The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz – 448 pages
ARC from Celadon and Netgalley for an honest review
Book Blurb:
The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz follows the story of the wealthy, New York City-based Oppenheimer family, from the first meeting of parents Salo and Johanna, under tragic circumstances, to their triplets born during the early days of IVF. As children, the three siblings – Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally – feel no strong familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways, even as their father becomes more distanced and their mother more desperate. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna, faced with being truly alone, makes the decision to have a fourth child. What role will the “latecomer” play in this fractured family?
My Review: 4.5 stars
The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz was an utterly compelling story that commanded my attention as I was a fly on the wall into this disturbingly dysfunctional family.
The beginning of the book is filled with detail about Salo, the patriarch, and why he is so removed from his family. At times, I thought the book was being overwritten because of the incredible amount of detail that I learned about the cast of characters. However, as the book progressed, I realized how important those details were in understanding the character’s actions and ultimately their behaviors.
Joanna, the matriarch, has set out to create the image of a perfect family although they were far from it. Their triplets, born by IVF, were nothing short of strangers to one another with no commonalities or interests, yet Joanna pretended to herself and others an opposite scenario. At times it was heartbreaking to see the fragility of their relationships. The individual paths of the children were chronicled and each of their paths kept me interested. They were incredibly unique which speaks to the author’s imagination and creativity.
There were many themes threaded throughout the novel such as loneliness, privilege, mental illness, sexuality, education, guilt and pretense. It isn’t until Joanna chooses to carry a 17-year- old embryo to term, that the latecomer as the title refers, enters the picture. her arrival affects the family in multiple ways, which have life-altering effects on her family members.
This is a perfect book club selection as there is so much to discuss. Many of you will know this author from her most recent book, The Plot, which was also a frequent book club pick. Don’t be surprised that this book reads quite differently as it’s a quiet, literary read.
Quotes I liked:
That road, as it turned out, would be even lonelier than she had reason to fear.”
Shop on Amazon Here!
