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kimberussell's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book -- the story of 3 women (70, 40, and 15 years old) who find themselves in various stages of trouble that have to do with loss of control with the men in their lives. Henrietta is recently widowed, and is tying up the ends of her long-lived marriage while dreading the re-release of a book on sexuality that she wrote in the 70s. Her daughter Oona is on her way to divorcing her stoner husband, and is trying to find out who she is as a woman. Oona's daughter Lydia is the victim of revenge porn at her exclusive boarding school, and is trying to deal with victim-blaming and by knowing that the pictures can never be taken back.
Stuart Nadler does a great job with all three women's voices and by the end I really cared about each of them. And the stoner husband, too.
Stuart Nadler does a great job with all three women's voices and by the end I really cared about each of them. And the stoner husband, too.
makaylabrown's review against another edition
4.0
so it slayed. the back and forth between a divorced couple got old pretty fast but i think it’s also realistic for those who still feel some connection to their past lover. but like? dating and having sex with your therapist? boooo
dorseycwin's review against another edition
2.0
This book was really interesting and I enjoyed the combining storylines. Each characters’ perspective was really interesting and well done. However, I wish there was a bigger focus on the character Oona. I also felt like the youngest daughter’s story was the most compelling and mainly carried the novel. Overall, the book was an interesting read, well written, and had compelling characters.
pageturning_amy's review against another edition
I can’t with how bored I was. Also it felt like the author wanted to use obscure big words to show how smart he is and that he has an extensive vocabulary. I’m sorry but no 15 year old talks like that, I don’t care how smart they are. I couldn’t finish this
readhikerepeat's review against another edition
5.0
Originally reviewed at The Book Wheel:
Picking up The Inseparables by Stuart Nadler was a bit of a risky choice for me. The Goodreads reviews are mixed but a few of them compared it to The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, which I did not love. Ultimately, I was pulled in by the idea of three generations of women and family dysfunction. Both of these topics endear themselves to me and taking a chance on The Inseparables won out.
In short, this is a book about three women. First, there’s Henrietta, an aging feminist who has spent her life trying to escape the shameful reputation of an overtly sexual book she wrote in her youth. Second, there’s her daughter, Oona, an accomplished orthopedic surgeon whose marriage is falling apart. Lastly, we have Lydia, a 15-year-old who is forced to reckon with a public shaming of her own.
Some reviews assert that the story fell flat, was boring, or that the characters were unbelievable. I disagree. The alternating chapters with increasingly intense cliffhangers had me racing through the pages. Each woman is struggling with her own identity in relation to themselves, to society, and with their personal relationships – they are flawed, complicated, and relatable.
That said, I do understand where those who disagree are coming from. The Inseparables reminds me of The Returned by Jason Mott. It, too, received mixed reviews but those who really delved into the real-life implications of the ideas contained within the book seemed to love it. The Inseparables is similar in that the repercussions of each’s actions are not expressly laid out, rather the reader must bring in their own experiences to fully appreciate it, particularly if she is female. For example, subtle mentions of the longterm impacts of “present-day” events demonstrate the severity of the situations without expounding on them. Similarly, relationships unfold and are revealed as the story goes on, allowing the reader to savor (or wallow) without being forced to move on to quickly.
The book touches on a lot of heavy subjects, such as public shaming, sexuality, independence, and love, but these are subtexts that propel the story forward, not individual actions that serve as plot points. Each reader will likely connect with a different character and for different reasons depending on their own personal story.
Another common complaint is that a man wrote this book and did not portray women realistically. Again, I disagree. Nadler strikes a balance between articulating a woman’s thoughts while refraining from condescension or dismissiveness, all the while bringing the insecurities women face into the fold. It is precisely because he has not experienced them firsthand that he is able to craft a story allowing the reader to put so much of themselves into the book. Whether you see it from the male or female perspective, the subjects are relevant to everyone. Again, what you put in is what you get out of it.
For me, The Inseparables was a terrific read. If you have read a lot of dysfunctional family novels then the description may sound a bit cliché, but Nadler’s unique style (casual but literary) and approach makes it worth the risk.
Picking up The Inseparables by Stuart Nadler was a bit of a risky choice for me. The Goodreads reviews are mixed but a few of them compared it to The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, which I did not love. Ultimately, I was pulled in by the idea of three generations of women and family dysfunction. Both of these topics endear themselves to me and taking a chance on The Inseparables won out.
In short, this is a book about three women. First, there’s Henrietta, an aging feminist who has spent her life trying to escape the shameful reputation of an overtly sexual book she wrote in her youth. Second, there’s her daughter, Oona, an accomplished orthopedic surgeon whose marriage is falling apart. Lastly, we have Lydia, a 15-year-old who is forced to reckon with a public shaming of her own.
Some reviews assert that the story fell flat, was boring, or that the characters were unbelievable. I disagree. The alternating chapters with increasingly intense cliffhangers had me racing through the pages. Each woman is struggling with her own identity in relation to themselves, to society, and with their personal relationships – they are flawed, complicated, and relatable.
That said, I do understand where those who disagree are coming from. The Inseparables reminds me of The Returned by Jason Mott. It, too, received mixed reviews but those who really delved into the real-life implications of the ideas contained within the book seemed to love it. The Inseparables is similar in that the repercussions of each’s actions are not expressly laid out, rather the reader must bring in their own experiences to fully appreciate it, particularly if she is female. For example, subtle mentions of the longterm impacts of “present-day” events demonstrate the severity of the situations without expounding on them. Similarly, relationships unfold and are revealed as the story goes on, allowing the reader to savor (or wallow) without being forced to move on to quickly.
The book touches on a lot of heavy subjects, such as public shaming, sexuality, independence, and love, but these are subtexts that propel the story forward, not individual actions that serve as plot points. Each reader will likely connect with a different character and for different reasons depending on their own personal story.
Another common complaint is that a man wrote this book and did not portray women realistically. Again, I disagree. Nadler strikes a balance between articulating a woman’s thoughts while refraining from condescension or dismissiveness, all the while bringing the insecurities women face into the fold. It is precisely because he has not experienced them firsthand that he is able to craft a story allowing the reader to put so much of themselves into the book. Whether you see it from the male or female perspective, the subjects are relevant to everyone. Again, what you put in is what you get out of it.
For me, The Inseparables was a terrific read. If you have read a lot of dysfunctional family novels then the description may sound a bit cliché, but Nadler’s unique style (casual but literary) and approach makes it worth the risk.
shelfimprovement's review against another edition
4.0
This is a decidedly imperfect novel--as a whole, it's rather lacking in focus--but Nadler has created some memorable characters and his prose is so easy to consume.
krismarley's review against another edition
2.0
The J. Courtney Sullivan quote on the front cover raised my expectations too high.
jonid's review against another edition
3.0
THe premise is encouraging: 3 generations of women, each at a crossroads. 70 year old Henrietta: widowed, needing money, republishing the book that brought hr fame, notoriety and shame on it’s anniversary. Iona: doctor who hides out at work soon to be divorced from pot head ex-lawyer house husband Spencer. And Lydia: who has left boarding school because of a nudge photo that has gone viral. Some of the writing is clever, even quotable (It was a good rule that the mother should never like the boyfriend more than the daughter does.) but ultimately it felt too forced and tried too hard. I supposed there are are parents who hide out emotionally and allow their child to do the same when there is pain and shame, and hurt - but it doesn’t make for a satisfying story.
char_lottereadss's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't really like this book it was just kinda bleh for me. I didn't got anything out of it but it was still a nice read just wasn't something that'll make you wanna read again. There were some good lines but that's it. Maybe because I can't relate to the characters? Idk. But this book just wasn't for me.
anfendy's review against another edition
2.0
The kind of book you would want to root for but ended up being disappointed with it anyway :/