Overall thoughts about the book

I am starting this as a new topic because I think my comments will be more generalized. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! An imperfect family with each character fully developed and personally engaging. Every family has one or the other character of this family tree...and you get to love or hate who you wish because they are so totally human. Of course, for a former New Yorker, it doesn't hurt to be able to totally relate with the locale...especially the poignancy of 9/11. The Nest was engaging! Each chapter egged me on and on to a perfect conclusion of Lila and a promise for the future. Super book!

Thanks for starting this new post. I couldn't agree with you more. The book was fabulous. The characters were at the same time endearing and aggravating as hell. Not being a New Yorker didn't keep me from being connected to the place and the people thanks to the wonderful descriptions. In many ways it reminded me of The Great Gatsby - the characters were so rich but each with their flaws and foibles. I found this such an enjoyable read that was very thought provoking.

The Nest shows such delusional and typical humans that one and then another would remind me of someone I knew—even family members were a part of the characters I met. I did enjoy this story so much and felt a connection so often. For a first novel, the proof of the author's skill will only be enhanced by other books she will publish.

I especially appreciated how the author developed this terribly dysfunctional family that consisted of self absorbed siblings with much of their lives affected by their expectations about receiving the money to a caring, supportive family that came to see what really matters in life is so much more than money can buy.

I enjoyed the book also. The siblings were the main story but I really enjoyed some of the minor characters and their stories. I wish we would have heard more about them. Maybe that will be the sequel.

I thought it was a realistic portrayal of sibling rivalry. They cared, sort of, when it was convenient. I enjoyed that honesty, but I was a bit frustrated that the book did not give more information about their childhood. We know their parents were not whom they wanted or needed them to be, but why then didn't they band together? Why didn't Leo become the one who looked out for his siblings? It seemed their mother threw up her hands and couldn't deal with them, but why, really, they were her children? She had a role in their development. What actually made them each so selfish, and sneaky and really evasive , if not just plain dishonest? How did any of them manage to have relationships.marriages, with other people? That part was a big hole in the story for me.

I appreciated the writing and structure of the book. The descriptions of the city reminded me of the writing of John Cheever, JD Salinger and Dorothy Parker, all of whom had similar ways of writing to evoke a mood and sense of place regarding Manhattan and it's environs, The descriptions of city streets, bars and a family with a sense of entitlement had me finishing the book in a couple of days. Most of all, I loved the writing.

I, too, enjoyed the book, but found the resolution for each character a little too pat. I didn't need all the strings to be tied up and, in fact, like some ambiguity to exist, like life. The writing, however, was very good and the novel kept my interest throughout. I look forward to her future books.

Lilc - perfect ending. A new life for a family that proves more resilient than they ever imagine! The Nest was that provocative "being" that allowed us to witness each family member's struggle "to be." Loved it.
I will remember those Stages of Grief - all 48 hours of it!

My thoughts about the book are very different from the previous comments. I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. I wanted more. I'm not sure what message the author was trying to make or what the take-a-way is for me personally. I found the book an easy read, good characters, and the plot was good, but it needs a little more development for me.

I loved the book. Read it!!! Just a nice, sit-down read. The characters were dysfunctional but wonderful at the same time....

The Nest has been mentioned as being funny, comic, humorous, amusing. I didn't find anything to laugh about or even to crack a smile or grin. Did I miss something here? Evidently I may have read this too seriously! And to think I really did enjoy the story.

Suzanne
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I found this book the reverse of funny and the characters boring.
If I was not part of the book club I think I would have thrown the book away. Not finishing a book is
Something I very rarely do. I have tossed less than 2 dozen books over my 59 reading years. Also I think the parents should have been drowned at birth.

I liked the book. I liked the relationships between the siblings and could relate to the rivalry between them. At times I didn't want to put it down.

I found the book boring, to be honest. Maybe a small part of it is because I don't have any siblings, but I found all the bickering obnoxious and I didn't particularly like any of the characters.

There was a lot of hype about this book. Unlike most of the readers here, I did not like the book and was very disappointed. I found all the characters unlikable and for me the story often dragged. I would not recommend this book!

I am ambivalent about the book as a whole. I appreciated the writing and the 'voice' of the characters, but also found the characters unlikeable also.

Wonderful, scary, sad and ultimately hopeful tale of family function/dysfunction. Also a cautionary tale for us boomers whose parents, depression era babies, worked and saved to leave a "nest" to their kids. I loved the characters (well, maybe not so much Leo) and felt I learned some valuable insights that can apply to my own life.

I also am one who did not care for this story. Overall I felt that there were way too many characters and they took away from the story, they did not add to it. The overall premise was a good one, but with unlikable main characters and an over abundance of other characters the story was drowned out. I did not like this book.

I also liked the book. I found it very easy to read and really wanted to know what would happen to each of the characters in the end.

Overall, I think this book is overrated and didn't live up to all the hype. For me, I found I didn't really like the main characters or the Plumb family. The only characters I cared about were Stephanie, Mathilda, and Tommy.

I could relate to the premise of the book with regard to family squabbling although not the anticipation of a pot of gold after a parent's death. However, none of the Plumb siblings exhibited any redeeming qualities. None were likable. I felt no empathy or sympathy for any of them.

All of the siblings seemed to fit stereotypical characters that we've seen many times before without any new insights to clarify the type. Retread.

While the book was a breezy read, overall I could not appreciate the hoopla about the book. There are much better family sagas out there!

I liked the book, but then I'm interested in sibling relationships (oldest of 5 myself). None of them was likable nor fiscally responsible except you could make an argument for Leo if you want to go there--he's living a comfortable life, free of financial worries. With the exception of Bea, their partners were the better halves of all of them, and they deserved better (the partners). I was fascinated by the mother, her attitude and behavior toward her own children, and that she didn't seem embarrassed about it. I would expect most mothers to care enough to try even a little to "pretend."

I sometimes find books with many characters a distraction, and although it seemed there might be too many in this book, she did a good job keeping me interested...except for the twins. Their story line was uninteresting and seemed superfluous, except they were largely the impetus behind Melody's irresponsible decisions about money.

The book held my interest. It was an easy read, good character development, and it was unpredictable, which is important to me; I like surprises. I would recommend it.