In FRENCH BRAID, Anne Tyler skillfully weaves the stories of four generations of the Baltimore Garrett family, from a rare vacation in in 1959 to quarantining in 2020 to quarantining in 2020.

There is something so comforting about an Anne Tyler book in a time of enormous change. You will., predictably, find even writing about family topics usually based in the Baltimore area. You will also, predictably, find the cracks under the surface of an outwardly functioning family. That is a concise description of French Braid which spans the decades from the 1950s through the beginning of the current Pandemic. The pater (and mater) familias of the Garrett clan are typical post war people. Immediately you notice that Robin is the husband, an unusual name for a man unless you think of Christopher Robin. The wife is named Mercy. She is not merciful and she admits to the fact that the couple married too young. Their family is typical for the post-war era. A working husband and a stay at home mother and three very unique children.

Alice, the oldest, dreams of her her life being narrated by a voiceover giving her life the importance she would like. Lily is totally unlike her sister, a bit wild and unmanageable and a Daddy's girl. Baby David is an afterthought and an obvious disappointment to his father who doesn't understand his interests or his fears.

As soon as the children launch from the nest, Mercy realizes that she is unfulfilled and makes a stealthy break from her husband. Robin hopes that if he pretends he and his wife are still a unit, the trouble between his wife and him will somehow blow over.

Children marry and have other children. While the parents stay in the Baltimore area, some of children and most of the grandchildren fly further. Mores change and social evolution is part and parcel of the Garrett family.

The only petty quarrel I have with the book is that occasionally Ms Tyler forgets which person in the generation spanning family is speaking and a turn of phrase comes out of a younger character's mouth that is uncomfortably odd for their era.

However, focus on the story. The story is a piece of Americana, that twists and turns as America itself learns that who you love is less important than that you love, and that marriage is not forever and a person can slip out the door of a closed cage.

This is a wonderful book. It's perfect for readers looking for a "cozy" read, with surprising characters who are easily recognized as members of our own families.

I enjoyed this book although the ending was a bit abrupt. But I love everything by Anne Tyler, she is one of my favorite authors.

Family story of complicated relationships between unique characters and the consequences of their actions on their family members..

In French Braid, Anne Tyler captures the complicated relationships between siblings, parents, and spouses and gives readers much emotional fodder to devour. I always feel better when I read one of her novels and realize I’m not the only married woman who feels like… I have read and will read everything she writes.

Once again, Anne Tyler delights us with an exquisitely crafted tale of four generations of one midwestern family in her inimitable, quirky style. Her character’s relationships revealed through humorous dialog and heartfelt actions ring true. “French Braid” is perhaps her best yet.

A well written book about three generations of a family. Interesting, but not super exciting. Just kind of flows along. Kind of sad at times. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Are you an Anne Tyler fan? Then you will definitely want this book. French Braid is everything I love about Anne Tyler. Quirky characters that are infinitely relatable, raw human emotion that is universal, and a plot that's really just life. This is the story of a family, a marriage, and the lives of daughters/sons/parents. I can't really give a plot summary other than to say that Tyler follows these characters through their lives and I couldn't stop reading - I wanted to find out how their lives turned out. Near the end, Tyler explains the title and it's a wonderful description of this book --

"When she undid them (French braids), her hair would still be in ripples, little leftover squiggles, for hours and hours. That's how families work. You think you're free of them, but you're never really free; the ripples are crimped forever."

This is the story of a family, the ups and downs and how each of them influences the others. This is NOT a high action novel, but that's just fine. I was just fine living with Robin and Mercy and the rest of the family for a while.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this amazing book. Tyler continues to amaze. French Braid is an exploration of the Garrett family from the 1950's through 2020. The first chapter is a prequel that will resonate if re-read. The central character throughout much of the book is the matriarch, Mercy, who quietly leaves her husband to live in her studio where she paints impressions of houses, with one item in hyper-detail. The Garrett family dysfunction and function are keenly observed. They ring true in their love but often dislike of each other. There are multiple generations, all of which are beautifully characterized. This is a book to be treasured. The themes of connection and family are universal and deftly and profoundly explored in this masterful yet eminently readable novel.

Another great Anne Tyler book about intricate relationships in a family and how childhood events color those future relationships. The first chapter of the book introduces the characters in an off hand way, but the meat of the novel happens after that. Wait for it.
Once you are introduced to the Garrett family, this becomes a book you don’t want to put down and you definitely don’t want it to end. You don’t learn about David and the reason he stays away from the family until near the end, but by then you have surmised that the Garrett’s are just a typical family with typical dysfunction. What stands out, though, like all Ann Tyler books, is that you truly get to know and understand the characters. I will not be forgetting these characters, even if I do forget the plot.
I didn’t think the title fit the book and wonder if readers will skip this book based on the title, thinking it is about young girls on a playground (which is what I conjure up when I think of French braids). It is explained near the end but not in a profound way. Ignore the title and read the book as you will not be disappointed. Thank you, Netgalley for an ARC.

Anne Tyler has concocted a beautiful metaphor about just what a family is: The French Braid. The explanation comes late in the book, but it is so on target. This is a funny and a poignant novel, just what is expected in a Tyler work.

Readers meet the Garretts, and their story starts unfolding in the summer of 1959. No surprises that they live in Baltimore, but as the children grow up, they branch out to other parts of the Northeast.

The parents Robin and Mercy have similar but diverging goals in life. Robin wants a home; Mercy wants a second life after raising her family. Daughters Alice and Lily are complete opposites in personalities. Son David wants to distance himself from family for reasons the parents and sisters do not understand.

As life goes on through the decades, the shape of the Garrett family changes, grows, backs up, starts anew. Parents grow old, marriages come and go, children are added to the family, and they grow up as well.
The novel has it all: humor, heartache, success, failure…an imitation of life for sure. It has been called “classic Anne Tyler,” while I would call it Anne Tyler at her very best.

Anne Tyler won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 with the novel Breathing Lesson. Her books, always witty and engaging, never disappoint.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting December 22, 2021.

I would like to thank Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Anne Tyler books are always a joy to read. She has a gift of family stories that feel real and beautiful and poignant. French Braid is that way too, and will be a welcome respite for her fans, new and old.

I love Anne Tyler's writing. It always amazes that she can make a seemingly regular family going through the norms of life be so interesting. The slight dysfunctionality of it all is completely realistic and engaging. Truly enjoyed the glimpse into the lives of the Garrett family.

Perhaps I am no longer an Anne Tyler fan and the supposed innocence of the 50s is lost on me. Having lived in Baltimore I appreciate the city references however it is to a genteel city that never really existed to a subset of the population. I will give this book three stars only because I appreciate Tyler’s previous works.

Ann Tyler's latest book captures you from the very beginning and never lets you go. The story set in Baltimore takes you through 60 years with the Garrett family and captures life and emotion throughout the book. There are many mini story lines that intertwine to make this book a definite winner.

Anne Tyler is a skilled writer and has fully created the Garrett family in this novel. The relationships, the conversations and the different characters are so realistic and Tyler provides a clear and uncensored view into the family. I loved the nuanced relationships that are full of love and yet uncertain and fragile - just as many of our own family relationships can be. The intersection of personalities, perspectives and behaviors create the family dynamics that Tyler deftly displays and explores through different scenes throughout their lives. I greatly enjoyed this one.

Anne Tyler's latest novel, French Braid, takes readers over 60 or more years of the lives of the Garrett family living in Tyler's most familiar setting, Baltimore. The story shows how the lives of the extended family weave across and throughout the decades. Essential is the plot is the strong female character, Mercy, who decides that she needs a place of her own, in this case a rented art studio, where she can escape from her role of mother and wife. A great book discussion read to examine women's personalities.

I think this is Anne Tyler's finest work since she wrote the Accidental Tourist. Her character development is sublime, and her balance of bitter and sweet really shines. I suspect this will be a massively popular book club choice for 2022.

I’ve read all of her books except two (she’s written so many). If you’re a fan already you know how incredibly consistent she is. I’ve never been let down by one of her books.

In this one we follow a family from the 1940s through to the present. It jumps ahead a few years every so often but we get the kids, grandkids etc as they grow. We follow them along and, well, it’s like you’re part of the family. And Anne Tyler does family so well (family drama/dynamics). I love the way she’s able profide amazingly accurate details without getting lost in the details and I love the way reading one of her stories feels so effortless. Before you know it, you’re at the halfway mark. You blink again and it’s over. But you’re smiling. She does an amazing job with setting and atmosphere. It’s the little things that really make you feel like you’re in the time/era.

If you like Anne Tyler, you’re going to enjoy this one. If you’ve never read her before, this is a good place to start.

Thanks @knopf and @netgalley for the gifted copy.

I am a huge fan of Anne Tyler. This novel reminds me of my.favorite Tyler novel, LADDER OF YEARS. Reading this brought me into the Garrett family, and made me fall in love with each of them. Generally, I don’t like too many people in a novel, but rather than a crowded book, I felt engaged and enveloped by the various characters.

I understood Mercy, just like Delia in Ladder of Years, launching Act II in her life., but with such a deft and gentle touch that the family doesn’t fall apart, just respectfully restructures to accommodate her needs. I loved the way the author followed the family, and painted a portrait so deftly, though briefly, that I knew the characters. This is a perfectly constructed novel.

Simply, this is another magical Tyler novel, not to be missed. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the pleasure of reading this very lovely book.