When Celadon Books reached out with this ARC, I had to take them up on it... a story about a family with a several children, and one VERY late addition, sounded like something I was familiar with! We have our very own "Latecomer", having had our sixth child when my youngest was already 8 and my oldest almost 18😲!

This novel is divided into three separate sections: whereupon we learn about the parents, then the triplets who were born from the early stages of IVF, and finally the "Latecomer" and fourth sibling, born when the triplets were 17 years old. Talk about starting over😲🤯!!!

This was definitely a character-driven novel, in which none of the characters were actually very endearing😩. The triplets were completely unlikeable and the idea of them being so averse to each other from the cradle on was not entirely believable. The father angered me for reasons I cannot disclose since I don't want to share spoilers. And Stella - I won't even go into my issues with her role in this story.

There were a couple redeeming characters... I could empathize with the Mama's feelings of impending purposelessness as her triplets were about to fly the coup. Personally, as a woman whose identity is based primarily on being a mother, I understood her pain. In fact I just had this discussion with a dear friend of mine - it's hard to watch your babies grow up so quickly. Phoebe, the "Latecomer" herself, was also a redeeming character, but that redemption doesn't come until the last third of the book.

The family dynamics were frustrating, to say the least, and not something I could relate to. The entire family seemed devoid of love. Of course, there was infidelity thrown in, which just irritated me🙄. But honestly, I cannot say it was poorly written. There was just something about the writing that kept me interested throughout.

Many thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Latecomer chronicles the life of the Oppenheimer family- It's modern origins and the coming of age of the Oppenheimer triplets Harrison, Sally, and Llewyn. Johanna, their mother is constantly attempting to bring them together and force a familial bond. Salo, their father is spending more and more time away from home. The triplets just want to go away to college and finally be on their own.
I think my favorite triplet was Llewyn who just seemed naive and well-meaning but misguided. Harrison was my least favorite but I think that was intentional as the author makes many references to him being difficult to like.

The word that comes to mind when I think about this book is "meandering".  I enjoyed reading this book but it seemed to not have much of a story arc for most of the plot. Rather, it meandered along with no end in sight.  I did enjoy the ending- it was sweet and it wrapped up everything rather nicely (whereas at one point I had suspected the ending might be more sad).  The character development was excellent in my opinion which is something I always look for in my reading.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I recommend this one if you:
-Don't mind a slow burn
-Enjoy good character development
-Went to Ithaca College (a chunk of the plot takes place there and I enjoyed reading about it as I'm a little bit familiar with the area)
- Enjoy reading books about art collections
- Enjoy a good family drama

I dove into this book with the same feelings that I ended up The Plot, which I absolutely loved. Sorrowfully, those hopes were dashed on the rocks of my thinking this was more than a delve into this completely unhappy family. It fell flat for me and far from my interests. The characters simply didn’t speak to me, nor did I care about what was a glacially slow-moving plot. It is not often that I don’t finish a book, but to struggle on with this plodding story was a task I simply was not up to. Not the book for me. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Really enjoyed reading this literary novel with a couple twists and turns, to say the least! It is a slow burn, starting with Salo and Joanna Oppenheimer in the 1970s and ending in present day. The bulk of the novel revolves around their “petri-dish” triplets who generally don’t get along or talk. As the triplets are preparing for college, multiple events lead to Joanna and Salo having their fourth child from the retrieved embryos of the 1980s via surrogate. Seventeen years later, the fourth child, Phoebe, must figure out how to bring her family back together.

I wanted so much to love this book given the author’s previous work and how beautiful I find her writing style. Unfortunately, this complex family drama sat very flat for me and I couldn’t help but think the entire time why it was so lengthy? It became tedious to finish and, being that it’s the epitome of a character driven book, didn’t have much plot to pull me through.

The writing was sophisticated in the way it approaches themes of infertility, familial fall out, adultery, marriage, and multiple POV. This book will be loved by many. As for me, I kept longing for a connection that never took place with either character or plot. I will leave it at I am not the intended audience for this work although I do hope to see others take great joy from it.

Thank you to celadon and netgalley for the #eARC

I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author and this one didn't disappoint! It is a slow burn but I still couldn't put it down. I love the writing style of this author and the different characters that keep you hooked. I have to say this is more of a character driven story and it worked so well in this book. This is a thought provoking book and I can't wait to see what this author writes next!

I really enjoyed The Plot last year and I was so excited to receive the eARC of The Latecomer. I loved this novel even more! It is a complex family story that is jam packed with drama and sadness with a backdrop of wealth and privilege, I loved going into the story mostly blind, and I would have preferred not even knowing what the title refers to. The author was so honest about how all families don’t resemble the perfect families represented in 60’s and 70’s TV shows, where everyone is so close, and any disagreements are resolved within the hour. Most families are gritty and raw and complicated and the author writes about all of it, which would make this such an excellent book club pick.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for early access to The Latecomer in exchange for my honest review! I was so happy to read it!

This book has gotten a lot of play in the press lately and it deserves every comment and review. The chapter titles and the writing remind me of of the perfectly crafted stories of Jane Austin or the Brontes, but the era begins in 1972. We are introduced to the Oppenheimer triplets born to a wealthy and well-established Jewish family, yet, as we are told in the foreword, “in full flight from one another as far back as their ancestral petri dish.” A more unpleasant family — from parents to all of the three children — you are unlikely to meet, but the wonder of this book is that the author pulls the reader into their individual stories and creates, if not a sympathy for, but a curiosity that begins to grow organically until you are fully invested in the wildly divergent characters.
The story is dense and rich with details that lead you in directions you could never have imagined as you began the first chapter.
I predict as you reach the end of this family’s tale, you will leave the Oppenheimers with a feeling of great satisfaction.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this title in exchange for an honest review.

#FirstLine ~ Mom had a way of of obfuscating when anyone asked how she and our father first met.

Beautiful and thoughtful this book was one I will not soon forget. It was complicated and messy and brilliant. It was one of those books that slowly seeps in and then you realized you have been changed by it without knowing it. It was deep and special. It was so good, that it is hard to really put it into words. It was unlike many other books and that is why I loved it!

I went into this book anticipating a thriller. It is not that and that's totally on me for assuming. I wish I had a better understanding of what to expect going in.

What The Latecomer is is a dysfunctional family drama, deeply character driven, and literary; exploring themes like class, privilege, race, sibling and family dynamics, and the echo of grief and trauma across generations.

The story follows the wealthy Oppenheimer family of NYC beginning in 1972 when a tragedy results in parents Salo and Johanna meeting; through the 90s and aughts while the Oppenheimer triplet, born via IVF after years of fertility struggles, never live up to their mother's idealized expectations of family; up to present day when the coming of age of their sibling, with whom they shared a petri dish, but not a womb, who wasn't born until 18 years later, has impactful ramifications on their family unit.

This book is close to 500 pages long and it's one to really settle in with and be patient. I found it well written and immersive and enjoyed the ride, but this is not going to be the book for readers who require a quick moving plot to keep their interest.

Definitely one to consider picking up if you appreciate messy family dynamics

Korelitz’ newest work is a hefty one, but one that touches on important topics of privilege and generational trauma. Though much different than her other works, The Latecomer will surely keep you entertained through the 500 plus pages. Definitely not to my taste, but I can see the merit.

This is the story of the wealthy Oppenheimer family which begins with how parents Salo and Johanna first met and ultimately the birth of their triplets from IVF. As the three triplets discover life on their own in college and have always been very detached from one another, Johanna decides that she wants to have another child to fill her empty nest using the extra frozen embryo they have left. Years later, their sibling will hold they key to maybe help put back together a family that has been rocked by tragedy and scandal.

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The writing in this story was filled with depth and was incredibly descriptive. It was really hard to connect with these characters particularly the triplets as they grew to be some majorly unlikable characters. However it was very interesting to see how they had changed from their college years and into adulthood. I will say this one was VERY slow to the point where the story felt kind of lost to too much unnecessary detail. The main plot of the story didn’t really kick in till about 75% into the story. I really enjoy the ending and how everything came together. I would like to thank @celadonbooks and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This title is now available for purchase!

It's always a great day when you have a book published by Jean Hanff Korelitz. You never get the same thing twice. From You Should Have Known, to The Plot and now we have The Latecomer. It's a story of a dysfunctional family with triplets. It's not what you think it is. It's a serious literary novel that tackles race, privilege, art, homosexuality, and marriage. The parents are Salo and Johanna and their kids are Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally. It starts with how the family came to be and then gets into the relationships the family has with each other. Let's just say they are not your typical family. It's not always pleasant and sometimes they are just awful to each other. It's one of those novels that keep you turning the pages because you know Ms. Korelitz always has a trick up her sleeve and you're trying to figure out what it is. I certainly didn't see it coming and it certainly was a shocker. It would be a great pick for a book club because I'm sure this book will get a lot of attention and will also get the summer buzz book vibe. Thank you to #netgalley and #celadonbooks for the read.

I throughly enjoyed reading Jean Hanff Korelitz’s previous thriller The Plot, and was excited to read her newest novel The Latecomer. A big Thank you to Celadon Books and the author for the advanced digital copy of the book.

The Latecomer is a slow-building, multi-layered, captivating drama about the wealthy New York Oppenheimer family. It is brilliantly written with highly developed characters. It is a contemporary novel that tells the story of a couple Salo and Johanna that come together during tragedy, who go on to become the parents of triplet siblings born through IVF. The triplets Harrison, Lewyn and Sally grow up very disconnected and longing to escape from one another, this along with other issues eventually starts to break apart the vulnerable family.

But nineteen years later, when Johanna is faced with becoming an empty nester and being alone. She makes choice to take the fourth embryo from deep freeze, to be conceived. The Latecomer, Phoebe is born into the fractured Oppenheimer family. She grows up and ventures to fix what has been broken. A dynamic family saga that deals with guilt, trauma, memory, privilege and so much more, but is at times humorous also. Once I got caught up in the storyline I just wanted to keep reading it until the very end. The Latecomer is definitely a book you will want to add to your reading list.

This book has been a bag of mixed reviews all over booksta and I can certainly see why! A veryyyyy slow burn character study about conflict, coming of age, tragedy, love loss, and the layered nuances of intergenerational family stories. The story has emphasis on trauma, art and Jewish representation that originally had me the most excited! I tend to gravitate to multi generational stories with woven storylines and personality dynamics. The Latecomer though was too slow and too long that by the time I got to the nit and grit of these core themes, frankly, I was too exhausted to care. Basically, it felt a bit like homework. In contrast though, I did manage to finish it so there is something to be said about the writing style, characters and development. I do wish that the narrators spoke in first person throughout so I could have connected more to their inner workings/feelings and understand each one personally. All in all, an interesting book and I get why some would love it and some would hate it. I think I fall somewhere in the middle….

The Latecomer was a very slow read for me. The beginning focuses on the father, Salo Oppenheimer and how him and his wife, Johanna, ended up together. From there the story covers the course of decades as they begin their family and moves onto the children. When I say it was slow, it was unnecessarily slow for me and I really wanted to DNF it. I continued on, as I was kindly gifted my review copy. While I did finish it, it just wasn’t the book for me. Although I did feel the characters were well developed, I didn’t like any of them. That being said, if you enjoy family dramas, this one may be for you.

Many thanks to @celadonbooks for my review copy.

Grand Read

What an incredible story in The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz. This is the first book of this author that I have read, and I really enjoyed the story. It's a family story unlike any kind that I have read. A wealthy family, and the story is told from the meeting of the parents, and it grows from there. The plot has layers and a lot of subplots. The family dynamic is interesting, and if feels like the family wants to escape. Escape each other. Triumphs and tragedies, and the family feels so distant even with each other. The family is coming apart at the seams, and then, another child enters the family. This author brings the story to life. The characters had a lot of depth, and were very realistic. It’s one of those embraceable stories. This story was very unpredictable, especially in the unconventional, dysfunctional family, and how their story ends. I hope to read more books by this author. The Latecomer is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review.

When I started this book I was confused because I don't normally read books like this, but honestly it was really good! I didn't think I was gonna like it as much as I did.

Happy Publication Day The Latecomer!

The Latecomer is an in-depth character analysis of a family only in name. In reality, they are held together only by the simple fact they are a family. They celebrate birthdays, attend funerals and go through the motions of being a family but in reality none of them, for reasons of their own, want to be around each other.

This book is heavily character driven which is a departure from the books I would ordinarily gravitate too. However some of my favourite books I’ve read this year are ones which I wouldn’t have usually picked up, so I thought why not. I was initially really into the book. I was fascinated by these people and wanted a deeper analysis into the missing familial connection. Perhaps I saw versions of my own family hidden within these characters.

Yet, none of the characters are really likable and I think that was exactly the point. Which is probably why after the first few chapters, the remaining ¾ of the book felt neverending. It started to become repetitive as to the driving home of the character traits of each individual and their actions during these chapters weren’t really departures from what we already knew about them. I started to contemplate the why of it all. I knew that eventually this book would have to end in the family coming together for some reason or another, otherwise why was any of this important. Yet I wasn’t sure if I would feel anything when the time came.

It wasn’t until the POV changed to Phoebe, the daughter born 18 years after the triplets arrived, that the book started to regain my interest. Although I initially felt sorry for the triplets because they were a product of their circumstances their actions left me wondering if even if they had a loving and more “traditional” upbringing if they would have landed themselves exactly where they were anyway. Phoebe was as well a product of her circumstances but literally every member of her family had checked out by the time she arrived and she was left to pick up the pieces. Her desire for a “traditional” family could be felt through her pages.

Thank you to Celadon Books for providing an advanced reader’s copy through NetGalley for review.

Thank you so much to the author, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC!
This review contains my honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions. 

I decided to try something a little different from my "usual" and decided to give The Latecomer a try. It was definitely different for me and while I had mixed feelings, I did enjoy the story and would recommend it to those I feel would like it. This was my first book by Jean Hanff Korelitz.

The story begins by clearly pointing out that the triplets share no bond, no special "triplet" bond, they aren't even known as the Oppenheimer Triplets. Quite frankly, they don't like each other turning eighteen not only means heading off to college but finally beginning the separate lives they so desperately want. 

Then begins the story with The Parents. We discover the parents' past, how they met, how they really met and not just the cute story the mom tells everyone. No, they met years before the "meeting" she tells everyone, during a tragic event that obviously changed the course of the lives. After all, had that event not occurred, they wouldn't have met then nor would their lives have led to their "meeting" years later. All it takes is a moment.
But anyways, the dysfunction clearly begins as far back as before the parents even got married. I did find myself skimming over pieces as it seems like a lot of details and lost my attention at times. 

The story carries us through the years of the parents meeting, marrying, dealing with trying to have children, eventually having children and then the children leaving to start their own lives. This leaves the mom lonely and trying to fill that gap, which she does by having a child. An age gap like this often leads to siblings not having a close relationship... then again, the other three are triplets and have nothing even considered a relationship. 

The young sister is who made the story more enjoyable for me, she attempts to help this family actually be a family. 

Definitely interesting, sometimes a bit wordy and I couldn't entirely stay focused but I finished it and glad I did. 
We were given a glimpse into the lives of this multi-layered, dysfunctional family, learned  reasons behind their actions and characteristics and while the story seemed to drag just a little at times, it kept a decent flow that kept my attention.