Heather, the Totality is about a family in Manhattan who has everything, especially a daughter which is the light of their world. Heather is empathetic, she's beautiful, and both her mother and father gravitate around her. Then there's Bobby, a man who grew up in New Jersey to a heroin-addicted mother, who dreams about assaulting women and has gone to jail for it. Things escalate as he's brought closer to, and becomes entranced by, Heather.

To be honest, I both understand and don't understand why this book is getting the reviews it is. I know, I only rated it two stars, but that's because to me, two stars says "this book was fine." And it was. This book is paced well, and while some may think the story was boring, I think it was fine because it's not trying to be a full-length novel. It tells its story, it gets in and gets out. I liked that about this book.

Another criticism is the writing and I get that. As a person who mostly writes screenplays, Matthew Weiner is clearly used to that style of writing. In Heather, the Totality the writing is sparse, almost like a slightly more fleshed out screenplay. And I honestly didn't mind. I think the writing fit the story well, since it was like we were observing the characters from an outside perspective. The writing helped with that, but also gave us a glimpse into their heads. I think the writing being so sparse made this book easy to get through, but in a longer book, I think it quickly would have gotten annoying.

Basically, I can see why people would not like this. It can appear dry, it can appear like "what's the point?" especially if we took Bobby's perspective out of things, the reasoning for the ending would make no sense. For me, the ending was nice because it put just a little bow on things, but didn't make too big a deal out of everything. However, I can understand how readers would feel unsatisfied with it.

I recommend this book if you're looking for something simple and small that you can easily read in one sitting. Will this book change your life? No but it's also not a terrible way to pass some time.

A short little book that packs a big punch in very few pages. It moves from focusing on a small family of three as they grow in the midst of job changes and life changes in New York City and a man who is born into a hard life in New Jersey who ends up working in New York City. Their lives will converge and stuff will hit the fan . . .

This was one of those books that Iiked, but didn't love. It was interesting to watch the couple become a family and the dynamics shift as their only child is born and attention from both of them get shifted to focus on her and comparing that to a boy who was born into a crappy situation and he goes to extreme lengths to get himself out of there.

I think I would read another by this author. The writing and plot were interesting. It seemed as though the book felt as though more like a long short story instead of a full novel.

We already know that Matthew Weiner can write, thanks to his work on “The Sopranos” and “Mad Men.” The question is whether his talents translate to novel form (or novella, as this is). Heather, The Totality has very little spoken dialogue but relies on the characters’ inner thoughts to propel this story about a father who is extremely protective of his daughter. The normal becomes the absurd and finally, the horrific. A one-sitting book with a Sopranos-like cut-to-black feel at the ending.

Huh. I just didn't get this book at all. What was the point of it? The characters were not at all developed, there was virtually no dialogue and the story was not much of a story. This book was so inconsequential, I really have nothing else to say.

DNF. I thought since my name was in the book I would love this one, but I unfortunately couldn't get into the book. Stopped reading at about the 25 percent mark. No rating.

A short read that unfortunately never clicked with me.

I did not enjoy this book. Read like a short story and one very long run-on sentence; there was no dialogue. The characters were not likable. Not for me, sorry.

Completely disliked this book and would not recommend to anyone. Save your money and time.

Novella, no dialogue. Expected this to be weird & dark but instead got flat & disturbing. I expected better. 1.5 stars

Unnecessary topic. I stopped reading. I wish it had come with a warning and I wish Matthew Weiner hadn't turned me off to his writing. I will continue to love Mad Men but I probably won't ever read anything else he writes.

I am sorry, but I just could not get into this book. Too predictable and the writing was just ok. Thanks to NetGally, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

It’s hard to separate this book from the #metoo movement, since Matthew Weiner’s name got named. I felt a bit like he was creating this beautiful character only to make her a victim of sexual violence, and honestly I couldn’t find any other point to this story. It’s skillfully done but lacks the emotional depth of Mad Men.

I am really struggling with this review. There were things that I liked about this one and things that didn't quite work for me. Since finishing, I've heard several interviews with the author and that has given me a bit more of a positive perspective than I had when I initially finished. I know much of the buzz for this one came from the fact that the author is well known for his work with Mad Men. After hearing him talk about this book and his intention in writing it, I definitely had a better feeling about the book as a whole. I suspect this is due to the fact that this book covers some topics that aren't easy to read. I also heard someone say something very negative about this novel before reading it so I'm wondering if my initial reactions may have been tied to that initial impression that I had from their negative remark.

This is more of a novella than a novel (130 pages) - it's a very quick read and isn't a difficult read in any way, shape or form. There is an odd structure to this one - it's told in a very detached 3rd person narrative. The writing is very clear and realistic - nothing flowery here. It didn't bother me but I know many reviewers have mentioned that it's structure was discombobulating for other readers. The structure gave the story the feeling of a script in some way which may be tied to his being a screenwriter.

The story itself is where I think many people became a little frustrated with the novel. It is an interwoven narrative that tells the stories of a well off family and a construction worker. The author goes into great detail about the family - the parents, in particular. We learn a great deal about them and their innermost thoughts. Some of these thoughts are disturbing and feel icky. And the construction worker's story is all around disturbing. How Matthew Weiner pulls these two narratives together is interesting. I feel of two minds about it ... one one hand, I see where he's going and find it fascinating and yet, I also understand why it's been so frustrating to many readers. I can't say too much without ruining the book for you so if I sound cagey, that is why.

I found the story of the construction worker to be the most fascinating of the two narratives but that goes well with my own personal interests around nature versus nurture. His perspective was disturbing but compelling. In fact, I'd almost have loved to have read a whole book about him and his life. That story line stayed with me.

The overall themes of obsession and choice really resonated with me. The exploration of nature versus nurture. The contemplation about parenting and freedom. The idea of moral ambiguity just permeates this book in such a great way. And so ... that was all good. And yet, the book also left me feeling uncomfortable ... almost leaving a bad taste in my mouth or something. I liked it ... but I didn't love it. I completely understand the critical reviews. I get it completely. But, I liked it more than I expected based on the reviews I'd read and the feedback I'd heard before reading it.

I have a hard time recommending this one because it is such a decisive book. If the synopsis sounds interesting and the themes are interesting to you, I think you should give this one a shot. If not, you may want to skip it.

There are two ways to approach Matthew Weiner’s novella, Heather, the Totality – take it at face value or ponder Weiner’s broader commentary.

Should you take it at face value, you’re in for a ripping afternoon’s read. It’s the fast-paced story of Karen and Mark Breakstone, whose only child, Heather, is the centre of their world. But someone enters Heather’s life who threatens the family’s perfect Manhattan existence.

If you want more to think about, Heather, the Totality offers opportunity to consider the influence of one’s upbringing (particularly poverty versus wealth); the impact of social inequity; and what justifies particular actions.

Weiner expertly creates memorable characters, and gets away with spare detail because there is a fairytale quality to the story – the beautiful, blessed child of slightly unfortunate parents, who brings joy to everyone that crosses her path –

Their daughter was born at Lenox Hill Hospital at a reasonable hour and Mark was there and she was brought home to a stocked nursery and a few new friends Karen had made as she entered the world of birthing classes and stroller selection. They named her Heather.

Readers will be familiar with the good versus evil narrative and know how it plays out… Or do they?

There’s a detached style to Weiner’s writing, a purposeful distance that makes you feel like an observer. Ordinarily, I prefer to feel immersed in a book but in this case, the style was the hook, drawing me into the Breakstone’s world. There are moments narrated by one character that were genuinely chilling –

…his contact with the women customers was limited to long stares as they searched the aisles for lightbulbs or caulk. From his perch on the forklift he watched them wandering, clearly searching for men and not finding anything they deserved, like rope, or gloves, or him.

4/5 My quibbles would be spoilers so just know that I couldn’t put it down.

I received my copy of Heather, the Totality from the publisher, Little, Brown & Company, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

To begin with, this book is entirely too short to be considered a novel, and too long to be a short story, so…a novella it is. And to summarize, well, the title makes it kind of obvious. It’s about Heather. From the early pre-Heather days in her parent’s relationship to the day when, as a teenager, her life sits on a dangerous precipice, unbeknownst to her.

At first, it seems to be a character study of Heather, and it definitely is that. It isn’t especially dramatic, no real deep dive emotionally, and as fiction goes, not a lot happens. Two people become a couple. Then they have a child and she is their everything. The child grows and connects and changes and learns and grows and changes more. Her relationship with each parent develops differently as she becomes more and more herself. As she moves into adolescence, her close relationship with her mother dissolves while she grows closer to her father, who becomes aware of how grown up she is becoming, and he knows that he is not the only man who is noticing. So, he pays attention. He notices when someone undesirable seems to be paying too much attention to her movements, and knowing things about how men can be, he worries for her safety. He watches and protects, while Heather unknowingly flirts with danger. Good Dad. Typical teenage daughter.

So, like I said, not much happens. Or, at least, I can see how other people would see it that way. Just a different version of a story so many of us have already lived, right? But to me, that’s what’s interesting. It’s a reflection on the repetiveness and ordinariness of life, how we change as people, as a couple, as a parent, as a child, as a family; how what we think we know and understand about each other can be true but temporary or an image constructed for us by those we love; how we can’t force our children to be what we want them to be. It’s a reminder of how none of us has all the information in any given situation, how our perception of a situation or person is influenced by our experiences (or lack thereof), that people can and do change. So yeah, it’s a character study and not much happens. But then again, everything happens.

When I started this book, I didn’t have any real expectations. At the end of it, I had to think on it awhile to determine what, if anything, I took away from it. Because it wasn’t entertaining, there were no thrills, no tears. But since I didn’t hate it (I quite liked it!), there had to be a reason. I’ve done my best to tease out those reasons here. It was thoughtful and succinct and worth a read. And that’s all I have to say about that. ;)

My Thoughts: Heather, the Totality’s author, Matthew Weiner, is the creator of the much loved TV show Mad Men, so my expectations were high for his debut. In the beginning, I liked Weiner’s matter-of-fact writing style. He laid out the two main characters, Mark and Karen Breakstone, very simply and quickly. I assumed as the story progressed, he’d more fully flesh them out. He didn’t. Maybe that was the point of this novella. I’m still not really sure whether i missed something or whether Weiner, just didn’t deliver.

For me, the entire story was very one-dimensional. None of the characters ever had any depth to their development and one, construction worker Bobby Klosky, was pathetically clichéd. Everything in the book revolved around the Breakstone’s daughter, Heather, but again the reasons why just seemed thin and really sad. The final act of the book was so abrupt, it almost went unnoticed. And then, it was over. I’d say this one was a fail.

The Breakstone family thought they were doing everything right. A husband with a good job to support his family comfortably in a Manhattan apartment, a stay at home mom who showers their daughter with love and affection, and a beautiful daughter with incredible empathy, intelligence, and beauty. But that's just the view from the surface. Underneath there are marital issues, a lack of privacy for Heather, the daughter, and resentment running rampant through the entire family. Heather's magnetism draws in people of all kinds. When darkness gets too close to the Breakstone daughter, it brings out a darkness in the entire family.

I saw this book everywhere recently, and when I realized Matthew Weiner was also the creator for Mad Men, I immediately got on Netgalley to request a copy of his first novel. Are you kidding me? Mad Men is literary genius. I was so excited. Once I started reading, I really enjoyed the introduction and the build-up. And then it never ended. I felt like the entire book was the introduction or summary for an even longer story. I could even see this as being a pitch for a dark, Mad Men-esque TV show. There was so much potential for more. There wasn't even very much dialogue and it really could have used it. Don't get me wrong, I liked the feel of the novel and what Weiner was trying to say with the story. The result was just underwhelming.

Due to the recent revelations of Matthew Weiner's behavior, I will not be reviewing or reading this book.

Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC - I was unfortunately unable to read this one.