The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovits - 2 stars

[Joy D]

The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovits - 2* - My Review

Tom Layward is a 55-year-old law professor who decided twelve years ago that he would leave his marriage to Amy (due to her infidelity) once their youngest child, Miriam, turned eighteen. After dropping Miriam off at college, instead of heading home, Tom keeps driving with only a vague idea of his destination. He ends up visiting several people from his past. Tom is taking forced leave due to complaints that have arisen from his course on hate crime. He is also dealing with health issues. This “road trip” novel relates a man’s midlife crisis and the complexities of his long-term marriage.

It is written in first person by Tom as he tries to find himself. It is structured in three parts. The first two-thirds are bland (bordering on boring) and appear to be there only to set up the final third. There are many ancillary characters that remain under-developed and add very little. It briefly touches on a currently relevant topic but never explores it in any depth. It is written in an informal colloquial manner and filled with references to product brand names. These types of books about a man’s existential crisis can be hit or miss with me, and this one is more of a miss.