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The Arrivals

3.44 of 5 stars 3.44 · rating details · 988 ratings · 216 reviews

It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.

First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appear...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published May 25th 2011 by Reagan Arthur Books (first published May 5th 2011)

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Jun 30, 2011 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this book. There's no tragic or terrible event, it's just a story about a family, and yet it manages to be so entertaining because her characters are so well developed. Not only are they vivid, but they're also observant, smart, sensitive to one another--traits I think most people do have but few authors do the work of exploring. At different points certain characters act foolishly, but they come to their senses and that's what life's all about. The concept of parents worrying abo...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a novel that will warm your heart, and strike terror in anyone who is in their mid sixties with grown children!

This story is about William and Ginny Owen , who live a very happy retired life in Burlington, Vermont. They have two daughters, one son, two grandchildren with another on the way. Their oldest daughter Lillian suddenly arrives for a visit in June, with her three year old daughter Olivia, and her four month old son Phillip. Her husband is not with her. No mention of how long sh...more

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May 11, 2012 Angie Holtz rated it 5 of 5 stars

from Lilac Wolf and Stuff

I'm going to gush. I think this would be classified as "chick lit" but I would call it "just a story" which is my favorite kind of story. Ginny and William have settled into their retired life together when their adult children return home with their children, pregnant spouses or just alone. The house is filled to busting and William and Ginny take turns being annoyed by it. I loved this, because that's how it usually goes in a relationship. It's a good way to support ea...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Krystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three adult children converge on their parents in June and stay for the summer. Their baggage includes a crumbling marriage, a newborn, an adorable three-year-old, an endangered seven-month pregnancy, and a heart-broken, financially-strapped daughter. The storm of problems in one summer is unlikely, but the author draws the reader into the lives of the characters and makes it believable. Both Ginny and William Owen lovingly welcome them. When everyone is sleeping, Ginny stands contentedly, remem...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Funny and heartwarming in a comforting sort of way, The Arrivals explores what happens when a retired couple's children all come home to roost again.

Ginny and William are living a quiet and contented retirement when, one by one, their adult children begin to arrive back home. First comes Lillian with 3 year old Olivia (asking endless questions) and infant Phillip, but her husband is nowhere to be seen and no one dares ask how long she and the children might be staying. Then Steven and his pregna...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: current_issues, relationships

I’m told one of the best things about grandchildren is you can always hand them back. But if the children are staying at Grandma’s house, maybe that doesn’t apply. Ginny and Williams’ house, recently emptied, starts filling up when daughter Lillian arrives with two children in tow. Next comes their son’s unannounced weekend visit. Then there’s the call for help from their youngest child. Should a parent feel delighted to be needed, or desperate to be free? And can those visions of childhood’s te...more

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May 23, 2011 Cheryl "Mash" rated it 3 of 5 stars

THE ARRIVALS by Meg Mitchell Moore
Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
The Hachette Book Group
ISBN 978-0-316-09771-0
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up...more THE ARRIVALS by Meg Mitchell Moore
Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
The Hachette Book Group
ISBN 978-0-316-09771-0
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family - and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.

My Thoughts and Opinion: Having recently started my own chapter of being an empty nester, I was quite interested in the premise of this book. And along that line, I definitely could relate to the parental characters in the novel. It was very easy for me to, what I call being "transported", into the story line and become part of this family. Which was quite surprising due to the fact that this was the debut novel by this author. There was a situation, where the patriarch character became so frustrated that he finally lost his patience, because his house had been so transformed into a mess. Another plight I could relate to. And how the parents attempted to treat their children as the adults that they were. Except these adult children, never took into consideration that they were giving their parents their responsibilities and problems instead of dealing with them as the adults they were. I felt that there were some family dynamics, and this is only my opinion, that did not resemble real life. The timeframe occurred over a few months, and during that time, it was never stated to the parents why their children appeared "back home". I enjoyed this book due to the story line of the novel, but also felt that it was predictable. No matter what the rating this book gets, like the synopsis states, "once a parent, always a parent".

My Rating: 3(less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Diane Prokop rated it 4 of 5 stars

My favorite time to walk through my neighborhood is dusk. It’s the time of day when it’s too early to think about closing the blinds. Each house is like a movie set where a drama is unfolding. Children play in front of one window while at another a man and a woman exchange angry words.

Meg Mitchell Moore deftly captures those moments and more in her debut novel “The Arrivals.” The story unfolds in the town of Burlington, Vermont. When the grown children of William and Ginny Owen descend on thei...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Arrivals is the first novel by former journalist Meg Mitchell Moore and is due out in May 2011.

Ginny and William Owens are enjoying their quiet, peaceful life together in their Vermont home when, at the beginning of summer in June, their oldest daughter Lillian comes to visit with her two small children. Although Lillian has run to the safety of her parents' home, she doesn't share with them her marriage problems and husband's infidelity. Days later, the Owens' son Stephen makes a surprise v...more The Arrivals is the first novel by former journalist Meg Mitchell Moore and is due out in May 2011.

Ginny and William Owens are enjoying their quiet, peaceful life together in their Vermont home when, at the beginning of summer in June, their oldest daughter Lillian comes to visit with her two small children. Although Lillian has run to the safety of her parents' home, she doesn't share with them her marriage problems and husband's infidelity. Days later, the Owens' son Stephen makes a surprise visit with his very-pregnant wife, followed by Rachel, the Owens' youngest daughter who has also flown abruptly to her childhood home in search of refuge from her hectic New York life. The Owens' must put their parenting skills to the test once more as they help their children deal with their large-scale adult problems.

The Arrivals is a very intense, yet endearing read that feels like one huge anecdote. Once you're done, you'll feel refreshed and warm because it truly sheds light on how our lives transform once we have children. Once a parent, always a parent! Each Owen child experiences transformation of some type from June to August, while Ginny and William are strong, powerful examples of loving, understanding parents with extreme patience.

Although I enjoyed my time reading The Arrivals and I finished it in under a day, I found it easily forgettable. The story is very touching, but the voices of the children lack individuality, therefore causing the novel as a whole to lack intimacy. The most powerful characters in the novel are Ginny and William, and perhaps The Arrivals would have been more impacting had Moore focused more on their inner workings and thoughts, specifically. The end result is a symphony of voices that more or less blend into each other.

Meg Mitchell Moore's contemporary style reminds me a lot of Mary Alice Monroe and perhaps a little of Anita Shreve. I am sincerely looking forward to the author's next novel, which is due out sometime next year, 2012.

Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.(less)

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Nov 15, 2011 Samantha Robey rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Arrivals is the debut novel from Meg Mitchell Moore, and I was truly impressed by her writing style. The story follows Ginny and William Moore, whose grown children suddenly start appearing at their Vermont home with all their troubles. Oldest child Lillian comes with her two young children after finding out her husband was unfaithful. Stephen comes with his pregnant wife Jane, whose pregnancy complications put her on bed rest at the Moore’s home. The youngest, twenty-nine year old Rachel, f...more The Arrivals is the debut novel from Meg Mitchell Moore, and I was truly impressed by her writing style. The story follows Ginny and William Moore, whose grown children suddenly start appearing at their Vermont home with all their troubles. Oldest child Lillian comes with her two young children after finding out her husband was unfaithful. Stephen comes with his pregnant wife Jane, whose pregnancy complications put her on bed rest at the Moore’s home. The youngest, twenty-nine year old Rachel, flees from New York after a painful breakup and even more devastating miscarriage. Ginny and William are suddenly overwhelmed with their children and their problems, and must figure out how to help each individual through their issues. The story, which is told through multiple points of views along the way, teaches lessons of love and family, of strength and forgiveness, and that the job of a parent is never over.

I really enjoyed The Arrivals. Like I stated earlier, I was impressed with the writing style Meg brings to the book. There are scenes where she abruptly stops one story, switches to another, then goes back to the original. I found these mini-cliffhangers delectable and they kept me on edge. I couldn’t help but think of my own mother when I read this book. Not too long ago she told me how much she still worries about each of her kids’ happiness, even though we all are grown now. It made me think about how much goes into being a mom or dad, and the unconditional love some are so lucky to receive. The only real issue I had is that I kept feeling that Ginny was so put out with Lillian, but would give her right arm for Rachel. I didn’t fully understand why it seemed to come off that way, and was the only thing holding me back from really getting immersed in the full story and all the characters. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book, I would recommend it, and I’m grateful for the SheKnows Book Club that has provided me so many great reads throughout the year.
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Apr 03, 2013 Francesca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Come al solito titolo e copertina accattivante, non significano un romanzo che soddisfa le aspettative che questi due elementi creano nel lettore.
Tralasciando la copertina che, si sa, viene studiata da grafici ed esperti di marketing per attirare lo sguardo di chi acquista, vi svelo subito il titolo originale: “The Arrivals” (Gli Arrivi). Io posso capire benissimo che un titolo del genere avrebbe attirato molto meno l’attenzione e stuzzicato meno la fantasia del lettore rispetto al bellissimo “M...more Come al solito titolo e copertina accattivante, non significano un romanzo che soddisfa le aspettative che questi due elementi creano nel lettore.
Tralasciando la copertina che, si sa, viene studiata da grafici ed esperti di marketing per attirare lo sguardo di chi acquista, vi svelo subito il titolo originale: “The Arrivals” (Gli Arrivi). Io posso capire benissimo che un titolo del genere avrebbe attirato molto meno l’attenzione e stuzzicato meno la fantasia del lettore rispetto al bellissimo “Mirtilli a colazione”, ma avrebbe senza dubbio dato un’idea più precisa di quella che è la storia narrata dal romanzo.

In un tranquillo giorno di inizio estate Ginny e William si ritrovano in casa la figlia più grande, Lilian ed i suoi due figli Olivia e Philip. La donna è scappata da casa sua, abbandonando il marito, dopo aver scoperto che questo l’ha tradita con la sua giovane e magra segretaria dopo aver bevuto una quantità industriale di alcol ad una festa d’ufficio.
Qualche giorno dopo arriva anche Stephen, il figlio di mezzo, con la moglie incinta di sette mesi. Lui è un editor freelance, lei un’affermata donna in carriera che guadagna di più; è per questo che hanno deciso, di comune accordo, che lei tornerà a lavorare dopo appena un mese dal parto e sarà Stephen ad occuparsi del bambino e lasciare il lavoro.
Ultima ad arrivare è Rachel che vive a New York, ha un lavoro più o meno soddisfacente, una storia d’amore finita e un aborto spontaneo capitato poco tempo dopo aver scoperto di essere incinta. Tutto questo, tutto insieme, è troppo e così decide di rifugiarsi anche lei a casa dei genitori.

Quello che ne viene fuori è una quotidianità incasinata e chiassosa in cui William e Ginny si trovano a ricordare i loro figli da piccoli, rivivono il loro allontanamento e l’improvviso ritorno a casa come un desiderio tanto agognato ma forse non proprio voluto.
Tra tutti i protagonisti quella che meno tollero è Lilian perché invece di affrontare il problema del tradimento del marito da persona matura quale si suppone che sia, visto che ha superato i trenta ed è madre di due figli, scappa tra le braccia di mamma e papà e si piange addosso.

In conclusione, la storia non è brutta e il libro non è difficile da leggere, ma c’è qualcosa che manca, quel qualcosa che di solito fa decollare una storia bellissima e rende il libro perfetto e imperdibile. Non saprei dire di preciso cos’è quel qualcosa che impedisce al romanzo di decollare, magari è semplicemente che non era nelle mie corde in questo momento.
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May 24, 2011 LORI CASWELL rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ginny and William Owens have grown comfortable in their "empty nest". Their youngest child moved out 5 years ago. They enjoy their quiet times, Ginny volunteering at church, William reading his newspapers and working in the gardens. A nice relaxing life.

Then their daughter Lillian arrives for an unexpected "visit" with newborn baby Phillip and 3-year old Olivia in tow. Husband Tom is "home, buried in work."

Then a few days later Stephen arrives with his pregnant wife Jane for a short weekend visi...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable read. Ginny and William are suddenly overrun by their three children, who all run into major crisis situations at the same time and run home. Lillian has her three year old daughter and three month old son with her, and has to give up her old room to her brother Stephen, whose wife goes into premature labor while on a quick visit and ends up bedridden for the next few months. And then Rachel decides instead of dealing with the fact she can no longer afford her Manhattan...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-s-first-book, family-relationships, free-book-for-honest-review, own-it, read-in-2011

Life in Burligton, Vt. seemed peaceful to the retirees, Wm and Ginny Owne. They are called by their daughter, Lillian and told she's coming to see them with her children age three and a newborn. She needs a break from her husband.

OVernight the come was suddenly in an uproar. Even more so when William and Ginny's son, Stephen and his wife, Jane, arrive at their home unannounced. Jane is seven months pregnant and their intended weekend stay is prolonged when there is a complication her pregnancy a...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Rhonda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

Nice easy read. Written well and not 'corny'.

William and Ginny have raised three children, all out 'on their own' now. Within one weekend, two of them are back in the house for 'extended' visits, along with grandchildren, soon to be followed by the third child. You can imagine the trials endured by a packed house of family members!!!

Pleasant and fun to read.

Favorite Quotes:

"They said, didn't they, that you never really lost your sons, as a mother. You lost your daughters, because they became ab...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked this book up mainly because of the setting (Vermont, specifically the Burlington area) and the premise (a retired couple suddenly find themselves hosting all 3 of their grown kids at home for a summer), which is eerily similar to my summer spent home in Vermont. However, I had to force myself to read it, because NOTHING HAPPENED during this book, and I found it incredibly boring and tedious. The plot was nonexistent until the end, and most of the pages were filled up with pointless dial...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Adriana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-reads

I loved loved this book! Meg's firts novel is so amazing and well writing. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to find out what happens next when I did put it down. The way she made each story of a family of 5 so effortless and easy to follow. She tells the story about each family member from their point of view. It was such an enjoyable story about a family that goes through some rough life lessons in their life's that make them all go back to their parents where they use to feel safe and taken ca...more

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May 11, 2011 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-giveaways, 2011

Haven't received yet, just received notice I had won. 4/25/11
Received last night, hope to start soon. 5/4/11
Started yesterday. 5/10/11

Empty nest to full house. Lillian, Stephen and his wife Jane, and Rachel all come for a "visit" to their parents house. The daughters are running away from life problems and Stephen and Jane came for the weekend, until she was required to stay for pregnancy complications.

There were a lot of parts of this story that made me mad. I don't doubt for an minute that my...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Arrivals
By
Meg Mitchell Moore

Why I read this particular book…
I love books about families and their dysfunctions and relationships. This book was in one of my favorite places…Vermont…and had families as its main theme. Adult children came home to their parents and the house they grew up in one at a time over the summer. They brought baggage that included children, husbands, pregnancies, career issues and infidelities. They all came home to their old rooms and old haunts and old friends. They a...more

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May 11, 2013 Connie N. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: relationships, chick-lit

This particular book resonated with me at this moment because I'm in the same position as William and Ginny Owen--parents of grown children that live at home. There's a difficult tightrope to walk between treating them like children and treating them as fully functioning adults, and the lines of the relationships become blurred and change depending on the day. There's love for each other, certainly, but there's also resentment and irritation and caring. This book focused on the various relations...more This particular book resonated with me at this moment because I'm in the same position as William and Ginny Owen--parents of grown children that live at home. There's a difficult tightrope to walk between treating them like children and treating them as fully functioning adults, and the lines of the relationships become blurred and change depending on the day. There's love for each other, certainly, but there's also resentment and irritation and caring. This book focused on the various relationships between the children and parents as well as on the interaction between the grown children as well. Difficult situations in their lives (dangerous pregnancy, adultery, job and relationship problems)caused the children to head home to their safe place, while the parents were torn between being overwhelmed and loving the fact that they were needed.

Quote about children, "And there was something else he had forgotten, from his children's youth, something he'd never articulated but now felt so strongly it was almost palpable: the peace you feel when you are awake in a house where children are sleeping."

Quote about being happy, "You were always the easiest to be with...It took less to make you happy...I don't mean that in a bad way. It's a compliment really. I don't mean that your standards were low. I suppose it was something that came from being the youngest. You had an ease with the world. A joy. Anyone who came near you, you could make them smile."

I can really relate to this quote about grown children. Although it sounds harsh, it has a ring of truth, "It occurred to her that William was right, had been right to get angry the other day. It occurred to her that she did not welcome the intrusions and chaos in this stage of her life. She had not asked for them, and she did not particularly want to deal with them. She had, after all, already raised her children once. She did not want to do it again."

One more quote that really struck me about grown children and their happiness, "Why are you taking it so personally? She thought about that. Then she took a deep breath and touched her hair. She didn't look directly at William when she answered, because she thought that if she did she might begin to cry. "Because they're my life's work." He remained silent, watching her, listening. "If they're not happy--if they're not capable of living on their own, and being happy--it means I've failed. I should take it personally...This is it...This is what I've done with my life. They're my masterpiece, and they're broken." (less)

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May 15, 2011 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, adult-fiction, 2011

4.5 stars. What a great book about family dynamics and the changing responsibilities between children and parents as they all grow! I hadn't heard anything about this book before winning a copy of it through the FirstReads program, but I enjoyed the novel very much and am glad to have won it.

William and Ginny are a couple in their 60's who raised 3 children together. Although their children are now grown, all three independently arrive at their parents' house one summer because of issues going o...more 4.5 stars. What a great book about family dynamics and the changing responsibilities between children and parents as they all grow! I hadn't heard anything about this book before winning a copy of it through the FirstReads program, but I enjoyed the novel very much and am glad to have won it.

William and Ginny are a couple in their 60's who raised 3 children together. Although their children are now grown, all three independently arrive at their parents' house one summer because of issues going on in their own lives, each hoping that traveling there will unburden their problems and make them as carefree as they felt when kids. Lillian, married with two young kids, is trying to sort things out with her cheating husband; Stephen's married with a baby on the way, scared to tell his parents he's planning to be a stay-at-home dad after his career-driven wife gives birth; and Rachel, the youngest, is frustrated by her seemingly dead-end job and failed relationship. Each had their own issues to deal with, and now that they're all under one roof again, family dynamics start to shift, and William and Ginny realize that they're not quite done parenting yet.

The author is obviously a very talented writer, as she managed to take an often-used premise (ie, individual problems make for shifting familial dynamics and personal revelations!) and turn it into a captivating book. Although there were a number of main characters, the author introduced them in a way that made it easy to remember who was who and keep everyone's life straight; I empathized with each. The plot of this book isn't "loud" or particularly attention-grabbing, but the way things unfolded kept me interested and its quiet tone drew me in to the internal conflicts. I quickly felt as though I was in each person's head, and they all very easily became "real" to me, not just characters in a book. I didn't find any of the characters to be lacking, even the secondary ones. I also loved the fact that the author didn't try to pull the plot together at any point by bringing the characters together through a tragedy - this is done wayyy too often in books (in my opinion, anyway) and never feels quite authentic.

I think this would make for a wonderful summer read, considering that the story takes place from June to August, and it's a lovely tale that isn't too taxing to read or difficult to get through - it's simply a nice book. (less)

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Jun 20, 2011 Julie Allyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Arrivals is about a couple who has entered the empty nest season of their lives and suddenly has all 3 of their adult children and a couple of grand kids back living in their house. The story accurately portrays the struggles of parenting from the time our babies are developing in the womb to when they have their own children. Bottom line: It is never easy, it is never ending, and as tired as you feel at each point of the journey you need to remember to relish the moments because they are al...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Family dynamics fascinate me so the premise for The Arrivals sounded good. All the adult children returning home at the same time and all in some sort of crisis. The problem was that not one of these characters is at all likeable. Well, except maybe William. The rest are whiny, complaining, selfish people. I finished it, hoping these characters might grow on me. Sorry, no.

Predictably, they all resolve their particular issues and everyone goes their separate ways, leaving William and Ginny empty...more

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May 22, 2011 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I found The Arrivals to be a very enjoyable read (I wish I could give it 3.5 stars). The novel explores what happens when an older couples’ grown children all come back to their childhood home for various reasons (that are detailed periodically throughout the beginning of the book). Meg Mitchell Moore does a very good job of sewing the seeds of conflict between the characters—issues that start out as relatively minor disagreements grow to become all-out battles by the final chapters. Mitchell Mo...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one has been my "listening" book for the past week. Even tedious chores like dusting and vacuuming have gone more easily as I immersed myself in the lives of Ginny, William, their children and children in-law and adorable grandchildren. At the very end Moore describes the wonderful feeling of peace we older folks feel after the kids have completed a successful visit, a sort of contentment " in the final years" that younger people cannot fathom. Ginny and William hosted a house full all summ...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Mary Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of William and Ginny during one summer. Their empty nest is suddenly full with their grown children - their oldest with a three year old and newborn, their son and his wife who becomes bedridden for the duration of her pregnancy, and their youngest who is in a financial and relationship disaster. Ginny and William alternately enjoy the hustle and bustle and are annoyed by it. Some true to life situations - although in real life these would probably not all come to a head and be...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

The book was a bit vanilla - a good flavor filling, but ultimately unforgettable. It kept me entertained on an airplane trip, but didn't really take me anywhere. The characters were okay, but I really didn't like them or hate them either. It was nice however to read something where the not so nice things that happened to the characters, really weren't that horrible or violent, just typical problems that people may have to overcome in everyday life. I am not any worse off for having read this, I...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book for the simplicity of the storyline but I found myself unable to identify with the matriarch of the family, Ginny. Perhaps it is because I sense that a woman (the author) cannot possibly know the range of emotions a mother feels of having adult children until she has them herself. I found Ginny too standoffish towards her children in the beginning. I think I understood her better towards the end of the book, but I struggled. The characters I connected with were the father Wil...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, contemporary-fiction, family-drama

Another case of being somewhat let down by all the positive reviews. There is nothing inherently wrong with this book, not at all, it’s just yet another multi-narrative book of adult children returning home bringing with them various crises and issues. None of the characters are particular standouts in terms of being interesting or unique. And some of the dialogue is kind of silly. Also, it was peculiar how the siblings didn’t hang out or talk all that much considering they were all reunited ben...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Lola425 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reminded me of Maine by Sullivan or even Three Weissmanns of Westport. Entertaining read, if not earth shattering. The characters are all kind of whiny, all disappointed because life isn't handing them everything they always dreamed of, all looking to see what someone else has and being jealous of it. Really, there are no problems in this book that couldn't be solved by a solid sawt upside the head. I will say that one or two images of parents looking at their adult children and remebering the y...more

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About Meg Mitchell Moore

Meg Mitchell Moore worked for several years as a journalist. Her work has been published in Yankee, Continental, Women’s Health, Advertising Age and many other business and consumer magazines. She received a B.A. from Providence College and a master’s degree in English Literature from New York University. The Arrivals is her first novel. Her second novel will be published by Reagan Arthur Books in...more

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title link	preview: The Arrivals
avg rating	preview: The Arrivals Goodreads rating: 3.44 (988 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9584244-the-arrivals?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344264967l/9584244.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9584244-the-arrivals?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore[/url]

The Arrivals

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