Same as It Ever Was

A Novel

De: Claire Lombardo

Narrado por: Emily Rankin

Duración: 18 h y 21 m

Resumen del Editor

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED A BEST BOOK BY PEOPLE AND PARADE • The New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had (“wonderfully immersive…deliciously absorbing”—NPR) returns with another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers."—The New York Times • "Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric." —The Washington Post • “Witty and insightful...a powerful exploration of marriage, motherhood, and self.”–Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

Same As It Ever Was showcases the consummate style, signature wit, and profound emotional intelligence that made The Most Fun We Ever Had one of the most beloved novels of the past decade. Featuring a memorably messy family and the multifaceted marriage at its heart, Lombardo’s debut was dubbed “the literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler” (The Guardian) and hailed as “ambitious and brilliantly written” (Washington Post). In this remarkable follow-up—another elegant and tumultuous story in the tradition of Elizabeth Strout, Ann Patchett, and Celeste Ng—Lombardo introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, this time by way of her singularly complicated protagonist.

Julia Ames, after a youth marked by upheaval and emotional turbulence, has found herself on the placid plateau of mid-life. But Julia has never navigated the world with the equanimity of her current privileged class. Having nearly derailed herself several times, making desperate bids for the kind of connection that always felt inaccessible to her, she finally feels, at age fifty seven, that she has a firm handle on things.

She’s unprepared, though, for what comes next: a surprise announcement from her straight-arrow son, an impending separation from her spikey teenaged daughter, and a seductive resurgence of the past, all of which threaten to draw her back into the patterns that had previously kept her on a razor’s edge.

Same As It Ever Was traverses the rocky terrain of real life—exploring new avenues of maternal ambivalence, intergenerational friendship, and the happenstantial cause-and-effect that governs us all. Delving even deeper into the nature of relationships—how they grow, change, and sometimes end—Lombardo proves herself a true and definitive cartographer of the human heart and asserts herself among the finest novelists of her generation.

©2024 Claire Lombardo (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

NAMED A BEST FICTION OF 2024 PICK BY PEOPLE

“Pitch-perfect. . . Lombardo is compulsively readable and consistently funny, and it’s impossible to look away as Julia continues to self-sabotage. This domestic drama hits all the right notes.”
–Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers. . . Poignant, punctilious. . . [Lombardo] refashions domestic drama into something rich and strange, with echoes of Lorrie Moore’s sardonic humor and Jonathan Franzen’s dissection of class. . . In less skillful hands, Same as It Ever Was would lose control over its transitions and veer toward soap opera; yet like Franzen’s Marion Hildebrandt, or Faye, the narrator of Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy, Lombardo gives us a woman whose inner life is knotted and revelatory. . . Same as It Ever Was is a brave, nuanced book, lulling us with its rhythms but taking risks when we glance away.”
–Hamilton Cain, The New York Times

“Lombardo’s witty, sympathetic take on motherhood exudes the sharp scent of fermented apple juice and a full diaper… Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric. She understands the chemistry of that special epoxy of irritation and affection that keeps a marriage glued together. One finishes Same As It Ever Was with the satisfaction of knowing this complicated woman well — and the poignant disappointment of having to say goodbye.”
–Ron Charles, The Washington Post

Really liked this book!

Well written and great story. At times it was sad, joyous, exciting & honestly a little long winded on occasion. Yet, it captured my attention. I loved how I got lost in the characters and enjoyed the stories of their lives. I could relate to a troubled upbringing as a young person w my own parents.

Great story

Good character development- I loved her first book - this book was similar in richness but a bit more depressing I wish there had been more levity. But I still enjoyed it.

Excellent writing but tedious story

Characters were boring and the main character whiny and unlikeable , which is fine if also interesting but this one is not. It went on and on. I would have stopped listening but I always finish my books! Nice narrator though!

Staggeringly stunning!

This is a masterpiece, an epic love story about the connections and fractures in families, and, ultimately, the memories that carry them onward.

Amazing book!

This book was so well written and relatable. I felt real care and love for the characters written about.

Quiet, engaging story of a life.

I love Lombardo’s writing and I was thoroughly engaged by this story and character. This did cement Lombardo as an author I will look out for and read when she has a new work on offer.

For this family, I thought that the characters were well drawn and believable. I really felt like the various reactions and perspectives were valid and the many relationship dynamics were beautifully described.

Highly recommend to anyone who can get behind a character study kind of book with excellent writing but doesn’t need a dozen twists or racing plot.

Not as good as her 1st.

She's an excellent writer, & there's nothing wrong with the story being downbeat as some have complained. For me, the plot seemed scattered with the characters not melding with each other that clearly. It just didn't have the punch of her first work. I'm not thumbs-down, but not highly recommending either. Emily Rankin for sure made it go down easier.

Richly beautiful story of motherhood

The prose of this book was rife with deeply evoking lyricism that made me think again and again how masterfully Claire Lombardo captures the inner life of a mother and wife. The last chapter made me cry with the poignancy of it all. Highly recommend.

The protagonist drove me crazy. All that negativity!

I’m glad I stuck it out as there were many powerful and even tender moments, especially in the last part of the book.

narration

there were some passages that were written so beautifully, and the narration was perfection. But the story was exceedingly long and dragged out and tedious.