The Summer We Fell Apart

Dysfunctional families are commonplace, as are the books about them. However, this book stands above them all. It is truly a gem, one that will linger in your mind long after you have finished it. Robin Antalek is a refreshing and unique author that is able to carry the reader effortlessly and beautifully through the intimate perspectives of four siblings and their mother. You will fall in love with each sibling and suprisingly find heartfelt compassion for their neglectful parent as well. This novel is filled with love and heartache that moves quickly. But, beware! Don't read too quickly. Robin Antalek is an artist with the written word, her prose is not something to be rushed through, but savored. This book is REAL. My guess is that it will find a home on the NY Times Best Seller List. Enjoy!

Robin Antalek's soaring debut concerns the tribulations of the Haas family --- four grown children and their mother--- before, during, and after the death of the failed-playwright patriarch, who was as achingly absent in their childhoods as he is in the novel. The characters are so well drawn, their stories woven together so expertly, that it's hard to believe that this novel grew out of a collection of loosely-affiliated short stories. Also notable is her adroit and effective use of the simplest things ---lemon trees, leather jackets, scarves---as symbols. In books of this kind---five characters, five stories, five points of view---there are usually one or two weak links in the chain. Not so here. You'll care about these characters---all of them---as deeply as if they were members of your own family (and perhaps more). Oh, and don't let the prim and proper cover fool you---The Summer We Fell Apart has some racy passages, including the most uncomfortable ménage à trois scene in recent memory.

This novel is FANTASTIC...As an avid reader I highly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good read! This book will make you laugh and it'll make you cry...The way the author writes is so descriptive and captivating that you can't help but feel for, and relate to, this dysfunctional family. From the time I picked up "The Summer We Fell Apart" I had a very hard time putting it down...I can honestly say that I was sad when the story ended! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS NOVEL!!!

The minute I began reading The Summer We Fell Apart I had to force myself to start reading slower. I knew that if I kept reading at the veracious pace the book was prompting me to that it would be over much too quickly and I wouldn't have had a chance to fully appreciate it. At the end of the book it was hard for me to accept it was over and put it down. I had become so attached and involved with the characters that Amy and George could have been my own siblings or long lost friends. As personal as a journal, it is not only the narrative of the book but the manner in which it is written that leads the reader (as it certainly did to me) to such strong emotions. The author does not try to sound literary and come off as being pretentious as I have found many current writers do. Her voice is refreshingly straightforward and effortlessly poetic. The Summer We Fell Apart is a book I would recommend to anyone. It is an engaging and heartfelt read and that will have relevance to many audiences. Above all the book is about family, something everyone has an undeniable connection to.

Their dad was a famous playwright who died when his career declined. Their mom was a wannabe actress who became a cult favorite for her B roles. Their four offspring growing up never felt they had parents as the so called adults in the Haas family of six neglected their children. The youngest Amy hated the constant tension as all she wanted was a normal life like those on TV. George wanted to love and be loved so in any dispute especially after his father died, he always supported their mom. The oldest Kate found escapism and solace in her studies as she became a lawyer mostly as a reaction opposite to her artistic parents. Finally the oldest son Finn turned to alcoholism and addiction to provide him a haze of avoidance. This is a fascinating look at a dysfunctional family from the perspective of the four children as the adult may neglect their offspring but the child becomes the adult. The story line is character driven as the demons that haunt each of the foursome and how each copes with them is deeply explored by Robin Antalek. Mindful of Family Pictures by Sue Miller and This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, readers will enjoy this profound look at family relationships as seen by the children looking back as adults. Harriet Klausner