Publisher: Celadon Books
Published: May 31, 2022
Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher
Summary:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Latecomer is a layered and immersive literary novel about three siblings, desperate to escape one another, and the upending of their family by the late arrival of a fourth.
The Latecomer follows the story of the wealthy, New York City-based Oppenheimer family, from the first meeting of parents Salo and Johanna, under tragic circumstances, to their triplets born during the early days of IVF. As children, the three siblings – Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally – feel no strong familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways, even as their father becomes more distanced and their mother more desperate. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna, faced with being truly alone, makes the decision to have a fourth child. What role will the “latecomer” play in this fractured family?
A complex novel that builds slowly and deliberately, The Latecomer touches on the topics of grief and guilt, generational trauma, privilege and race, traditions and religion, and family dynamics. It is a profound and witty family story from an accomplished author, known for the depth of her character studies, expertly woven storylines, and plot twists.
My thoughts:
Last year, I had the opportunity to read an early copy of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, which I absolutely loved, and I was thrilled to be given the same opportunity with her newest novel. I have to say I just love her writing and even though these books are completely different…Jean Hanff Korelitz is now a must-read author for me!
It’s no surprise that I love family dramas, so of course I was immediately pulled into the story of the Oppenheimers. I myself went through fertility treatments, and while I was not met with success, I did often fantasize what it would be like to end up with multiples. Of course, if I did, I hoped for a better bond between the siblings than that of the Oppenheimer triplets. Oh, what a dysfunctional family they were, and I loved that as unsympathetic as some of these characters are, you can’t help but be pulled into this story and become completely wrapped up in the family’s life.
I loved how the story is told, each chapter focusing on a different family member. Again, these characters aren’t the most likeable but they somehow end up getting under your skin and you really hope something turns around for them. This is definitely a character-driven novel and at just under 500 pages, you need to be ready for that. The pacing, while not exactly slow, isn’t incredibly fast either. It’s the type of book where I felt I really needed to take my time while reading this book because not only are we diving deep into these characters, but the author throws in some interesting social commentary along the way.
This is a complex, engaging story that I just cannot recommend enough. I even think it would make for a great bookclub pick, if you are willing to let the length not be an issue. There is just so much to unpack and discuss. Definitely be sure to pick this one up when it hits shelves in May!
