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tarahreads 's review for:
The Vacationers
by Emma Straub
When the Post family departs for a two-week vacation to Mallorca, Spain, it seems like everything is falling apart. Jim, the father, has just retired, but under less-than-favorable circumstances. Franny, his wife, is searching for her next writing project, but can’t seem to find inspiration. Their older child, Bobby, brings along his long-time girlfriend which no one is happy about, least of all the girlfriend. Family friends Charles and Lawrence, after five years of marriage to each other, will maybe possibly be selected to adopt a baby. And Sylvia, the younger daughter, leaves for college in a few months, and really couldn’t care less about this trip. Well, maybe she can care a little bit about Joan, the hunky local that her mother hired to teach her Spanish.
This short family drama is fun if forgettable. It has a great setting for summer with secluded beaches and sizzling tension. And angst is suffered all around, by both the young and the older characters. Reviews on Goodreads are mixed, with an average of 3.15 stars. I think the lower ratings come from the novel not having decided if it’s literary or commercial. Readers looking for a lighter story complained about the unlikable characters, which I, a problematic FMC myself, didn’t really mind. High-brow reviewers, while admitting it was reasonably well-written, complained that the plot suffered, and I agree that there really wasn’t one. Throughout the story, I struggled to discern any of the character’s goals, and that for me really stood in the way of cheering for them more than their relatable, human attributes. I would hand this book to someone looking for a bite-size messy family drama with a sexy, Mediterranean backdrop. I would pick up another book from this author, I would just know what I’m getting into.
This short family drama is fun if forgettable. It has a great setting for summer with secluded beaches and sizzling tension. And angst is suffered all around, by both the young and the older characters. Reviews on Goodreads are mixed, with an average of 3.15 stars. I think the lower ratings come from the novel not having decided if it’s literary or commercial. Readers looking for a lighter story complained about the unlikable characters, which I, a problematic FMC myself, didn’t really mind. High-brow reviewers, while admitting it was reasonably well-written, complained that the plot suffered, and I agree that there really wasn’t one. Throughout the story, I struggled to discern any of the character’s goals, and that for me really stood in the way of cheering for them more than their relatable, human attributes. I would hand this book to someone looking for a bite-size messy family drama with a sexy, Mediterranean backdrop. I would pick up another book from this author, I would just know what I’m getting into.