theme, I'm seeing this compared to Arrested Development a good deal, but this reminded me more of the Hank Azaria comedy Eulogy and the British comedy Death at a Funeral, although darker than both. I mean, the beginning of this book was real darkest timeline kind of stuff, the grimdark of black comedies.
The novel really balances the depressing state of Judd's life -- not only contending with the death of his father, but the loss of his wife, home, and job after discovering his shock jock radio host boss in bed with his wife -- with the humor of tangled grown-up family dynamics. And while his outlook improves as he sorts through events, feelings, and old friends, family and acquaintances, it offers no easy, pat solutions about the difficult decisions he faces, and does not tie a bow at the end of the novel wrapping it up.
As for realism in the novel, which could be at odds considering its comedic elements, let me give a long-winded parallel. I waited tables to put myself through grad school around the time the movie Waiting came out. People would ask me if the movie, which depicted a day in the life of slackers Justin Long and Ryan Reynolds working in a chain restaurant, was anything like actually working in a chain restaurant. My answer was that no, no one day was like that, but if you distilled the entire three years I spent in the chain restaurant industry (at three locations for two different chains), then yes, it really captured the spirit. This novel did the same thing. While no one week in even the craziest of families could be this filled with drama and ridiculousness, it seems more like it shortened the time span for the sake of storytelling rather than being so absurd that it would have to be fictional. Author Jonathan Tropper does a really nice job of making a good size cast of three-dimensional characters that are easily differentiated, and have their own motives without villainizing any one character.
All in all, an excellent novel about love, life, family, exactly what it means to be an adult, and all while constantly making me smirk, nod my head, and even occasionally laugh out loud. I am looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation and will try to update this review with my opinion of that after I see it.