Salo Oppenheimer and Johanna meet in the most unlikely of circumstances, but manage to form a relationship, then a marriage. While Johanna falls in love first with a fabulous Brooklyn house, then with the idea of motherhood, Salo remains devoted to his own true love—art collecting.

While Johanna maintains the illusion/delusion that they have a happy family life with their triplets (who barely tolerate one another), Salo finds someone else to love. And Johanna unfreezes their frozen embryo and finds a surrogate.

Ostensibly a novel about this last child, the eponymous latecomer, this is really a family saga and a story about New York City’s transformation. Salo is impenetrable and seemingly uncaring, while Johanna cares too much. Salo is strangely reminiscent of Tom Buchanan—oblivious to those who destroys. THE LATECOMER’s characters will stay with you long after you finish the story, with the secondary characters far more compelling and sympathetic than the protagonists, #TheLatecomer #NetGalley

As I begin writing this review, the almost long lost memory of me about to toss The Latecomer to the side surfaces, desperately needing me to tell you that if after nearly a third of the way (or less, possibly less) you are bored by Salo, who has become almost catatonic by several abstract art pieces, and Joanna, whose obsession with having children dominates her entire being, hang on because Jean Hanff Korelitz’ The Latecomer becomes so much more.

Joanna’s obsession ultimately produces triplets, Harrison, Sally, and Lewyn, whose reaction and relationship to each other epitomizes being produced in a petri dish (or a Peach Tree Dish). They are coldly clinical with each other, “recoiling” from physical or emotional contact with each other and sometimes with humanity on the whole. Although, it must be said, Lewyn is far the most receptive, but even he has difficulty with human relationships.

The nearby Brooklyn school they attend, called Walden–probably because it imbues pastoral idealism–seems to teach all manner of things, except the ones that might be necessary for later academia. Harrison determines early that he’s smarter than his siblings, classmates, and teachers at this school. Sally and Lewyn are more easy-going about their school achievements on the whole. Walden is the type of establishment that gives medals for participating so that everyone feels equal.

Later, Sally and Lewyn both end up at their father’s alma mater, Cornell, while Harrison attends a two year college, not be mistaken for a junior college, in which thought, learning, and manual labor are expected and encouraged. There he meets a young man, Eli Absalom Stone whose earlier book, Harrison has already devoured. Harrison knows that Eli is already an intellectual giant and he wants nothing more than to be befriended by him.

From here there are love interests, familial upheaval, and an amazing beach scene that changes everything and paves the way for the final section of the novel devoted to Phoebe, the so-called latecomer who is the fated fourth egg, stored away until her birth sixteen years after her siblings. Somehow Phoebe embodies the best of all of them and is the most obviously likable, not that that matters because this really is a novel built upon interesting and rich characters.

After that China-boat-slow beginning, The Latecomer became a novel I didn’t want to put down. The plots twists, the layered characters, the writing, all of these were like the richest, most palate-worthy wine you could imagine and savor. I was fascinated by the excursions these characters took mentally, and sometimes physically, their paths to becoming self-aware or simply functioning.

I was also very appreciative that Jean Hanff Korelitz treated these characters to a good ending, and the reader too, for that matter. That made me happy.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Very different book. can easily say i have never read something like this, unsure how i feel about the book itself other than it was very long. May have made a good series but overall pretty good, would not have read this if i hadn't gotten it for free however.

Not sure I can even describe this one appropriately but it is a sweeping, intergenerational story of 3 triplets and their much later born sister. The book spans over 40 years and each sibling has their own issues and their own convoluted and captivating story. There is so much to unpack with this one from religion to politics to art history to family dynamics. With so much detail throughout, I cannot even begin to imagine how much research went into this book. It was long and dense but the way the storylines were intertwined, it completely sucked me in. And such a satisfying ending!

The Latecomer is a departure for Jean Hanff Korelitz and it is a SLOW slow burn. You meet a family of characters and not much happens for a lot of this book as tensions very slowly build. Do not expect another "The Plot". That being said, I'm so glad I read this. I fell in love with the characters, flaws and all, and was deeply invested by the end.

The Latecomer was a very interesting story about triplets, their much younger sister, and their lives. By the time the book ended, I really didn't want it to end. I was extremely interested in Ephraim, Stella, and Phoebe most of all.

I will say that the first part of the book dragged badly. I think an editor with a bit of a heavier hand might have improved upon that, BUT once the triplets arrived at their colleges, the pace began to pick up and the story got increasingly interesting. So if you plan to read this, bear with the first bit - it pays off well in the end.

Then, once Phoebe became old enough to shake things up, she really turned the heat up in this book. I wanted the story to continue once Phoebe took center stage and brought Ephraim into their lives.

Phoebe was absolutely the best character, in my opinion. I loved her and wondered several times how the triplets' lives would have been different had Phoebe been born when they were or if she'd been one of the triplets.

I would definitely recommend The Latecomer to people who enjoy good family dramas, character studies, and/or literary fiction. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

I had a hard time with this one. It was so long. So. Many. Words. It follows a wealthy Jewish family, the Oppenheimers, divided in three sections. We see how the parents meet, then the decision to use IVF which results in triplets, Harrison, Lewyn and Sally. They have no bond with their parents or each other for no particular reason. The last section with The Latecomer is the best. The parents use a surrogate to have the last embryo once the triplets have left the house. Once Phoebe is on the verge of leaving the nest herself, she starts finding out all the family secrets and tries to unite her family together. She is by far the most likable character in the book. The triplets are terrible for most of the story. It deals with religion, race, sexuality, family ties and secrets. If you enjoy slow paced family dramas that are character driven you may enjoy this one:)

I gave up at pg 50, long enough to know that the plot, talk about art acquisition, and the unlikable characters were not for me. I read a bit at the end to see if I should persevere and confirmed that dnf’ing was right for me.

I've loved two of the author's previous books, but this was not for me. I wish her all the best, and look forward to her next book.

I couldn’t connect with this and I think I just was in the wrong headspace to read it. With the heaviness of the world it’s hard to read through the POV of people who are privileged and complaining. I want to come back because family sagas are usually my thing and I think I’d enjoy when my head is less full of sadness.

Thank you to Celadon books for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. This story isn't my typical type of read. That being said I did find the overall story interesting. The narration over the Oppenheimer family was a slow build, but also full of tension and drama. I didn't necessarily find any of the characters likeable, but the dynamic and non familial family vibe were ultimately what kept me reading. I also did enjoy the Jewish rep found within the Oppenheimers. It was acknowledged on more than one occasion and I felt it was important to the characters. Each sibling had their own story and so did their parents. The way that Phoebe was woven in towards the end as another narrator was also fascinating and I thought including her story was actually quite brilliant. The book dragged at points and Harrison bored me the most, but I was pulled in to finish regardless. This was a complex and layered book that definitely was not what I had fully expected. I don't know if i could read this again, but the intertwining stories certainly made for an interesting book.

I was hopeful when I heard about this book and looking forward to reading it, but it was a bit of a letdown. I almost didn't finish reading it. It was very slow going for me and the story didn't seem to pick up as much as I was hoping it would.
This story is quite sad in parts and focuses a lot on the experiences of this family trying to live their life and then discovering as they've grown up that they've grown apart except then they realize they were never really that close, to begin with, it seems. The mother and father meet and marry in not the most ideal circumstances each with their own baggage that seems to permeate through everything It appears and then the mother is the one who wants children while it seems like the father isn't entirely sure but ends up going along with it. There is a bit discussed rather frankly about intimacy and infertility. They end up having triplets, but the 3 siblings are like strangers to each other as well as to the parents and the parents to each other. It's like all the family members are islands unto themselves floating apart and living life apart from each other even though they've grown up in the same house and whatnot. It was rather sad, strange, and a bit depressing as I read about their experiences and how they felt like strangers to each other. Toward the end of the book, things do change a bit for the better though with the coming of the last child into the family.
Reading this can be a bit hard or triggering in parts in regards to infertility or challenging family relationships, situations, and such. There is some wording and language used when discussing intimacy, infertility, and such that is a bit blunt or maybe a bit weird/off-putting for some as well.
Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for letting me read and review this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #TheLatecomerBook #CeladonReads

This book was really slow going for me. It also revealed how much a story can be enjoyable or difficult to read depending on what is going on in your life at the time you are reading it. Trigger warnings: infertility

If you are a fan of a slow burn family drama, then The Latecomer would be right up your alley. I was not a fan of the first half because I found it to be incredibly lengthy, slow, and bland. Nothing too exciting happened especially when there were events that would most likely be filled with drama, action, and noise...I was met with silence. Nothing really grabbed my attention to the point where I wanted to what happened next, I often found myself reading a chapter and then setting the book down to do other things, to only come back and contemplate if I really wanted to read another chapter or save it for another day. I will say the last quarter of the book was what I enjoyed the most. That was when I truly felt any kind of emotion and feelings towards the story, and honestly where I felt the heart of the story lay. Kudos for a good ending but not so much praise for the 300 other pages.

The Oppenheimer family has a complex history. Salo and Johanna met as the result of a sad set of circumstances. Their lives were further complicated when they required the help of IVF to have children, leading to the birth of their triplets. As time goes on the Oppenheimers grow apart and Johanna begins to wonder what is next for her in her life, leading to the birth of a latecomer, a fourth child that will soon have an effect on the entirety of the Oppenheimer family. 

The Latecomer is an intense novel that contains some serious topics, but it is also a great story. It is slow to start, and has a lot of backstory at the beginning. To be honest, due to this slow start, I very well might not have finished this novel if I had not received an advanced copy. That being said, I would have missed out on a great story had I not finished it. I enjoyed the main characters (well, all but one to be frank) and their relationships and connections to each other. There is an honesty that Jean Hanff Korelitz brings to this novel within its fiction and I am glad that I stuck with this novel.

I received a widget for The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz from Celadon Books. It was set to release on May 31, 2022. Unfortunately, this is a book that I just couldn’t finish. Going in I thought it was a book I would really enjoy. If not, I wouldn’t have downloaded the widget. I’m sad to say that this book just wasn’t a good fit for me. I read 35% of it on my kindle but it just didn’t hold my interest. I had a very hard time picking it back up after taking a break from it. I felt that it had way too many words to the point that it seemed like it babbled on. I feel that the author could of got the story told without all the extra details that didn’t add to the story. I also didn’t like any of the characters. The father was strange, kind of an outsider and it probably had something to do with the accident that he had while in college. The mother seemed needy and the triplets, well I’m not even sure what to say about them. The last daughter, Phoebe, I can’t say anything about because she was only just recently born and not mentioned much where I quit reading. Perhaps I will go back at a later date and try finishing the story. If I do, I will update my review then. I feel really bad about quitting midstream in the book but I think my time is precious and there are many other books out there that I know I will enjoy more. I do want to thank Celadon Books for sending me the widget and I hope this has no impact on them continuing to do so in the future. I just believe that not every book is right for every person and I just couldn’t connect with this one. I’d also like to thank NetGalley for the arc. I’m not sure how to rate this one but I’m going to give it 2 stars because I know the author put a lot of work into it. I will post this review on Goodreads and NetGalley but will not be posting it anywhere’s else because of said reasons.

From the opening chapters to the very last page, I was completely immersed in the family’s story: mother, father, and triplets. The narrative by the, at first, unnamed sibling was strong and confident, teasing me with its foreshadowing, urging me on deeper into the Oppenheimer family drama. I was hooked by not only the story but the author’s deliberate. Engaging writing style and delivery.

The triplets initially put me off, each unpleasant in their way, but as I got their point of view and their stories came out, they won me over – even the obnoxious Harrison had his moments for me. The story is an absorbing family drama, but twists and turns in the plot floored me and kept me glued to the pages: definitely five-star surprises. However, the healing and forgiveness among family members ultimately made this such a satisfying reading experience for me. Won over to each character’s side, I was aching for their futures to work out.

With its smart and smooth writing and delivery and its fascinating plot, I recommend THE LATECOMER to readers of literary fiction, especially those who enjoy epic family dramas.

The Oppenheimer family is a hot mess of dysfunctional people, with a distant father, a mom who tries too hard and three triplets who can't stand each other from day one. Through tragedies and miscommunications the family falls farther and farther apart until Phoebe, the latecomer, reaches her senior year in high school and starts trying to pull the family back together. Most of the characters are thoroughly unlikable and until Phoebe's intervention I wasn't sure whether there was any redeeming factor to any of them.

I really enjoyed the writing style and tale of the ill-fated Oppenheimer family and the way details over decades were woven together in the end. The story follows three triplets and an eventual younger sibling as they grow up and out of a discordant family. If you like family drama and intrigue, highly recommend!

This book just came out on Tuesday May 31! Thanks to Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy via NetGalley!

I can’t quite put into words how much adoration I have for Jean Hanff Korelitz’s works. In all honesty, I don’t usually love slow paced novels, but somehow, despite the slow way The Latecomer starts, I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen to the Oppenheimer family. I was so intrigued by the family’s story throughout the parents early lives, Johanna and Salo, and the proceeding events from when they have their triplets through IVF continuing through their college years and beyond. This entire story is so complex and has many significant themes including racism, privilege, grief, guilt, and religion. All of these are woven throughout the story so expertly, and when certain plot twists occur, it is so worth patiently reading through the slow build at the beginning.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story moved slow for me as the layers were peeled back on a very disconnected and unhappy family. It spans decades as the family goes through trauma, grief, privilege and so much more. If you like a slow burning, complex, character driven story, check out The Latecomer.