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A review by tayrod4594
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If you've seen the movie and loved it for its charm and heart, I'm not sure this is the book for you. I saw the movie first, which is maybe part of the problem. In the book, Judd is far less sympathetic and his family is far less charming. The novel also takes some odd little jaunts into fantasy land that, really, don't improve anyone's look, least of all Judd's.
It's well-written, funny, and has some profound thoughts to share, which is why it isn't lower than a 3 for me, though it was tough to give it that. The misogyny that winds its way through this entire novel is possibly understandable, given Judd's marriage, though also completely disgusting. At some point, you really begin to wonder if that's a quality he took on only after his marriage imploded; if not, you sort of see why it might have. His own family doesn't escape this awful habit Judd has of excoriating everyone he sees and there are several scenes that the movie very wisely changed or removed entirely. If you want a angry diatribe, read the book. If you want something a little more uplifting (and a lot less focused on hating and wanting women), then watch the movie.
It's well-written, funny, and has some profound thoughts to share, which is why it isn't lower than a 3 for me, though it was tough to give it that. The misogyny that winds its way through this entire novel is possibly understandable, given Judd's marriage, though also completely disgusting. At some point, you really begin to wonder if that's a quality he took on only after his marriage imploded; if not, you sort of see why it might have. His own family doesn't escape this awful habit Judd has of excoriating everyone he sees and there are several scenes that the movie very wisely changed or removed entirely. If you want a angry diatribe, read the book. If you want something a little more uplifting (and a lot less focused on hating and wanting women), then watch the movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny