readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
There are plot-driven novels that read like action movies, zinging from one exotic locale to the next, with bullets flying and cars exploding to a pulse-pounding soundtrack. These are the books you stay up past your bedtime to finish, knowing you can't possibly get through your day tomorrow without knowing what happens next.
Then there are books like The Vacationers, so minutely focused on character that the plot becomes, if not irrelevant, then simply an efficient vehicle for the next inner revelation or sudden change of heart. You could ask what happens in a book like this, but the answer would be “Nothing. And everything.”
Because basically what happens is that a group of family and friends go on vacation together and, to borrow a tagline from the MTV of my youth, they stop being polite and start getting real.
Everyone on the trip has a secret, it seems. Franny and Jim Post, the Manhattan couple who organized the trip to Mallorca, are at odds over an affair Jim had with an intern, but they're trying to fight quietly so their grown son Bobby won't find out. Bobby has troubles of his own, in particular a stale relationship with Carmen, a personal trainer ten years his senior, and a mountain of debt from an ill-advised investment. Bobby's younger sister Sylvia is heading off to college in the fall, with the goals of losing her virginity and totally reinventing herself before orientation. Completing the cast are Charles, Franny's longtime best friend and confidant, and his husband Lawrence. They have been waiting to adopt a baby, but their doubts balloon as they witness the messy implosion of the Posts' lives.
As I read, I found myself rooting for all the characters despite their obvious flaws. I can certainly see how some readers might find them unlikable, but I'm of the opinion that most people are unlikable a significant amount of the time, so I can enjoy a book just fine even if I would never want to get coffee with the people in it. Straub's characters are better than likable—they're interesting and dynamic and repentant and hopeful.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
Then there are books like The Vacationers, so minutely focused on character that the plot becomes, if not irrelevant, then simply an efficient vehicle for the next inner revelation or sudden change of heart. You could ask what happens in a book like this, but the answer would be “Nothing. And everything.”
Because basically what happens is that a group of family and friends go on vacation together and, to borrow a tagline from the MTV of my youth, they stop being polite and start getting real.
Everyone on the trip has a secret, it seems. Franny and Jim Post, the Manhattan couple who organized the trip to Mallorca, are at odds over an affair Jim had with an intern, but they're trying to fight quietly so their grown son Bobby won't find out. Bobby has troubles of his own, in particular a stale relationship with Carmen, a personal trainer ten years his senior, and a mountain of debt from an ill-advised investment. Bobby's younger sister Sylvia is heading off to college in the fall, with the goals of losing her virginity and totally reinventing herself before orientation. Completing the cast are Charles, Franny's longtime best friend and confidant, and his husband Lawrence. They have been waiting to adopt a baby, but their doubts balloon as they witness the messy implosion of the Posts' lives.
As I read, I found myself rooting for all the characters despite their obvious flaws. I can certainly see how some readers might find them unlikable, but I'm of the opinion that most people are unlikable a significant amount of the time, so I can enjoy a book just fine even if I would never want to get coffee with the people in it. Straub's characters are better than likable—they're interesting and dynamic and repentant and hopeful.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
lucasgarner's review
2.0
This was one of the most mediocre books I've ever read. Realistically I would rate it about 2.5 but it's more skewed towards the 2, as reflected in my actual rating. Overall, the book wasn't terrible. The writing was fine, the pacing decent and I never felt particularly bored. But it was one of the most predictable books I've ever read, so it wasn't all that gripping either.
My two major gripes with the novel pertain to the story arcs and the setting. All of the characters are very two-dimensional with only one conflict/point of interest. And the book puts itself on a clear path so that you know their resolution will be exactly as you would expect, with little to no road blocks on the way. It felt like listening to a rich person complaining about having to drive themselves to the supermarket.
For the setting, it was basically non-existent. If a book is about a family traveling to Spain, you are expecting to read a bit about the culture and/or their travels in the country. However, the characters mostly spent their time at the vacation home. I think there were three or four times they went somewhere remotely different, but the location was under described and easily could have existed in America. I got the feeling soon into the book that the author had never visited Spain nor done any research about her setting. This was disappointing considering it was called "The Vacationers" and I was expecting a bit of exploration.
This novel essentially boiled down to becoming a less funny love child of "Modern Family" and "This is Where I Leave You." If you want an easy read about a family with a lot of drama that like to swim a lot, this book is perfect for you, just don't expect any surprises or moments of existentialism.
My two major gripes with the novel pertain to the story arcs and the setting. All of the characters are very two-dimensional with only one conflict/point of interest. And the book puts itself on a clear path so that you know their resolution will be exactly as you would expect, with little to no road blocks on the way. It felt like listening to a rich person complaining about having to drive themselves to the supermarket.
For the setting, it was basically non-existent. If a book is about a family traveling to Spain, you are expecting to read a bit about the culture and/or their travels in the country. However, the characters mostly spent their time at the vacation home. I think there were three or four times they went somewhere remotely different, but the location was under described and easily could have existed in America. I got the feeling soon into the book that the author had never visited Spain nor done any research about her setting. This was disappointing considering it was called "The Vacationers" and I was expecting a bit of exploration.
This novel essentially boiled down to becoming a less funny love child of "Modern Family" and "This is Where I Leave You." If you want an easy read about a family with a lot of drama that like to swim a lot, this book is perfect for you, just don't expect any surprises or moments of existentialism.
megand96's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
whitmc's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining and quick. Not mind-blowing. A year from now, I'll remember that I read it but not much else. Story of a family that goes on a 2-week vacation to Spain and the different relationships among the family members. Well-written and interesting. I'll read more by Straub because I like her writing style a lot.
ecl97's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rebbemcc's review against another edition
2.0
Easy read but nothing really happens. The writing is inoffensive.
nglofile's review against another edition
1.0
The kindest thing I can say is that I am not the audience for this book.
cncoltre's review against another edition
3.0
Understood why it ended the way it did, but wasn't a fan of the ending.
sydsshelves's review against another edition
2.5
This book wasn’t what I thought it would be. I’ve read some of Emma Straub’s other books and enjoyed them, so I’m a little bummed that I really didn’t care for this one.
The characters fell flat for me, they were all kind of awful in their own way? The family dynamics weren’t great and the friendships felt a little toxic. Maybe that’s just my personal perception, but it led to a disappointing read for me.
I thought there would be more “fun” involved due to the fact that they were on vacation as a family. But, that just did not happen and just led to this book just not working for me.