Families And Other Nonreturnable Gifts (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This was an unexpected pleasure. I picked it up in the library looking for some fluff, and though it was light=-hearted, it was more than that. In lots of ways it reminded me of one of my favourite authors, Ann Tyler. Not quite so well-written (but then hardly anyone writes prose like Tyler does) and not quite so subtle, but it had that same gentle observation, that insightful look into family dynamics that typifies Tyler and which I absolutely love. From the blurb on this book, I took it to be a story about a woman growing out of love wiht her long-term childhood sweetheart and finding someone else. It was about that kind of, but it was much more about her finding her place in her family, and about how shining a clearer light on the past can totally change what you think of the present and what you want from the future. This was done in a light, fun and entertainting way though, no navel-staring or angsting, as I said just gentle observation, painting of pictures and then stepping back allowing the reader to draw her own conclusion. This is one of the things I liked best about it - no beating about the head with lessons, no big earth-shattering philosophy, but you were in no doubt about what it was that the main character was seeing, learning, concluding. I'm worried I'm making it sound dry, when it wasn't - I read it all in two sittings. The family (Sedlaks) are one of those intellectual slightly mad families that could have been cliched but weren't. The main character, Keats (her brother is Milton, her sister Hopkins, very Tyler-esque pun there by the parents) is the odd one out in that she thinks she's not clever, she's 'normal', she's the clearer-upper and the mouse that everyone forgets about. That's what I mean, when I say it could be cliched, but it wasn't. You really got inside Keats' head, you really empathised with her, and luckily LaZebnik is far too good a writer to make everything black and white. There were plenty of shades of grey, and enough of an unravelling at the end to give you hope but not to tie all the loose ends up too neatly.I do love dysfunctional family stories, and this was was really good, a thoroughly enjoyable read. I'll defintiely be looking for more of this author's books. This book was such a pleasant surprise! I don't know that I have ever read quite an honest depiction of a dysfunctional family! (and aren't they all at some point?) I could not put this down. Keats is basically the child who everyone can count on because she is always there. She stayed close to home, and is not considered a genius, like her sister who is neurologist, or her brother that hasn't left the house in two years (but is oh so smart). Even though her family drives her crazy she is still there for them. She has had the same boyfriend since she was 15 and she basically has her life all mapped out without much extra ambition than to go with the flow. But when her mother starts dating again, and her father has a heart attack, her world starts to shift. And once the snowball starts rolling... well lets just say...the entertainment begins!This book is just the right amount of sibling differences, family issues, and real life emotions that will keep you turning the pages from start to finish. You will not want to stop until you are done! Humor keeps this family afloat, no matter how dry it might be, and they all find ways to get through their daily lives and learn from their experiences. You will too.
What do You think about Families And Other Nonreturnable Gifts (2011)?
Great read! Relatable characters. Made me laugh, and made me cry. I loved it from start to finish!
—ErikaPew
Loved this book....well written....reminds me a lot of my family (haha)
—Vampsdes
I loved the quirky characters in this one.
—ayh210
