The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg
An accomplished lawyer, Edie’s weight has ballooned over the
years and her health crises affect three neurotic generations in this contemporary
family story set in the Chicago suburbs.
At times both comic and moving, the vivid and recognizable characters in
this fast-paced novel are brought to life by an omniscient narrator who flashes
forward and back to recount how the Middlesteins reached this dysfunctional
point. Wry and compassionate humor help
create a messy family portrait.___________________________
I've made two suggestions in response to Zeke's blog postings: take a look (his choices are very different than mine!)
Since you like Habits of the House, I'd recommend Snobs by Julian Fellowes. It focuses on the same class/social aspects. Yes, that's the same Julian Fellowes who wrote Downton Abbey and Gosford Park. :)
ReplyDeleteYou may want to try reading Breakdown Lane by Jacqulyn Mitchard as a read-alike for the Middlesteins. The are both character-driven novels set in the midwest revolving around domestic divorce and abandonment issues. While both have a parent as the central character with a disease(overeating vs. multiple sclerosis), the children of divorce are central to the plot development.
ReplyDeleteA good historical fiction read-alike for the Habits of the House by Kay Weldon could be the book by Dorothy Dunnett, Niccolo Rising. Similar to Weldon's series, Niccolo Rising is a fast-paced series that takes place in 15th century Europe.The newly rich merchant Nicholas Vander Poele gives us a world of deceit, love, adventure, and the world of the privileged.