The Most Fun We Ever Had
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission.
by Claire Lombardo
Publication date: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Hardcover: 544 Pages
Publisher Description
In this “rich, complex family saga” (USA Today) full of long-buried family secrets, Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. By 2016, they have four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest.
Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men; Violet, a litigator turned stay-at-home-mom, battles anxiety and self-doubt; Liza, a neurotic and newly tenured professor, finds herself pregnant with a baby she’s not sure she wants by a man she’s not sure she loves; and Grace, the dawdling youngest daughter, begins living a lie that no one in her family even suspects.
With the unexpected arrival of young Jonah Bendt—a child placed for adoption by one of the daughters fifteen years before—the Sorensons will be forced to reckon with the rich and varied tapestry of their past. As they grapple with years marred by adolescent angst, infidelity, and resentment, they also find the transcendent moments of joy that make everything else worthwhile.
Don’t miss Claire Lombardo’s new book, Same As It Ever Was!
Review
The Most Fun We Ever Had is a beautifully crafted novel that delves deep into the complexities of family relationships. Lombardo’s writing style effortlessly switches between past and present, giving readers a deeper understanding of each character and how their experiences have shaped them.
One of the most striking aspects of this book is the authenticity of the characters. Each one is flawed in their own way, making them incredibly relatable. As readers, we feel their pain, struggles, and joys as our own. Lombardo’s ability to capture the essence of human emotions is truly remarkable.
The story also tackles important themes such as motherhood, mental health, and forgiveness. Through the Sorenson family’s journey, we witness how these themes can impact our lives and the lives of those around us.
Overall, The Most Fun We Ever Had is a must-read for anyone who loves a good family drama with heart and depth. Lombardo’s storytelling will stay with you long after you finish the book, leaving you wanting more. This is a novel that reminds us of the importance of family and the power of love in overcoming life’s challenges.
About the author
Claire Lombardo earned her MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Prior to writing The Most Fun We Ever Had, she spent several years doing social work in Chicago. She was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois.
Read more about Claire ON HER WEBSITE
Praise
“A rich, engrossing family saga, spiked with sisterly malice…[rendered] with such skill and finely tuned interest that it feels like a quiet subversion of the traditional family saga.”—The New York Times Book Review
Read more
“Ambitious and brilliantly written.”
—Jane Smiley, The Washington Post
“If ever there were to be a literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler, then Claire Lombardo’s outstanding debut, which ranges from ebullience to despair by way of caustic but intense familial bonds, would be a worthy offspring…This is a novel epic in scope—emotionally, psychologically and narratively. Combining a broad thematic canvas with impressive emotional nuance, it’s an assured and highly enjoyable debut.”—The Guardian
“An assured first novel…The fun—well, that’s in the reading of the novel, which nicely blends comedy with pathos and the sharp- with the soft-edged.”—Wall Street Journal
“The Most Fun We Ever Had is a remarkable first-time novel offering such an intimate picture of people’s interior lives I feel as if every one of these characters is now a close friend. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people’s minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating.” —Ruth Reichl, Los Angeles Times
“A wonderfully immersive read that packs more heart and heft than most first novels…A deliciously absorbing novel with—brace yourself—a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family.”—NPR