This is a super slow building, character driven story. I don’t think it will be for everyone, especially those that like plot focused stories but once it started coming together, I loved it and could not stop listening until it was finished. The audio for this was great, and I was happy I listened to this one via this medium. I really enjoyed the second half as each of the siblings started to find their way back to each other. There were some great twists in here that were very well done, and this was a brilliantly constructed story that was so well written and one that I did not want to end.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.

There were many many times I picked up this family drama to get into it. The pacing is incredibly slow and each time I would put it down and try again later. It felt very long and drawn out. Not sure what could’ve hooked me. Something was missing. Beautiful cover and interesting plot idea.

Jean Hanff Korelitz’s books have been hit or miss for me, and The Latecomer fell squarely in the middle. This is a long, multi-generational family saga, that spans from the 60s/70s to the present day, and explores the lives of the Oppenheimers and their triplets – and the “latecomer,” the child brought into the world as the other Oppenheimer children are heading off to college.

Like Korelitz’s other books, the majority of the novel is spent setting up the “aha moment” when all of the pieces come together. While the payoff is worth it in the end, I struggled to get into the first 70% of the book as there is A LOT of table setting to establish the characters and the circumstances that bring them together. I thought the characterizations were strong (Sally was my favorite character) and the ending was well done and I really appreciated how everything came together, but if I’m being honest, I probably would have DNF’d this book if I didn’t need to review it.

That being said, I know there are many people who will love this book. I’ve seen many glowing reviews and I’d recommend The Latecomer to anyone who loves literary fiction, family sagas, and books about art or New York City.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the eARC!

I really tried to like the book. The premise was interesting and I thought it would be a family drama that I would enjoy. Unfortunately, I didn't like the writing style or the characters so it felt like a chore just to get through a few pages at a time. Read other people's reviews, however, before deciding not to try this one because overall it seems like people enjoyed it. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

I started reading this in print back in the spring, but it wasn't until I picked up the audio version narrated by Julia Whelan—at her urging—that the story really grabbed me. This is the decades-long story of a wealthy Brooklyn family and their triplets—the smart one, the weird one, and the girl—conceived with the help of IVF. For a bevy of reasons this family never quite gelled, and the siblings carry not a trace of affection for each other. Everything changes when the triplets reach college age, and their mother, yearning for some semblance of familial love, decides to thaw the fourth and only remaining embryo and have another child. The arrival of that child—the latecomer—blows up the whole family. Julia called Korelitz's follow-up to The Plot "the definition of a brilliant slow build," and I so enjoyed watching her patiently setup the explosive reveal at a Martha's Vineyard birthday celebration that takes place in September 2001. An unexpected bonus was the thread of modern art that runs through the book: I googled so many artists and works along the way!

The Latecomer is a great story about the dysfunctional (to say the least) Oppenheimers who are rich and absolutely annoying, but the author pulls this off flawlessly where you can’t stand the characters, but it flows with the story. The author did a great job of this. This book had a little bit of everything and isn’t for the faint of heart. Great story and I’d definitely read more from this author!

I tried to read this book and got about half way through and lost all interest. I could not identify with the characters at all and kept getting bored.

The Oppenheimers have it all- wealth, a stunning Brooklyn home, and triplets. But every single one of these family members is disconnected and completely selfish. Then the mother decides to have one more child from the remaining frozen embryo- eighteen years later. Hence, the Latecommer arrives just as the triplets are leaving for college. There's art apprecitation, sibling rivalry and disloyalty, and generational trauma- what's not to like?

This is a family saga with not one likeable character. Sometimes I love this and sometimes this troupe grates on my nerves (so I can see why there are so many divisive reviews of this book.) However, the writing of this is so immersive and wonderful, I hardly noticed how much I hated them all and their selfish choices. I have really liked many of Korelitz's books (You Should Have Known aka HBO's The Undoing and The Plot), and this one is not for everyone, but I loved it.

The audio version (I alternated between audio and print) is narrated by queen Julia Whelan so if you like a good family story, you can't go wrong. I will say that I was intimidated by the length, and it did feel every one of its 441 pages; but it was worth it. This book is for fans of Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance kindle copy for review. Audio version was purchased separately.

A deeply layered family drama, The Latecomer is the story of the dysfunctional Oppenheim triplets - who despite the hopes of their mother Johanna - end up without much of a relationship at all. When a devastating family secret is revealed, Johanna takes drastic action which may be what saves them all.

Sweeping family dramas are my jam, so while I was hopeful for The Latecomer - I was also concerned its length could turn into a bit of a slog. I'm thankful to be wrong, each page gave Korelitz the time and care to fully develop each character and by the time I hit the last page - it felt like saying goodbye to family.

I think the social commentary, especially the depiction of siblings with different viewpoints could be especially cathartic for those of us with families who don't always get along - ESPECIALLY now. I cringed listening to Harrison speak to Lewyn and Sally but could imagine similar conversations happening across the country each day. The only thing that really turned me off was the Ephrem/Eli saga - I understand why it was done - but it didn't sit well with me.

I did hope for a bit more for Johanna in the end and while seeing her get help and let go was big - the amount of time it took her to "heal" seemed unrealistic.

Overall, an attention-keeping novel, The Latecomer is perfect for those who may know the pain of wanting, loving and caring for family that may feel like strangers to you.

I absolutely cannot get enough of Korelitz, she's been a heavy hitter in my collection for quite some time now. Top tier purchase for most libraries.

I am a fan of this authors writing. This was not my favorite book of hers but it was so well written that I enjoyed the story for awhile. I eventually got tired of the unlikable characters. The premise is so so good and unique.

This is such a deep and detailed book! The dysfunctional family story is gripping and intriguing the entire way through despite it dragging in some portions. The dramatic tension and intense moments really kept my eyes glued to the page and I wanted this book to keep going on forever.

The Latecomer is a book about a family who while not awful people individually, are somewhat awful to each other. It's a story of obligation and regret and secrets and half truths. It's a story of desperately trying to hold your family together while they all drift away. The writing is wonderful and the characters, while not always likeable, somehow make me want to root for them.

This books is perfect for fans of Succession and the drama of the Kennedy family. The progression through time and the focus on each character in turn paints a well rounded and realistic picture of each person's desires and struggles. And, while none of those struggles are monetary or urgent, they are struggles nonetheless and highlight the quest for happiness that so often eludes families the world may see as blessed. I found the characters relatable and insufferable in equal measure and loved following their ups and downs.

The book started off slow for me and I’ll be honest I was close to DNF-ing the book, but I’m glad I stuck with it, but I did start to enjoy it.

It follows the Oppenheimer family and the triplets, Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally, as they grow up not being very close to one another.

Once in college they find out their mom decided to use the last frozen embryo to have one more child, especially now that she is an empty nester with a husband that doesn’t seem to be around much. Sally is the one that finds out his dad’s secret.

Eventually as they get older the story is in the POV of their young sister Phoebe.

Read this if:
🖼 You like stories about family drama
🖼 You like reading about dysfunctional families
🖼 You like long books (this one is 448 pages)

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz was an utterly compelling story that commanded my attention as I was a fly on the wall into this disturbingly dysfunctional family.

The beginning of the book is filled with detail about Salo, the patriarch, and why he is so removed from his family. At times, I thought the book was being overwritten because of the incredible amount of detail that I learned about the cast of characters. However, as the book progressed, I realized how important those details were in understanding the character’s actions and ultimately their behaviors.

Joanna, the matriarch, has set out to create the image of a perfect family although they were far from it. Their triplets, born by IVF, were nothing short of strangers to one another with no commonalities or interests, yet Joanna pretended to herself and others an opposite scenario. At times it was heartbreaking to see the fragility of their relationships. The individual paths of the children were chronicled and each of their paths kept me interested. They were incredibly unique which speaks to the author’s imagination and creativity.

There were many themes threaded throughout the novel such as loneliness, privilege, mental illness, sexuality, education, guilt and pretense. It isn’t until Joanna chooses to carry a 17-year- old embryo to term, that the latecomer as the title refers, enters the picture. her arrival affects the family in multiple ways, which have life-altering effects on her family members.

This is a perfect book club selection as there is so much to discuss. Many of you will know this author from her most recent book, The Plot, which was also a frequent book club pick. Don’t be surprised that this book reads quite differently as it’s a quiet, literary read.

I really tried to connect with this book but I found the plot to be extremely boring and could not connect with any of the characters. I hope someone else is able to live it more than I have. It’s not my usual genre but I tried

I had heard such high praise for this author, so despite not having read The Plot, I decided to go ahead with this one. I was very disappointed. I also wonder if it is personal and I was just not in the right head space for this book. It is very involved, multilayered and complicated. The first part of the story, in the view of the triplets was exhausting. They are very unlikable characters and I did not want to listen to them any more. This book is dense, and too wordy. It is well written, and I do want to give this author another chance.

I wasn’t able to finish this book because the writing just isn’t for me. I have read a lot of the non spoiler reviews and feel it probably is a good book, but with how descriptive the writing is it was like walking through waist deep water. Just not for me!

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a slow-paced read with lots of attention to detail. The descriptions of art and various locations are really brought to life because of all the detail written. If you’re a fan of contemporary family dramas, this is definitely a must read!

finished The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz about two weeks ago and I enjoyed my time within the novel! For those who have read The Plot, I’ve heard it is nothing like that. This is definitely a generational drama more than anything. We spend a lot of time with the three Oppenheimer triplets and “the Latecomer” fourth sibling doesn’t really coming in until almost 3/4s of the way through. I liked my time reading about Sally and Lewyn and very much disliked Harrison. My feelings about everyone fluctuated throughout, but never wavered for him. They are all affected by their father caring about art more than he cares about them, and later on, an affair that lasts most of his marriage. Their mother is the opposite, her whole life revolves around them and it almost feels suffocating.

This is almost entirely a character driven novel. The plot in this one takes quite a bit to get to the meat of, but I still enjoyed it. I like delving into the psyche of characters, plus immersing myself in their lives, and that’s mostly what this is about. The author also digs deep into intelligence and education, racism and privilege, the path to identifying oneself, and more.

The writing was intoxicating and kept me interested throughout. I didn’t get some of the choices that weee made at times, so that knocked it down a bit, along with it being a touch too long. Thank you to @celadonbooks for the review copy!