You’re not simply turning pages while getting to know what drives the characters, you’re pulling a seat up to the table, listening to intimate conversations between four siblings who aren’t exactly getting along, on top of holding onto their own secrets, as they’ve come together after the death of a parent. It’s raw, it’s real.

Meet the Kenners of Florida. One sister flits about thinking she’s doing her share, but is she. Another is struggling with her writing. Yet another sister left the law behind while nursing a major chip on her shoulder toward the sister she used to put on a pedestal. The baby of the family left his wife behind for reasons not yet revealed. The title of the book’s meaning will soon sink in (pun intended).

Complicated literary families are the best kind of families.

Love this passage: “The language of a family often lives outside of what is spoken. Here are details, facts, instances accumulated and then offered, but what’s missing is the feeling in your belly when your big sister says something nice to you, that feeling in the creases of your face, the balls of your feet, when she looks you up and down and you know absolutely that whatever it is she sees makes her want to puke.”

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I appreciated the gradual development in The Float Test. It offers a thoughtful reflection on youth from the perspective of middle age, exploring how these siblings were raised together and the paths they took as adults. If you're intrigued by sibling relationships over an extended period, this serves as an excellent character study on the subject. Thank you Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

In "The Float Test," Lynn Steger Strong dives into the complicated relationships within the Kenner family, focusing on the struggles of the siblings. Each character has their own battles: Jenn, the overwhelmed mom, is trying to juggle family demands while feeling crushed by her own expectations. Fred, the stuck novelist, is trying to reconnect with her passion for writing while dealing with family life. Jude, the recovering lawyer, has some hidden resentment towards Fred, which adds tension to their interactions. Then there's George, the brother who's distant and hiding secrets about his old job and an awkward crush on one of his sisters' friends. This mix of relationships makes for an engaging story that keeps you hooked.

Set in a sweltering Florida summer, the story reveals deep family secrets that test their trust and connections. The Kenner family comes together after a big loss, forcing them to face not just their shared grief but also the unresolved issues that have haunted them for years. Strong’s writing is both beautiful and gripping, drawing readers into the Kenner family's journey toward healing. As the siblings work through misunderstandings and past conflicts, they discover the importance of being open and honest to rebuild their bonds. With themes of ambition, love, and the challenges of family, I’d give this book 4 out of 5 stars. "The Float Test" shows that even with their flaws, families can be a source of strength and growth. Strong's keen insights into human behavior and family dynamics make this novel a captivating read, encouraging us to think about our own family relationships and how we can improve them.

I wanted to read this one because I really like the cover, and the plot seemed interesting enough - four siblings come together after their mother passes, and we see family drama unfold. However, I felt the story moved very slowly, and it took me a while to even understand what was happening. It finally comes together at the end, but I have to say it was a struggle to finish this one.

In Lynn Steger Strong's newest novel "The Float Test," the Kenner siblings - Jude, Fred, Jenn, and George - are forced to confront their complicated family dynamics and personal struggles after the unexpected passing of their mother. Growing up in an affluent Florida household, the siblings each carry their own insecurities and disappointments, which are amplified when they reunite to grieve and sort through their mother's affairs.

While the novel's pacing at times feels meandering, there is a strong sense of character development throughout. The author artfully explores the nuances of sibling relationships, as the Kenner children navigate their own adult lives while processing their shared childhood experiences and the legacy of their parents. The central "float test" metaphor, which represents the difficulty the siblings have in simply allowing themselves to be passive and let go, serves as an apt analogy for the family's struggle to find balance and resilience. Though the payoff may not be as dramatic as some readers hoped, the ending feels true to the tone of the story, which is ultimately about the enduring bonds of family, even amidst its complexities.

As someone who grew up in South Florida, I connected strongly with the vivid depiction of the state's lush yet oppressive landscape, which acts almost as another character in the novel. Steger Strong's nuanced exploration of environmental issues facing the region also adds an extra layer of depth. While "The Float Test" may not have reached the same high bar as the author's previous acclaimed novel, it is still a thoughtful, character-driven family drama that will resonate with many readers.

Lynn Steger Strong's THE FLOAT TEST doesn't really hit right for me.

It might hit better in a couple years, but it doesn't right now. A subplot is the COVID-19 pandemic and, as someone who reads to escape, it's too soon for me to be able to escape into COVID-19 and its effects. So I will try it again.

On a more particular literary issue - I know 'unreliable narrators' is a trope that fiction relies on often (especially in contemporary family dramas like this novel) but what's the phrase for a narrator that simply isn't believable? Because Jude as the narrator of THE FLOAT TEST does not make sense given that she spends the majority of time explaining what her sister, Fred, thought, said, and did. How she knows that given that she also says repeatedly that she hasn't talked to, and won't talk to, Fred in a very long time is something I never understood. Maybe I will next time I read it.

The ending of the story also left something to be desired but my take on that could be colored by my other issues with the story.

It wasn't for me but I absolutely do appreciate the chance to read it.

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I received an advance copy of The Float Test through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and original review, freely given.

The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong beautifully explores the complexities of family dynamics as a group of siblings returns to Florida following the death of a parent. The narrative skillfully intertwines present events with poignant flashbacks, revealing the evolution of their relationships. Steger Strong excels at depicting the initial closeness among the siblings and their subsequent emotional distance, keeping readers engaged as they uncover the reasons behind their fractured bonds. The exploration of how grief can complicate familial ties is handled with sensitivity and depth. The emotional weight of the story crescendos to an unexpected ending that left me gasping. This book is a compelling read for anyone interested in the intricacies of family life and the challenges that arise in the wake of loss.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

Strong stays true to form here with her ability to explore the relationships between members of a family with expertise. After the death of their mother the Kenner siblings come to Florida and we learn why their relationships have been strained and the struggles in their individual lives However, I didn’t like that Jude narrated this story, it didn’t make sense to me. Also, Maude and Talullahs characters don’t seem to fit right into this story. They could have been omitted and the story would have held. I also think we needed to hear more of George and Jen’s stories, it felt unbalanced. There was alot here and am just don’t know if it all came together cohesively enough for me in the end.

thank u netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange of a review
this was kind of all over the place but it was definitely all connected in the end just confused the hell out of me first
siblings dynamics are insane because i would go to war for my brother burn the whole world down for him yet i would still call him a spoiled little brat every chance i got
and while i’m not as dramatic as this bunch, i can confirm this is how siblings act, through thick and thin
fred is also a bit insane , alot sick in the head because why air your dirty laundry like that (i get her)

What. A. Novel!
Lynn Steger Strong delivers an everyday story and turns it on its head. On a platter she serves us a very typical White American family in contemporary society slowly unraveling.

The 4 Kenner Siblings have to come together support their father after the death of their problematic mom. All four are incredibly different and
and struggling and traumatized. They play out their pain on each other and themselves. While this sounds sad, it's actually quite funny and light and interesting. I love when an author can summarize life so easily and so brilliantly!

#marinerbooks #thefloattest #lynnstegerstrong

I really liked this book! It had a lot of family drama and dynamics and it brought up a lot of the family history. It was full of different themes, and it was very entertaining. I did also enjoy the themes of climate change and how that is affecting everyone. The writing style was fine! I read reviews and some people were complaining about it, but there was nothing wrong with it to me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

*The Float Test* by Lynn Steger Strong is a deeply introspective and emotionally rich novel that explores the complexities of identity, mental health, and family life. Strong's writing is known for its raw, evocative prose, and this book is no exception.

What makes this novel stand out is Strong’s ability to depict the internal landscape of her characters with such vulnerability and honesty. It's a story about survival, resilience, and the delicate balance between holding on and letting go. For readers who appreciate emotionally charged, character-driven narratives, *The Float Test* is a profound and moving experience. Five stars!

3.75 ☆
I enjoyed reading The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong. I love a family drama novel, so this book was right up my alley. However, I struggled with the writing style a bit in the beginning. I do recommend this book if you enjoy a good complicated family dynamic story!

What I loved most about The Float Test is the sense of place, and how the sticky, dense heat of Florida, the relentless sun, the flat roads ending at the ocean, is woven into the Kenner family's DNA. The adult children of the family--all at crisis points in their own lives--gather on the hot ground of their childhood following their mother's death, where they try to untangle decades of betrayals and sorrow, and reclaim their sense of home

Family dynamics are not always easy to convey, but Ms. Steger Strong does this impeccably. She starts with their closeness at the beginning and then jumps to their distance and how they may (or may not) repair their feelings toward each other as the book progresses. I impatiently awaited to find out WHY the relationships dissolved and wasn't disappointed in how it was handled. Families can be hard. Dealing with siblings when a parent dies can make it harder and I feel like all of this was conveyed beautifully. The ending made me gasp.

Read this, you won't be disappointed.

The writing is beautiful, but I wish the author mentally planned out the book a bit more. There’s a unique and wonderful writing style, the plot got confusing though.

The Kenner family is struggling. The four siblings have long had a love-hate relationship with each other and their parents. Now with each of the children approaching middle age, they are still struggling with how to relate to each other. When the family suffers a major loss, the four children return to their childhood hometown. Over the course of a few weeks, the four gradually open up, and find a greater understanding of each other and themselves, flaws and all.

This was a powerful and insightful story about family and the unique highs and lows that come from those relationships. The author excels at capturing a sense of place — here, Florida — and the ways that continues to shape the four Kenner siblings, even as three left to make their lives somewhere else. The book also portrays well how the most challenging aspect of family can result from coming to terms with the reality they may not be able to love you in exactly the way you want, but accepting them nonetheless.

Highly recommended!

To me, this book was more of a snapshot into the lives of a family after the loss of their mother. It was filled with reflection and introspection, as well as hopes and looking into the future. I really enjoyed the character Fred. I found her to be so interesting. I would have actually much more enjoyed this story if she were the narrator of her own story. I did not care for Jude as the narrator for the whole thing, because it didn't make sense to me that Jude could know what each character was thinking/feeling at the time. I would have also enjoyed more of George and his story. The characters were all interesting, especially finding out how much the mother was a champion for others as a lawyer, but I didn't feel like there was enough of a dive into their worlds. I also didn't feel as though Talulah or her mother Mauve added much to the story and quite honestly could have not existed.

Was not a fan of this book. I felt like it was so plodding and LONG. I kept reading and reading and saying "it's got to pay off, there's got to be a big reveal for all of this angst. Nothing. I still don't get what the issues were. In the last quarter of the book, when Jude is at the father's house I STILL couldn't understand that story she told about the big betrayal.

Awful

I have a childhood memory of driving through the Florida Everglades with my large family all packed into a station wagon and coming upon a horrific car crash. My mother was next to me in the front seat and told me not to look, but stupidly I did look, and what I saw was a lot of mangled metal and a lot of blood on the wet ground. That awful image is seared in my head along with a number other not particularly pleasant memories of time spent in Florida. Florida has always felt exotic but in a dark and creepy way to me. Florida politics, the heat, the endless strip malls, the sense of no there there, guns, don’t help the cause.

All this to say, this story of one Florida family and the very tenuous threads that hold them together just was an extension of my own perceptions of this state. Heat, Busch Gardens, the oddly warm ocean water, herons and vultures, those with too much money in close quarters with those living month-to-month, marriages that end but not fully… it’s a borderline creepy story that all the time holds the threat of going somewhere darker.

I couldn’t figure out why Jude was the omniscient narrator, but she is one of 4 siblings, and she tells the story of growing up with intensely career-focused and affluent parents in a sort of benign neglect atmosphere. As adults all 4 gather back in Florida for their mother’s funeral. In the time during and after the funeral, each is puzzling out their own messy life in the context of this hard-edged family of origin. It’s not a quirky family - more of a family held together by shared disappointments, not enough parental warmth and positive attention, and dissatisfactions.

The looming environmental issues that are harder to avoid in Florida, an underlying vibe of potential doom that weighs like the Florida humidity, and a family with at least a few people imploding and in need of some mental health care, all float around together in an uncertain direction and lead to a not very satisfying but not unwelcome ending.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this review.