Modern Lovers - Emma Straub

Modern Lovers

By Emma Straub

  • Release Date: 2016-05-31
  • Genre: Family Fiction & Literature
Score: 4
4
From 386 Ratings

Description

“It’s ‘Friends’ meets ‘Almost Famous’ meets the beach read you’ll be recommending all summer.” –TheSkimm

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers All Adults Here and This Time Tomorrow, a smart, highly entertaining novel about a tight-knit group of friends from college— and what it means to finally grow up, well after adulthood has set in. 

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 adult 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.

Reviews

  • Meh

    2
    By Miss Thinkerbell
    This book was a sllooww read. The story dragged, wasn’t very original or thought provoking and finally goes somewhere after about 68 chapters. A lot of details about Brooklyn in it. A better use of time to just get a Brooklyn guidebook.
  • So-so

    3
    By Mjoypick
    I enjoyed the story line but character development took too long to develop. The book left me with a lot of questions that the author should have answered. Unfortunately nothing captured my attention ...there was nothing that kept me wanting to continue to read. It was a fine summer read but am excited to move on to my next book.
  • Summer lovin

    3
    By Samilayne
    A breezy summer read. The book had a nice flow between love and pain in relationships of all kinds. I personally had a hard time developing a true relationship with the characters but I appreciate the read.
  • Modern lovers

    5
    By Paris4675
    Witty modern tale of 2 families on the brink. Characterization feels authentic. Good dialogue and clever ending. Throughly enjoyable.
  • Modern Lovers

    1
    By MiamiCarole
    I liked the Author's last book so I was hopeful about this one. I was very disappointed. The book was overly long and repetitious. Except for Jane, the characters were not likable and too whiney. They need to get over themselves and grow up and embrace their good fortune.