This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

"What you think will be a comedy of errors turns out to be a dark, depressing novel that focuses in on the petty, cruel relationships between Judd and his siblings and his celebrity mother. I read it quickly simply to get it over with.."

1 Star.

Pros: I liked how the ending was kind of open for interpretation but that was really about it.

Cons: The characters were just crass and cruel to each other. I thought this was going to be a comedy but instead I just ended up feeling kind of depressed.

Full Review:

Judd has recently discovered that his wife is cheating on him with his boss. He's renting a basement apartment, has no job and is depressed and to make matters worse, he gets a call from his sister. His father has died and the man's last wish was that his family sit Shiva (Jewish tradition of mourning) for seven days. Judd and his siblings don't exactly see eye to eye. They all have different lives and clashing personalities, so the idea of spending a week with his family just adds fuel to the fire that is already smoldering in Judd's gut. But he goes, to honor his Father.

What I thought was going to be a comedy turned out instead to be a novel full of resentments, childish, petty behavior and crass, cruel relationships. Everyone seemed to glean joy out of making everyone else miserable and everyone's infidelities' were just...kind of sickening. Call me old fashioned, but...it just didn't sit right that it seemed like everyone else was sleeping with everyone else...it was just weird.

I read this novel quickly, simply to get it over with. There wasn't a single, redeeming character and even Judd, who you feel remotely bad for, is just as obnoxious and petty as his siblings. I'm glad I loaned this from the library cause if I had spent money on it, I'd be livid. This book was just obnoxious.

Comments

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

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Animal Farm by George Orwell

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Arnold Spirit, Jr, or "Junior" as he's known on the Rez, does something no Spokane Indian has ever done. He enrolls in Reardon High School and begins the long and often painful process off navigating not only high school and adolescence but also being an outsider. Alexie handles it all with grace, humor and honesty. This was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone." 5 Stars Pros: Alexie handles the ups and downs of not only adolescence, but tragedy and loss in a stark, honest but gut wrenchingly relatable way. Cons: Some of Junior's all-consuming guilt, though understandable was a little repetitive but it's all part of being a teenager. Full Review: It all starts when Arnold Spirit Jr, or Junior, throws a textbook across the classroom. When he opened the book he saw his mother's name, her maiden name and it enrages him. He's furious that the reservation is so poor that they're learning from thirty-year old textbooks. He doesn't...

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