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A review by whitejamaica
Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper
3.0
The Premise
Tropper's narrator is once again experiencing his most hectic week of the year. Zach King is grappling with an estranged father who shows up on his doorstep, a fiancee who he doesn't deserve, his best friend's widow who he is helplessly attracted to, a dead-end job, and blood in his urine.
The Good
+ Predictably fun... Everything Changes has the same distinct charm as Tropper's other works. I came into this book looking for a light, quick pick-me-up. While not ground-breaking in any way, the book delivered on its promise: consistent hilarity and family dramedy.
The Bad
- Cast and Crew... This installation in Tropper's series of books (as they are undeniably a part of the same canon) doesn't have as interesting a hook as This Is Where I Leave You. I found the most intriguing character to be the estranged father. The audience, along with the narrator, spend the novel trying to decipher the intentions behind his suspicious re-introduction into his family's lives. Norm (father) and Zach (son) rehash the same arguments several times over the course of the novel, but credit to Tropper for adding a different complexion to each. Despite this, the conversations still grew stale.And by the end, I couldn't help but feel a bit cheated. Contrary to every prior indication, there is no redemption for Norm, as he turns out to be as big a sleaze as the family made him out to be all along (earning their trust so he could dump his 5-year-old son on them). While surprising, this felt like sacrificing my satisfaction for my expectation. Feels bad.
- Same narrator, different story... Tropper's books all read the same. More-so than other authors, his canon gives evidence for the theory that all authors only have one book in them. The predictability meant the momentum of the novel petered out around the three-quarters mark. The final 25% is dedicated to tying up loose ends, and I can say that this wasn't as satisfying for me as it should have been. This is probably due to several technical flaws I noticed, which Tropper eventually ironed out in his later works.
The Takeaway
○ Don't start having doubts the week of the engagement party
○ Always bring backup [seriously though, so many damn fist fights]
The Verdict
The second time is never as fun or memorable. THREE.FIVE out of FIVE VIAGRA-INDUCED ERECTIONS.
Closest Comp(s)
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
TL;DR Read a more recent Tropper, if given the option
Tropper's narrator is once again experiencing his most hectic week of the year. Zach King is grappling with an estranged father who shows up on his doorstep, a fiancee who he doesn't deserve, his best friend's widow who he is helplessly attracted to, a dead-end job, and blood in his urine.
The Good
+ Predictably fun... Everything Changes has the same distinct charm as Tropper's other works. I came into this book looking for a light, quick pick-me-up. While not ground-breaking in any way, the book delivered on its promise: consistent hilarity and family dramedy.
[T]here’s still an undeniable element of tragedy to his life. Every day, for him, is like trying to play the piano wearing oven mitts.
The Bad
- Cast and Crew... This installation in Tropper's series of books (as they are undeniably a part of the same canon) doesn't have as interesting a hook as This Is Where I Leave You. I found the most intriguing character to be the estranged father. The audience, along with the narrator, spend the novel trying to decipher the intentions behind his suspicious re-introduction into his family's lives. Norm (father) and Zach (son) rehash the same arguments several times over the course of the novel, but credit to Tropper for adding a different complexion to each. Despite this, the conversations still grew stale.
- Same narrator, different story... Tropper's books all read the same. More-so than other authors, his canon gives evidence for the theory that all authors only have one book in them. The predictability meant the momentum of the novel petered out around the three-quarters mark. The final 25% is dedicated to tying up loose ends, and I can say that this wasn't as satisfying for me as it should have been. This is probably due to several technical flaws I noticed, which Tropper eventually ironed out in his later works.
The Takeaway
○ Don't start having doubts the week of the engagement party
○ Always bring backup [seriously though, so many damn fist fights]
The Verdict
The second time is never as fun or memorable. THREE.FIVE out of FIVE VIAGRA-INDUCED ERECTIONS.
Closest Comp(s)
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
TL;DR Read a more recent Tropper, if given the option