This is a book that will make you think. At times I struggled to stay involved in the story, but I’m happy I continued. It has a strong, relevant message. You’ll be thinking about it long after you’re done. Would be a great book to read and have discussion.

I love novels that span decades and allow you to go deep with the characters to understand their development. This one follows sisters Jo and Bethie from their childhood in the 1950s all the way through the 2000s.

Ms. Weiner says in her forward that two of her favorite books are Susan Isaacs’s Almost Paradise and Michael Cunningham’s A Home at the End of the World, which follow the characters from births. She always knew she wanted to write novel that spanned an entire life.

She’s done just that in this beautifully written novel that transports you through the decades. It’s about being a woman, the circumstances faced by women through the decades, and the decisions that women make, influenced by their surroundings and opportunities. It’s about being a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife, an aunt, and a friend. It’s about trying to be everything to everyone, both succeeding and failing in a uniquely human way.

Beth and Jo are two sisters who grew up during a time where women were supposed to be wives, mothers and nothing else. Jo is the older of the two sisters, fiercely independent and marches to the beat of her own drummer. Bethie is the "good girl" who always does what she is told to do, always trying to make others happy. Their lives drastically change when their father unexpectantly died, leaving them with a cold and distant mother. The sisters are forced to deal with secrets that shape their entire lives. Jo gets married and has a family that requires her to forget about her dreams of becoming a writer, among other dreams. And "good girl" Bethie ends up living a hippie lifestyle that takes her on all sorts of wild rides. As the decades go by both women struggle with the identities of who they have become since their childhood. They are seeking out the happiness that has eluded them their whole lives, but is it too late?

Jennifer Weiner novels have always been "hit or miss" with me. Mrs. Everything is by far her best novel to date. Beth and Jo are as different as two sisters can be, yet they are both characters that the reader can really get behind and support. Jo was always my favorite, she was the one who seemed to always have to work so hard to fit into the world around her. Beth was a "good girl" gone wild, almost the instant she got to college. The book is told from the different viewpoints of the sisters and gives the readers an intimate insight that is unparalleled in literature right now. I loved the way the author takes the readers on a ride that spans decades and covers topics that are controversial yet relevant. It took decades, but in the end, both Jo and Beth were at peace with their lives. And their loves. Mrs. Everything was one of those books that left me wishing me there was more.

Bottom Line - As somebody who has been reading Jennifer Weiner novels since Good in Bed was released, I have never been as entrenched in a story as I was with Mrs. Everything. It is a big commitment at nearly 500 pages, but Beth and Jo's story is worth every minute.

Details:
Mrs. Everything by Jenifer Weiner
On Facebook
Pages: 496
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 6/11/19
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free book in exchange for an honest review.

The story of sisters Jo and Bethie, framed in loss from the beginning as their father died unexpectedly, leading their mother to a joyless existence and setting the sisters on a lifelong journey of balancing their identities with the expectations of society, their family and themselves.

The story felt slow until the first third of the book, but then came together and beautifully concluded (with many tears shed!). How much time do we lose trying to please others, not acknowledging who we are and why?

Atria Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Mrs. Everything. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Mrs. Everything follows sisters Bethie and Jo Kaufman as they navigate through the trials and tribulations of their lives. Growing up in the 1950's was not easy for Jo, as she was unwilling to conform to the social norms of wearing dresses and acting like a proper young lady. Always at odds with her mother, Jo preferred the company of her father. Bethie was the opposite, always willing to be dolled up and admired by others. When the 60's ushers in huge changes for the sisters, how will their lives be forever changed?

I really did want to like Mrs. Everything, but it was just too drawn out and predictable. The author tried to insert her characters into every hot button issue from the fifties to today, spanning too much time and just glossing over it all. The clichés were enormous and overshadowed what could have been a well defined story about sibling rivalry and family dynamics. I did not particularly care for the ending, as the book would have been better off leaving the epilogue to the reader's imagination. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Mrs. Everything to other readers.

I'm not always a Jennifer Weiner fan, but I really loved this novel. It is deep, yet moves seamlessly. I felt for Bethie, she always seems to find the wrong way. I was cheerleading her on along the way.

Jennifer Weiner couldn’t have come up with a better title for this book. Mrs. Everything has characters that are relatable to EVERYONE. Women are complex beings. We can all go through similar issues but how we deal with them determines how we learn from them. In this poignant novel, we meet two sisters Jo and Bethie Kaufman and follow their trials and tribulations from the 1950s to the late 2000s.
Because the story covers so many generational events, there are trigger warnings. If you are sensitive to homophobia, interracial relationships, eating disorders, and sexual assault, and emotional abuse, you may want to pass.
There are a few instances of implausibility. The fashions and events are written for the wrong decades. Since I read an unfinished copy, these nuances may have been fixed before publication. The premise of “empowerment” is evident, but slightly off the mark. Yes, Jo and Bethie are survivors, but they had to endure years of unspeakable things to come out on top? This part of the book seems a little overdone to me. I am glad that women arent subjected to this blatant amount of sexism in current times. We have a long way to go, but nothing like what women as endured decades ago. I did enjoy comparing and contrasting past to present times.
Mrs. Everything covers the female plight through the decades favorably. If you are too young to have experienced the events in the book, I’m sure you know someone who has. The book aims to show how resilience can help carry you through even the toughest life-changing events.

I was hoping for so much more from this book. I generally enjoy stories that span decades, but I had a hard time staying with Mrs. Everything. Jo and Beth were both fine characters; I had a difficult time with their relationship as sisters - it didn't always feel authentic. The girls were on such different paths that their interactions seemed more like friendly strangers than friends.
I liked Jo's storyline much more than Beth's - it seemed more dynamic and electric.
Ultimately, Mrs. Everything was a good, but not great story.

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

Brief Summary: Bethie and Jo are born into a classic American family in Detroit in the 1950s. Jo is a tomboy, Athlete, and is determined to make a mark on the world. Bethie is a cheerleader, actress, and feminine good girl. The novel follows them over the course of their lives through Vietnam and Woodstock as they navigate college, relationships, trauma, tragedy, marriage, children, careers, and health issues. This novel contains themes that every woman will be able to relate too; especially those that grew up in this era.

Highlights: By far the best aspect of this novel for me was Jo’s journey as a lesbian woman. I have had several homosexual patients who were in heterosexual relationships at different points in their lives and this book really helped me grasp the social and political issues of discrimination, stigma, and bias they experienced and continued to experience. This novel also incorporates serious subject matter like rape and sexual abuse; including the long term consequences for the victims. I also learned about what it was like in the 19 50s, 60s, and 70s; the limited career choices they had and what society expected of them. The family dynamics in this book were interesting and well done. This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions.

What makes this book unique? I can’t recall another novel with such strong cultural diversity of Jo’s story as a lesbian woman. I also found the history quite unique.

Explanation of Rating: 5/5; Hands down, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Psychology Factors: LGBTQ cultural diversity, rape, sexual abuse; all very well done

Favorite Quotes: “Women who love women rarely get to spend their lives with the one they love.” “I got tired of being brave all the time and I wanted a safe and easier life.”

This is a great pick for book clubs, fans of women’s fiction and historical fiction. This would also be a psychology book club pick, if I had such a Book club.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Mrs. Everything was just that, a little bit of everything. A family saga spanning decades of two sisters covering rape, an era of repressed housewives struggling to find themselves, and same sex marriage .Despite all these topics (and many more) that deserve attention brought to them it seemed the characters were never developed enough for me to be connected to their plight. I really wanted to love this book, I swear I did! Unfortunately it was about a 150 pages too long for my liking.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance readers copy.

I've read and loved just about all of Jennifer Weiner's novels and this was one of her best. From the very first chapter of the girls seeing their new suburban home to the different paths over the next half century this hooked me. Jennifer Weiner mentioned that she loved Susan Isaacs novel Almost Paradise, another favorite, and I agree, this is a big, beautiful, novel to get lost in. The characters and events stayed with me long after reading.

I've been a fan of Weiner for years and was thrilled to receive this arc. It didn't disappoint, it was in fact EVERYTHING. A ride through time with two sisters that kept my interest and made me feel a lot of feels. Well written and timely, Weiner continues to be on top of her game.

I was so excited to see a new book out by Weiner because I have thoroughly enjoyed the others I read by her.

Not sure why I don’t fit in with the “norm” of most who seem to love this one, but it was just ok for me. I know the author based it loosely on her mother’s experiences from the perspective of Jo, but I felt it was a little too forced in a way. I couldn’t really appreciate the character development of any of the 3 daughters, just that Lila was a brat all because her parents got divorced??

The book covered some stereotypes that I feel are overplayed and that the author threw in because that is what everyone assumes is the problem with people(ie kids are bad because parents get divorced, women turn into “gold diggers” because they can’t find a job). Or people assume that most women in the 50’s and 60’s hated staying home. Yes, times are totally different now and almost all of us work, I can’t imagine staying home, but I don’t think it’s fair to make it seem that every woman portrayed in this novel hated not working or taking care of her children, and I felt that’s what it did. And I also would just like to say, I know that their mother didn’t show a lot of affection, and it seems after reading the author’s note perhaps that is how she feels of her own mother as well?

I felt the ending was very rushed and not tied down at all, the author lingered over the sex scenes in Jo’s youth and the drug use in Bethie’s youth for over a 1/3 of the novel, but then skims the last 20 years of their lives in just a few chapters...

Sorry for the rant of a review, but the book turned out to be little political/liberal/stereotypical and just not my taste I just wasn’t a big fan.

Beautifully written story about family, secrets and parenthood. It follows the main characters from childhood through late adulthood and reflects the social changes that occurred in America during that time. I highly recommend!

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC!

I really enjoyed the back half of this novel. I felt as though it took awhile to really get going, but once it did I was all in. Jennifer Weiner is an author who I have followed over the years, and is someone who's novels I will ALWAYS read. Cheers to continued success!

Loved this book so much. I was so invested in both characters and did not see the twist coming. It reminded me of Firefly Lane but with more likable characters.

Interesting read, I.lead a Barnes and Noble Bookclub with this book. Loved it. Would love to read more books by this author .

** spoiler alert ** This one started really slowly and I almost quit but I'm so glad I stuck with it. I really did get invested in Jo and Beth's lives. However, the more brilliant part of the book is not that any one character is Mrs. Everything, but the line of "she misses everything". Such a play on words that really changed the dynamic of the whole book to me!

I feel like a bit of a monster for not loving this book, when I do appreciate what Weiner set out to do, and did find myself caring for the characters in Mrs. Everything. But this book just felt so simplistic to me. It's hard for a novel that covers so much ground over time to not reduce big moments in the characters' lives to their essence. Unfortunately, that didn't feel pithy and powerful to me - it just felt like the characters were given short shrift.

Big things happen to these women (Bethie and Jo) - I mean, over seven decades, it would have to, right? And the combination of these things over time gives the reader the idea that they're leading complicated lives. These women are unique, yet, they're representative of the good girl and the rebel, the woman who conforms to societal expectations and the one who pushes back against them. And Weiner had me. Her writing style remains breezy, but it felt like she was going deeper than she has in previous novels.

But then I took a step back, and was really frustrated by the plot. So much of this book is, "Thing A happened, so then Thing B happened." That, to me, could make it a great light/fast read, but not one I want to spend 400 pages with. This sort of predictability is maddening, and makes me feel that a book billed as feminist really isn't - these women are robbed of their agency if, for seven decades, they're simply behaving in logical response to the things that happened to them. That's not to say it's unrealistic, but it doesn't make for a book I'll particularly enjoy.

I'm grateful to Weiner for incorporating so many big issues into this latest of her novels. Following two sisters throughout their lives certainly is an ambitious aim, and many scenes in Mrs. Everything worked really well. I'm disappointed I didn't love this one - I really wanted to - but, if I'm being honest, it was just okay for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a free e-arc for review.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC. I hadn't read anything by Jennifer Weiner in a long time. I enjoyed this book and thought it was good but at times it seemed a little more dramatic than it needed to be. I found the relationships between the characters a little too fraught at times. The book was well written and a page turner. It was nice to read a book by this author after a long time.