This was the first book we read for the new book club I'm in (one of two!) We had all heard good things about this one . . . and we were all disappointed. On the surface this seems like it would really be up my alley (I love books about families in crisis!), but unfortunately the characters were so unlikeable that I couldn't get into it. And beyond unlikeable, I just didn't find them that interesting--there was the mother who was fragile and old-fashioned, the son who lost his money in the real estate bust, the stoic dad, the stubborn and over-educated daughter, the daughter in law who came from a rougher background--and they were all types. Plus, the whole book builds to an event that takes up maybe 30 pages and then has maybe 15 pages of effects. I wanted to read more about how this crisis affected their lives, and less about what their lives were like before.

Also, there is a bit about an adult brother and sister who "fiercely hug" every night before bed that freaked us all out. Unintentional incest overtones alert!