LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Summer might be fading over the horizon but Straub's new novel is a perfect summer novel for all seasons: witty, touching, humane and gently humorous. A tale of complicated relationships set in Brooklyn this proves as light-hearted as her father, Peter Straub's books are dark and laden with horror, and confirms Emma as a major talent with an equal knack for entertaining. The story of friends who met in college and formed a short-lived rock band, following their fate some decades later as they linger in a state of disaffection and crave earlier glories. Small epiphanies and the weight of regrets, everyday love and companionship are celebrated: a lovely demonstration that book subjects can be small and delicately formed. ~ Maxim Jakubowski
The Lovereading view...
A penetrating, witty and very modern look at family life. Two sets of friends from Brooklyn are now middle aged parents of teenagers, focusing on both generations, we see the highs and lows of growing up and trying to be a grown up! Emma Straub writes with a beautifully light yet discerning touch, little eye opening shots of wit pepper the page. The occasional snippets of information from local newspapers really ground the novel in the setting. As I read, I slipped into the neighbourhood and I felt as though I was a friend, just dropping in for a catch up and gossip. There is a gentle subtlety at play, secrets are slowly revealed, life is seen here, as it really is. ‘Modern Lovers’ is a wrying amusing and observationally astute novel, it crept under my skin without me realising it, and was an absolute joy of a read. ~ Liz Robinson
Maxim Jakubowski
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About
Modern Lovers Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Vacationers, a smart, highly entertaining novel about a tight-knit group of friends from college and what it means to finally grow up well after adulthood has set in. Friends and former college bandmates Elizabeth and Andrew and Zoe have watched one another marry, buy property, and start families, all while trying to hold on to the identities of their youth. But nothing ages them like having to suddenly pass the torch - of sexuality, independence, and the ineffable alchemy of cool - to their own teenage offspring. Back in the band's heyday, Elizabeth put on a snarl over her girl-next-door smile, rich-kid Andrew let his unwashed hair grow past his chin, and beautiful Zoe was the lesbian all the straight women wanted to sleep with. Now nearing fifty, they all live within shouting distance in the same Brooklyn neighbourhood and the trappings of the adult world seem to have arrived with ease. But the summer that their children reach maturity (and start sleeping together), the fabric of the adult lives suddenly begins to unravel, and the secrets and revelations that are finally let loose can never be reclaimed. Straub packs wisdom and insight and humour together in a satisfying book about neighbours and nosiness, ambition and pleasure, the excitement of youth, the shock of middle age, and the fact that our passions - be they food, or friendship, or music - never go away, they just evolve and grow along with us.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781405921565 |
| Publication date: |
18th May 2017 |
| Author: |
Emma Straub |
| Publisher: |
Penguin Books Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
456 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Family Drama
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Emma Straub Press Reviews
Praise for Modern Lovers:
'[Modern Lovers] has the smart, cool sensibility of Straub's other novels, and you're sure to love this one just as much' Elle
'A lovely, satisfying early-summer read' EW.com
'Thoughtful and hilarious, Modern Lovers proves growing up doesn't stop in adulthood' Real Simple
'Beach-ready' Flavorwire
'[Straub] sets her observational wit on three middle-aged friends (former college bandmates) who find themselves in a crisis of identity as their now-grown children head off to college themselves' Huffington Post
'What happens when you age out of your cool...With the multigenerational structure, it would be easy to compare Straub to other masters of the genre like Meg Wolitzer or Jennifer Egan, but she's already a master in her own right after The Vacationers, so Modern Lovers should prove to be a witty romp' The Millions
'Wise and often hilarious, Modern Lovers is a testament to how the passions and secrets of our youth can last well into adulthood' Buzzfeed
'[Straub is] a precise and observant writer whose supple prose carries the story along without a snag. Straub's characters are a quirky and interesting bunch...it's a pleasure spending time with them' Kirkus (starred review)
'Straub spins her lighthearted but psychologically perceptive narrative with a sure touch as she captures the vibes of midlife, middle-class angst and the raging hormones of youth...Readers will devour this witty and warmly satisfying novel' Publishers Weekly (starred review)
'Devilishly observed' Booklist (starred review)
'Sprinkled with humour and insight, this is a Brooklyn novel with heart' Library Journal (starred review)
Author
About Emma Straub
Emma Straub is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Vacationers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Elle, and Conde Nast Traveller, and she is a contributing writer for Rookie. Straub's work has been published in fifteen countries.
Photo credit: Jennifer Bastian
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