Synopsis
"Friends and former college bandmates Elizabeth and Andrew and Zoe have watched one another marry, buy real estate, and start businesses and 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 offspring.
Back in the band's heyday, Elizabeth put on a snarl over her Midwestern smile, Andrew let his unwashed hair grow past his chin, and Zoe was the lesbian all the straight women wanted to sleep with. Now nearing fifty, they all live within shouting distance in the same neighborhood deep in gentrified Brooklyn, 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 adults' lives suddenly begins to unravel, and the secrets and revelations that are finally let loose—about themselves, and about the famous fourth band member who soared and fell without them—can never be reclaimed.
Straub packs wisdom and insight and humor together in a satisfying book about neighbors 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." (Goodreads)
Back in the band's heyday, Elizabeth put on a snarl over her Midwestern smile, Andrew let his unwashed hair grow past his chin, and Zoe was the lesbian all the straight women wanted to sleep with. Now nearing fifty, they all live within shouting distance in the same neighborhood deep in gentrified Brooklyn, 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 adults' lives suddenly begins to unravel, and the secrets and revelations that are finally let loose—about themselves, and about the famous fourth band member who soared and fell without them—can never be reclaimed.
Straub packs wisdom and insight and humor together in a satisfying book about neighbors 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." (Goodreads)
Buzzy Books
In 2014, Emma Straub's novel The Vacationers made it onto every summer reading list you could find. It is a New York Times bestseller and one of those books you had to wait in line forever for at the library. Despite raves from critics, the reviews on Goodreads were kind of lackluster and I put off reading it. When I first heard of Modern Lovers, it had buzz because of Straub's previous success but it also sounded really good. Yes, there is going to be a lot of chat about it because Emma Straub has already done the perfect-summer-read thing. I wasn't just curious about the book because of the hype, though. I also just wanted to read the story.
Slice of Life
Modern Lovers covers the summer of two intertwining families, giving us third-person perspectives on six different characters. They are all in some sort of meltdown mode. Relationships are beginning or feel like their ending. Old grudges are being brought up and new turmoil is brewing. That being said, the book doesn't necessarily have a strict plot. The reader has to go in simply wanting to know what will happen to these various characters. If you're looking for a plot-driven story, this isn't it. It's all about the characters and about their thoughts and feelings and the way they change from day to day. I tend to like these types of stories. In fact, I often prefer lots of character development and interaction than pages of descriptions or action (if a book can be action-packed and character-driven, that's a winner).
Straub's Storytelling
Though I put off The Vacationers initially, I ended up picking it up on the little beach trip we went on a couple of weeks ago. For me, it was average. Emma Straub isn't a bad writer. She paints a good picture and she creates some interesting characters. However, what I noticed while reading The Vacationers and then again with Modern Lovers is that the premises are so full of promise and the characters seem so full of life but it never hits the high note I want it to. I'm fairly interested in the story and I'm involved enough to want the outcome, but I feel like something is missing. I love a book with quirky characters and humor and I have read some great ones (anything by Jonathan Tropper comes to mind), and I know it can be done. It's like Straub gets as close to the peak as possible but never hits the top. For me, that's disappointing.
Overall
3 Stars
This book was enjoyable and easy to read (short chapters FTW), but I just felt like it was missing that extra something. The characters are likeable, but we really just get an outside glance. I want to know more. I want to see more. The book also didn't really have much of an end, either. I guess there isn't a point to resolution when there isn't much of a plot. I still liked reading the book, I just felt like it could've been so much more.
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