Scan barcode
tess1209's review against another edition
I thought the "relationship" that the main character Emily has with the "adult" would be a wholesome friendship. Its just gross.
lainews05's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ninafroms's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
driaslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lisawhelpley's review against another edition
4.0
This book started out really interesting. I read 25% of it the first night. Amazing writing, clever storytelling and characters. But halfway through the book...it fizzled. It seemed the author spent way more time on the first half then quickly had to finish to meet a deadline or something. Characters didn't develop fully, and the quality of writing seemed closer to first than final draft, so that was disappointing.
the_old_gray_cat's review against another edition
4.0
A privileged teen tries to make sense of her wealthy family in an upper class Connecticut suburb.
The first half of this book is phenomenally witty, so great at capturing adolescence and making sense of the world. There were so many perfect sentences and amazing volleys of dialogue, just gorgeous writing.
I wish Espach had stayed in her protagonist's youth-- the book lost so much energy after it jumped ahead to after the protagonist graduated college.
The first half of this book is phenomenally witty, so great at capturing adolescence and making sense of the world. There were so many perfect sentences and amazing volleys of dialogue, just gorgeous writing.
I wish Espach had stayed in her protagonist's youth-- the book lost so much energy after it jumped ahead to after the protagonist graduated college.
danjvrobertson's review against another edition
5.0
Review originally posted on my blog, The Reader's Commute:
After luring me in with its cover, this debut novel by Alison Espach snagged me with a book jacket's promise of a coming-of-age tale about a young girl living in suburban Connecticut, struggling with family, relationships, and growing up. Because I'm currently working on my own story with these kinds of themes, I knew I had to read it.
Readers: I'm so glad I found this book. I didn't just find a normal "growing up" story here (so if you're usually turned-off by coming-of-age stories, please keep reading). In The Adults, I found a wildly entertaining, thought-provoking read that taught me a thing or two about my own life in the process.
At the center of this novel is Emily Vidal, who enters the story as a snarky fourteen-year old girl and concludes the story as an affected twenty-something. Emily's voice is refreshing and familiar, even if at times I had to suspend my disbelief and keep myself from saying, "there's no way a teenage girl would think like that!"
Emily observes her neighborhood (full of tulips and houses painted colors like "celery powder" and "yellow feather") and her neighbors with a keen eye. Her smartest observations are certainly about the adults around her, like her understanding of the fragile Mr. Resnick and his "unreasonable amount of pants."
Observing through Emily's eyes, I found myself getting attached to these adults despite their obvious flaws. As Emily navigates a variety of devastating happenings involving these adults (a suicide, an affair, a divorce), she begins to learn what growing up really means.
As Emily begins an affair with an older man, her childhood and inevitable adulthood collide. This "culture shock" of sorts can best be illustrated in the chapters that take place in Prague, where she lives for a short time with her father. Upon an initial reading, I felt dissatisfied with the shift from suburban Connecticut to an entirely new country (perhaps because I enjoyed the details of her hometown so much). On a closer read, I was glad to have experienced this jarring sensation of being displaced, as I believe it mirrors Emily's own feelings. The bridge from childhood to adulthood is never an easy one, and in Espach's novel it is heart-breaking and lyrical.
I've recommended this novel to so many of my friends at this point. The Adults is a book for anyone who wants a smart, captivating read with a unique cast of characters. The narrative is fresh and intensely moving.
After luring me in with its cover, this debut novel by Alison Espach snagged me with a book jacket's promise of a coming-of-age tale about a young girl living in suburban Connecticut, struggling with family, relationships, and growing up. Because I'm currently working on my own story with these kinds of themes, I knew I had to read it.
Readers: I'm so glad I found this book. I didn't just find a normal "growing up" story here (so if you're usually turned-off by coming-of-age stories, please keep reading). In The Adults, I found a wildly entertaining, thought-provoking read that taught me a thing or two about my own life in the process.
At the center of this novel is Emily Vidal, who enters the story as a snarky fourteen-year old girl and concludes the story as an affected twenty-something. Emily's voice is refreshing and familiar, even if at times I had to suspend my disbelief and keep myself from saying, "there's no way a teenage girl would think like that!"
Emily observes her neighborhood (full of tulips and houses painted colors like "celery powder" and "yellow feather") and her neighbors with a keen eye. Her smartest observations are certainly about the adults around her, like her understanding of the fragile Mr. Resnick and his "unreasonable amount of pants."
Observing through Emily's eyes, I found myself getting attached to these adults despite their obvious flaws. As Emily navigates a variety of devastating happenings involving these adults (a suicide, an affair, a divorce), she begins to learn what growing up really means.
As Emily begins an affair with an older man, her childhood and inevitable adulthood collide. This "culture shock" of sorts can best be illustrated in the chapters that take place in Prague, where she lives for a short time with her father. Upon an initial reading, I felt dissatisfied with the shift from suburban Connecticut to an entirely new country (perhaps because I enjoyed the details of her hometown so much). On a closer read, I was glad to have experienced this jarring sensation of being displaced, as I believe it mirrors Emily's own feelings. The bridge from childhood to adulthood is never an easy one, and in Espach's novel it is heart-breaking and lyrical.
I've recommended this novel to so many of my friends at this point. The Adults is a book for anyone who wants a smart, captivating read with a unique cast of characters. The narrative is fresh and intensely moving.
megancrusante's review against another edition
3.0
This book is styled like a combination of Prep and Calamity Physics. If a less annoying version of Prep and a less cool version of Calamity Physics mixed. It was annoying in the way that makes 2 twentysomethings on a train with a dead dog in a suitcase glamorous. But through all the madness some really truthful reflections on growing up.
librariandest's review against another edition
3.0
Though the writing was witty and the plot kept me interested, I was ultimately a little disappointed at the end of this. How is Emily different at the end of this book? What's going to happen to her? It's kind of unsatisfying for a book to follow a character from age 14 to 30 and then just stop when the character's on the verge of maybe figuring some stuff out. Hmph.
I did like the twist with Mr. Basketball at the end. It almost made me wish the book were from his perspective, but I guess that would just make it a kind of modern day [b:Lolita|7604|Lolita|Vladimir Nabokov|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327871906s/7604.jpg|1268631], right? The part where he said, "I didn't want a child or a wife and I got what I wanted," was like a gut punch.
The things I'll take away from this book:
1. It horrifies me how fast some kids grow up. Stay young and innocent as long as you can, friends. Do not enter into some tragic romance when you're just a kid.
2. Prague sounds really cool.
3. Don't leave a plastic spoon by the stove.
4. The "What can you do with a _____?" game Emily and her dad played.
I did like the twist with Mr. Basketball at the end. It almost made me wish the book were from his perspective, but I guess that would just make it a kind of modern day [b:Lolita|7604|Lolita|Vladimir Nabokov|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327871906s/7604.jpg|1268631], right? The part where he said, "I didn't want a child or a wife and I got what I wanted," was like a gut punch.
The things I'll take away from this book:
1. It horrifies me how fast some kids grow up. Stay young and innocent as long as you can, friends. Do not enter into some tragic romance when you're just a kid.
2. Prague sounds really cool.
3. Don't leave a plastic spoon by the stove.
4. The "What can you do with a _____?" game Emily and her dad played.