Something Rotten

by Andrew Lipstein

In his provocative, crackling new novel, Andrew Lipstein spins a wicked web through the heart of Copenhagen. You'll question everyone and everything—even the very nature of truth.

Cecilie is a fed-up New York Times reporter. Her husband, Reuben, is a disgraced former NPR host and grudging stay-at-home dad. Neither can wait to flee New York and spend the summer in Copenhagen, Denmark, Cecilie’s hometown. But their vacation begins to turn inside out as soon as they land: Cecilie’s first love, Jonas, has been diagnosed with a rare, fatal illness. All of Cecilie’s friends are desperate to get him help—that is, except for Mikkel, a high-powered journalist who happens to be the only one Jonas will listen to.

Mikkel’s influence quickly extends to Reuben, who’s not only intoxicated by Mikkel’s charm, but discovers in him a new model of masculinity—one he found hopelessly absent in America. As Mikkel indoctrinates Reuben with ever more depraved stunts, Reuben senses something is seriously amiss. Cecilie, too, begins to question who to trust—even herself. Drawn in by the gravity of the past, she can’t help but stray onto the road not taken.

A twisting, thrilling tale of loyalty and deceit, lovers and fools, Andrew Lipstein's Something Rotten proves that sometimes to be kind you have to be cruel beyond belief.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Novels, Adult Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 21, 2025

About the author

Andrew Lipstein is an American novelist. He wrote Last Resort (2022), The Vegan (2023), and Something Rotten (2025).

Andrew lives in Brooklyn with his wife and three sons.

Reviews

[Left Coast Justin]

Be careful what you wish for. My recent search criteria:

-Set in Denmark
-Set in modern times
-No murders

Something Rotten, with its Hamlet reference in the title, indisputably met these requirements, and as a bonus features the most repellant cover I’ve ever seen. But is it a book I wanted to read? Maybe I should have been more specific:

-No marriage dramas

I’m not against marriage dramas, necessarily. Being married supplies many people with as much drama as they need. I’ve read books by people like Anne Tyler and John Irving that probe the difficulties and rewards of committing yourself to one person for life. They use a little trick: They make the two people involved likeable, so you’re rooting for things to work out. This book opted for realism, which makes for uncomfortable reading.

The plot was well thought out. A couple with a new baby living in New York City head to Denmark for an overdue vacation. The wife hails from Copenhagen, and fifteen years previously was part of a tight group from college who remain friends. One of these was her lover for many years before she decamped for New York, and upon arrival they learn that this man is dying and the group is rallying around him. So we’re taking the basic “third wheel” plot and then slashing the tire for good measure.

Unable to speak Danish, lacking the group’s history, he’s left behind with the baby for much of the story while wifey seeks to console her ex. (The ex lover is not suffering from some wasting disease but rather something like a ticking time bomb; he’s perfectly fine up until the moment he wakes up dead.) Meanwhile, there’s another guy in the group who’s causing all sorts of mayhem, much of which is directed at making Hubby feel even worse. His reaction to all this is not one of Zen-like acceptance.

No murders, modern setting, and deep immersion in Copenhagen. Exactly what I asked for. I have only myself to blame.

[Allen Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the synopsis, and specifically this sentence - "As Mikkel indoctrinates Reuben with ever more depraved stunts, Reuben senses something is seriously amiss" - I was expecting a strange, twisted, or even depraved read. This was not that.

This is a literary fiction with unlikeable characters discussing their jobs, relationships, desires and motivations, and going back and forth about a character's inoperable medical diagnosis - whether the diagnosis is correct, why the friend isn't taking it seriously, if they should get a second opinion, etc.

We alternate between married couple Reuben and Cecielie's points of view. They've recently had a baby and are on vacation in Denmark. (The newborn and parenting take up a surprisingly small amount of this book). I was intrigued by Reuben's intoxication with Mikkel and their strange dynamic/relationship, but it never went in the direction I was hoping, and I was ultimately left a little bored. The cover and synopsis are a bit deceptive in my opinion.

I would recommend this to someone who likes literary fiction that is just following characters as they discuss their lives, relationships, desires, etc., where there isn't a strong plot moving the story along. This reminded me style/vibe wise of Evenings & Weekends by Oisin McKenna, and Sally Rooney.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.

[Letitia | Bookshelfbyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It can be a lot of responsibility, he said, having something so big over someone else.”

In ‘Something Rotten’ by Andrew Lipstein, we meet Cecilie, a Danish NYT reporter, and her husband, Ruben, a disgraced former NPR host and grudging stay-at-home dad. Both crave a break from their New York life and are relieved to spend the summer in Denmark, Cecilie’s hometown. “No, it wasn’t where they were going that gave her hope, but what they were leaving behind. What awaited them was, quite simply, a life that wasn’t this one.” However, what lies ahead is not the calm paradise they expected. They learn Cecilie’s first love, Jonas, has been diagnosed with a rare disease and is refusing treatment, and Mikkel, the only person Jonas will listen to, is unbothered. With humor, an unpredictable adventure, and delving into the interiority of Cecilie and Reuben, ‘Something Rotten’ explores timely concerns of adulthood and how the meanest thing you can do to someone might be the kindest.

This perfect blend of character and plot made it readable, interesting, and fun. While the characters can be deemed unlikeable, I enjoyed Reuben’s POV the most. His inner dialogue and interactions made me laugh, and he had interesting musings on socio-political issues, our moral lives, and masculinity. Between him and Cecilie, we see the challenges of a modern relationship, the ramifications of his cancellation on them individually and as a unit, and the question many ponder about whether life in America is really the better alternative. “But another part knew it was fantasy, nothing more than a counterweight to reality; if he really had this life, all he’d yearn for was the life he had now.”

I never knew where this story was going or who to trust. I appreciated how, even with the twists and turns, it never went off the rails and resolved itself with an ending that reflected the greater themes of the book satisfyingly.

“It’s easy to say that people deserve to know the truth. But it’s fucking impossible to be the one to deliver it.”

While people are singular, we are also generic, and I found it sobering to see some recognition or understanding of these characters. I feel many will see a sense of familiarity in their dilemmas - how the fear of death shapes your decisions, the fragility in social circles, winning people’s approval, and the tension and sometimes insincerity between the person you want to portray to the world versus your actual feelings. Cecilie’s contemplation of her life gave me elements of the movie 'Past Lives’ and the relatable feeling of what life would be like if you made different choices. “She was often struck with envy, and more: a persistent compulsion to imagine the life her parallel self was living.”

I couldn’t have asked for a better book to start the year. This was exactly what I wanted *chef’s kiss*

Thank you so much, FSG for the #gifted copy. Publishing Jan 21st!

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Lipstein is a wonder - how he manages to be so such a prolific writer with a full time job in fintech AND three small children remains a mystery to me - but no matter: it has now resulted in three completely different, interesting novels in a row. Don't be alarmed or turned off by the provocative and slightly misleading cover art (this is not a novel about the painful early days of parenthood). Lipstein is an auto-read author for me so the cover was no issue, though my husband did regularly ask me how I was enjoying the "distressed baby mouth" novel 🙃

Something Rotten is very plotty, just like his previous efforts have been, but this time with the added location of Copenhagen, where Reuben and his Danish journalist wife Cecilie spend an extended parental leave months after Reuben has been fired from his NPR job for inadvertently exposing himself during a Zoom call. Once they're settled with the in-laws in Copenhagen, things start to go south as Reuben and Cecilie get caught up with her friend group and their attendant dramas. Her first love Jonas has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and all of the friends have come together to problem solve and grieve together in their own way. Journalist friend Mikkel has a persuasive role in the group and quickly exacts a svengali-like spell on an impressionable and "blank slate" guy like Reuben. Things devolve for everyone from there. If the plot sounds complicated, it kind of is and is hard to explain without spoilers, but Mikkel challenges Reuben to examine a different type of masculinity and question what he's doing with his life. Another complicating factor to the plot is the lack of quotation marks for dialogue attribution (21st century trend that won't die) and the overuse of Danish dialogue, which came off more like a flex than a necessary plot device (IMO better to just say "He said in Danish" or "they switched to speaking Danish"). It took away from the reading experience to have so much Danish dialogue that was simply chatty and not expository or revealing in any way - and trust me, I ADORE the Danes. The plot is twisty and propulsive despite its short timeframe, and the writing is excellent as usual.

Highly recommend Ben's podcast interview with Andrew on Beyond The Zero from a few weeks ago (spoiler free discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so good…mostly a character driven book but the discussions on masculinity, institution, (light) politics, finances, and gender roles combined with a decently moving plot kept my attention well enough to finish in one day
only 4 stars because i guessed the plot twist from the start

[Le Dillingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very addictive and readable, Lipstein’s writing feels more fine-tuned, stylish, and shrewd than ever. Plot is very compelling; cliffhangers abound and pacing is excellent. I was engaged and intrigued the entire time. I will say, having read the Vegan (and the blurb of this one) I did think it was going to be more unhinged than it was.

Quick hits:
- biggest complaint: Cecilie’s character and voice were not defined, especially in contrast with Reuben. You hate to see it.

- the ensemble cast of Danes was hard to keep track of and (I thought) a bit extraneous. Some of them just disappeared about halfway through the novel (perhaps intentional, but was more confusing than anything else)

- Loved the cross-cultural contrast/critique, especially Reuben’s trajectory of idolizing Danish culture to resentment and disillusionment to resignation/ambivalence. Virtue/Morality v. Truth/authenticity is always a fun (and false) dichotomy to bear out, but I especially loved how these musings tied into American (e)masculinity — and the way that Reuben comes away from his experience changed, but also, and maybe more correctly, unchanged.

- Cecilie and Reuben spend so little time together that they barely feel like a couple. I assume this is purposeful to highlight the separation that occurred after Reuben’s cancellation and also the very real, isolative experience of stay at home parenting. However, this sometimes lowered the relational stakes, as their partnership felt ill-defined. Cecilie’s lack of distinct voice amplified this feeling of lowered stakes

- in contrast, the choice for Arne to be basically invisible the entire novel — he slips further and further into the background (often, I would find myself vaguely concerned that he was going to choke/die/crawl away, that’s how infrequently his whereabouts came up) felt clever and bolstered the indictment of American parenthood. It’s clear that Reuben and Cecilie love Arne and try to be good parents, but in Denmark, their identity as parents more or less disappears (like Cecilie’s milk!), because the American Parent Stress also disappears. Maybe more could have been explored re:their relationship to their son, but I don’t think that’s what this novel was trying to do.

- Much to mull over re: love, especially platonic love, and death/what one does with a life (and how illness or imminent death might foreground a new framework for right and wrong, both on the national and personal level)

Can’t wait for book club, I think it’ll really crack this open for me!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Andrew Lipstein’s previous novel, Last Resort, and was looking forward to reading his newest work. I think Lipstein has a talent for crafting propulsive plot lines and unlikeable characters. Something Rotten highlights some of these skills, but for me, there were a number of factors weighing the book down.

Something Rotten alternates chapters and perspectives between a couple: Reuben and Cecilie. I enjoyed reading each distinct voice but felt that Cecilie had almost no growth or depth throughout the novel in comparison the Reuben. The couple, while they do not seem to like each other, or really interact with one another, are bound by their baby Arnie. I was surprised by how little thought the role of parenthood plays into this novel. Neither character interacts with their son beyond a few minutes of play time once they arrive in Denmark, so much so that their role as co-parents feels very unrealistic. In short, I didn’t feel like there was anything to tie the couple together, which made me quickly loose interest in their relationship.

I was originally attracted to the exploration of masculinity and cancel culture laid out in the book’s description, but honestly did not feel like I gained a lot of insight into either. My favorite character in the book was likely Gorm, a failure-to-launch type of character who is really underutilized in my opinion, particularly as he fits into the masculinity subplot. I was also quite disappointed in the level of passivity required to tie together the story’s medical drama. It is hard to imagine a character like Jonas in reality, who could be quite so gullible, and take so little impetus to understand his own health emergency. I was so tired of the back and forth of getting Jonas to care about his diagnosis that I failed to make an investment in the book’s outcome.

Overall, there were some storylines and ideas I enjoyed reading and mulling over, but the book was a miss for me.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and FSG for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! Something Rotten will be published in January 2025.

[MackGetsLit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars- my main takeaway from this book was that the Danes really like their Pepsi Max, like ALOT. It took me by surprise that Reuben was cancelled because he was having consensual with his wife and accidentally left his computer camera running in the best of the moment. Maybe it is because our current cultural climate is so vile and disgusting that someone having consensual sex in front of coworkers seems more than mild to me, and not really cancel worthy behavior. There was plenty of compare and contrast between US vs Danish culture as it pertains to gender roles, masculinity and social programs for families. I felt the main story line dragged for me though.
Thanks to NetGalley and FSG for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Lipstein's Something Rotten focuses on Cecilie and Reuben's summer in Copenhagen. Cecilie is from Copenhagen and Reuben is mystified by some of what he is experiencing there. Jonas, Cecilie's former lover and part of their friend group, has been diagnosed with a serious illness. Mikkel, another member of the group, seems to be the most influential member. He has influenced Jonas to make medically poor choices and influenced Reuben to get a tattoo. Something is rotten in Denmark and it appears to be Mikkel. What is masculinity? When men feel vulnerable are they more likely to make poor choices? Reuben's personality will remind readers who have read The Vegan of a character they have met before. This is a person who knows he is at a vulnerable point in his life, recognizes he is making poor choices, and is driven to continue. Most of the characters in Something Rotten are facing conflicts in their lives and manage to start moving forward. The book does not provide an instant happy ending; one of its strengths is its failure to do so.

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was, perhaps, just not for me. The writing moved fluidly, and I appreciated the interiority of the main characters, Reuben and Cecelie, through whom the chapters were alternatingly narrated. I also appreciated the look into Danish culture through the eyes of a couple in their mid-30s.

The overall story, though, just did not really do much for me, and did not, in my view, stick the landing.

And while this feels like a really petty nitpick, I viscerally disliked the cover of the book and, other than a single reference to a photograph gone missing of a crying child, I could not at all understand its relationship to the content of the story.

[Deborah G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An addictive read full of complicated relationships and the merging of past and present. I deeply enjoyed getting to know the characters, the tone of the novel sat well with me, and the pace was perfect. I also loved the hyper -specific details about Copenhagen and Danish culture. Will definitely be checking out Lipstein’s other work!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

[Kasvi]

Something Rotten started off as something that seemed right up my alley, but as I slowly made my way through the book I realized I wasn't being pulled to read this one and I sensed the start of a slump. By the 51% mark, I had no choice but to DNF. Don't get me wrong, the writing was creatively structured and I feel like it has potential for many other readers, it just was not for me.

The story follows Cecilie and Rueben who are just ready for a break after having their first child, and kick off the book by heading to Cecilie's hometown in Denmark. While there, they find out that Cecilie's childhood love, Jonas, has this mysterious illness that everyone is determined to help cure, aside from Mikkel, a journalist and the only person Jonas will listen to. Rueban slowly gets entwined with Mikkel, and begins to make some impulsive decisions, all while Cecilie is just trying to get through to Jonas.

While the plot sounds right up my alley, there was just something that was not compelling me to read this book. For some context, I started reading this on July 24th, and it is currently the 17th of September, so just a little shy of two whole months. I've found myself having to force myself to pick this one up, and after reading a little bit, I would just want to put it down and read something else.

I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, or even just caring about what happens to them. All the characters are pretty unlikable, but I have no problem reading from characters I'm not a fan of. I don't want to sound too harsh, but I think I was just bored by them!

Bottom line: I don't usually DNF books, but after reading a little over half in two months, I coulnd't get myself to continue. For me, this one just didn't hit. But I am definitely in the. minority here, and there are many other amazing reviews for it, so give it a shot if you're interested!

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be honest and say the star rating I would give this book swung back and forth all over the 3-5 range during my reading of it. In the end, I think Lipstein’s story did enough unique and dynamic writing with a plot that I honestly didn’t see coming that I felt overall pretty satisfied with this!

Something Rotten takes up Reuben and Cecilie’s story, as their small family (featuring 1 year old baby Arne) takes an extended and delayed maternity leave to stay and reconnect with Cecilie’s home of Denmark. Cecilie’s mother Lispeth and brother Gorm become roommates, and Reuben and Cecilie are given the space and time to finally work through some of their long time relational dysfunction stemming from Reuben’s cancelled journalistic career and extended unemployment. Cecilie reconnects with her journalism school friends, and in doing so re-enters relationships that used to be close, now tainted with her departure. As Reuben becomes obsessed with Cecilie’s charismatic and bluntly contrarian friend Mikkel, both Cecilie and Reuben navigating personal development and growth as they explore questions of gender and masculinity, truth, protection from the truth, one’s own sense of agency in their life, and cultural mindset differences between the USA and Europe.

I think Lipstein does an excellent job of flipping between Reuben and Cecilie’s stories in a way that felt authentic to both of them, both discovering and reacting to the world around them in tandem but complimentary ways. Having lived in Amsterdam for 2 years, the similarities between the Dutch and Danish had my really enjoying and seeing so much accuracy and contrast created between them. Particularly Cecilie’s mindset as a Danish person who chose to move to NYC creates some really meaningful and reflective considerations about the cultural differences and attitudes. Endings can feel make or break for me, and I was really pleasantly surprised by the way that this one was tied up.

[cab · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was brought here by this excellent review delivered to me by way of zubin

[Amy Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The jacket cover and the opening pages set up a tantalizing premise: This story will (finally!) probe the confusing mix of privilege and paralysis at the heart of modern masculinity. An American man--a journalist, no less--has been cancelled and shamed. Reduced to a stay-at-home dad, he has become a passive shell. But when he travels to Denmark, he meets the ultimate alpha male, who seduces him with visions of what could be.

How I wish that had been this book. Initially, it appeared to be. The male protagonist, Reuben, is stuck in a glass box, professionally cancelled, yet on display. He's exhibit number one for why you should ALWAYS make sure your Zoom camera is off. His wife, Cecilie, equally humiliated, yet miraculously un-cancelled, has taken on the role of bread-winner, leaving Reuben to care for their toddler. When the couple travels to her native Denmark, they both wonder (for different reasons) whether they should stay: Reuben, because he feels liberated from the yoke of scandal, and Cecilie, because--well, it's just easier to raise kids in Denmark.

There is so much rich compost to draw from here, Reuben's cancellation, the inverted power structure in his marriage, his foreignness, the loss of control over his narrative. The introduction of Mikkel, Denmark's answer to Joe Rogan, opens a door for Reuben to engage with these issues, which he's kept suppressed in hopes of being re-admitted to polite society. Mikkel is a vigorous boor, a loud-mouthed bully, the kind of man the #MeToo movement attempted to crush to extinction. Reuben marvels at his apparent freedom and self-mastery. He hits on the idea of recording a podcast, an unflinching exploration of the differences between Danish and American masculinity.

Except . . . he never does. Sure, he records a few conversations with Mikkel, but that's as far as he gets. The moment he starts asking heavy questions, a subplot about a medical diagnosis takes over, manspreading across the entire book. As the pages ticked down, I began to worry that the author wasn't going to deliver on his premise--and from my perspective, he didn't. The remainder of the story is taken up with D-list intrigue about whether one of the wife's friends is sick, rather than the original question: "What does it mean to be a man?"

Once I became disinvested in the book, its faults started to jump off the page. There were so many references to a specific soda (Pepsi Max) that I began to wonder if it was a negotiated endorsement. (Is this what we've come to, in the age of streaming, that we're embedding commercials into books?) Although the story alternates between Reuben and Cecilie's perspectives, the point of view was sometimes slippery, as if the author forgot whose head he was in. I also became exasperated with the use of questions to illuminate internal states. Entire paragraphs went something like this: "Why had Mikkel asked him to start recording? Had he only wanted Reuben to have to relive [plot point]? . . . . [H]adn't he needed some time to rationalize [another plot point]? But what could possibly justify Jonas lying about [yet another plot point]? Could he have been that in need of sympathy? Could he have been testing how his friends would respond?" While most of these faults were apparent in the first half, they became overwhelming in the second. I got the sense that the author (or perhaps his editor?) focused all of his attention on the first hundred pages, knowing most reviewers would do the same.

In the end, Reuben changes very little. He never answers the question, and he abandons his podcast for a more traditional calling. What a waste. The crisis of modern masculinity is ripe for exploration, but it needs a writer who will confront it head on. This book plays a game of literary chicken, only to swerve at the last minute.

[Zachary Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

-moments of crisis
-moments of clarity
-inner-monologues from selfish, angry, wacky characters who are trying to find insight...

Something Rotten delivers all the staples of Lipstein's best writing.

I particularly enjoyed how the culture of Denmark acted as a sounding board for Reuben to explore his identity and virtues.

I continue to puzzle over the note of futility beneath many of the character's epiphanic experiences.
Is there something in one's nature that cannot be entirely excised? After the glow of revelation has faded, will I once again be stuck here with myself?

[Alex Bednar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kind of book is usually exactly down my alley (toxic friendships, marriage on the rocks, weird social dynamics) and for the first bit I was really gelling with it then it started to feel flat and repetitive by the end. The amount of pages that were just musings from the characters about the same things over and over again started to get tiring. Too much thought not enough action!!

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel focuses on Reuben, who is disgraced in NPR through an explicit sex act on a Zoom call. Their life in a tailspin, he and his wife take a hiatus with their young son to the wife's mother's home in Denmark. Reuben becomes involved with his wife's male friends, including her ex-husband, and issues of masculinity, deceit and loyalty explode around him. Also an interesting comparison of Danish and American customs and attitudes/

[Mia Everding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just astoundingly good. I closed the book last night and thought, "That was one of the best books I've ever read." Part of me wishes I'd read it all in one sitting to fully experience the ups and downs and cyclical (and deranged) thinking of one of the main characters. Picked this up on a whim and thought maybe I'd enjoy it and boy, am I glad for that happy accident.

[Caroline Schaper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deft as hell

[Laura Winnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

fast paced, funny, plotty, good character development - makes for a really good read

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

someone bring me a pepsi max and another andrew lipstein novel.

[Emily Carlin]

Read over the course of a few nights and a turbulent flight from SF to Denver. Very good. The exact type of book I like to read before bed and while lazing around…Crushable but not mind numbing or soul damaging. Also I want to move to Denmark now :/

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was weirdly introspective. 🤔🤔🤔

Thanks to Netgalley and FSG for the e-ARC. Review can also be found here: https://snoozlykitsune.com/2024/08/22...

Something Rotten was a random pick from Netgalley, a sort of challenge for myself to read something that’s way out of my comfort zone. And well, who could resist that crying baby cover which really piqued my curiosity? It’s not something that I get to encounter every day what with the SFF books that I usually prefer to read.

I’m glad that I picked Something Rotten because it gave my brain a new stimulation that’s not focused on who’s gonna usurp someone’s kingdom or will the boy/girl of destiny fulfil the prophecy. Something Rotten is not your typical contemporary-couple story wherein the wife and the husband are trying to make their relationship workout. It’s more of a story of introspection, authenticity, getting back up and crawling towards the sliver of light at the end of a tunnel.

Most of the characters were hateful and despicable and yet, I finished the book in just one sitting. There’s just something perversely brilliant about following the lives of characters who are not only unrepentant and unaware that they’re repugnant beyond measure. We have Reuben, our male leading character and a popular NPR host, who had fallen from grace due to a scandalous social faux pas and thus, forced to become house husband out of pure shame. He’s prolly a good father but emotionally weak, susceptible to deceit and has the tendency to please everybody regardless if said people are good or bad influences. And then, there is his wife, Cecilie, who is still hang up with her ex-boyfriend, Jonas. For Pete’s sake, she just gave birth to her and Reuben’s child but she just can’t stop herself from acting like a wife and at the same time, mom to Jonas. And then, there are her Danish friends who spout about the importance of individual freedom but can’t be bothered to show some love and sympathy for their dying friend. If they are this detached about each other, why are they even making the effort to hang out together and just get into passive-aggressive fights? And don’t get me start talking about Mikkel who’s probably the most interesting character in this book but I don’t know if it’s even morally right to be charmed by him because….uggggh, why did he do it?

Reading Something Rotten is like watching a TV series about snakes and sharks trying to outmanoeuvre each other. It’s disturbing but in that gratifying way. There’s fulfilment seeing all of them, their lives thrown into chaos as they hop from one bad choice to another. And amidst all the chaos, I was humbled by the surprising twists in the story and concepts of authenticity, masculinity, and the socio-political issues that are directly affecting the lives of our characters. It’s this profoundness that hooked me to the story all the way to the end. Because at the end of the day, our lives are not just made by our choices but are also influenced by things that are happening around us and by the people we interact with. This is the central lesson this book is trying to convey.

All in all, I cannot say that this book is for everyone but its exploration of human values and relationships surely held a certain charm that made me stick with it until the end. If you are hungry for something unconventional with a lot of hair pulling on the side and an eye-opening read, give this book a try.

[Hanna Gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilie and Reuben are a young, professional New York couple working in journalism. However, after Reuben has been canceled from his NPR job, Cecilie is now the sole breadwinner while Reuben stays home taking care of their firstborn. Neither one of them is particularly happy with the situation. Reuben fulfills his parental duties but doesn’t particularly enjoy them; Cecilie, who is Danish, always feels slightly different, even in multicultural New York. Being fed up with tedious yet exhausting everyday activities, they go to Denmark for vacation and to reunite with Cecilie’s family and friends.

But, as the title smartly suggests, taking from a famous line from “Hamlet,” something is rotten in the state of Denmark. At first, they are both excited, tasting the new freedom without constantly having their baby in tow. Cecilie meets her friends and feels she can speak the same language as others – finally! Reuben befriends Mikkels, a high-level journalist, and is strangely fascinated by Mikkel’s persona. It’s almost like a high school nerd suddenly finds the most popular guy who, inexplicably, wants to hang out with him.

When the reader figures out that this novel will deal with the traditional male model and perhaps with integrating into a new community and even a new country, Andrew Lipstein brings a significant moral dilemma. Another one of Cecile’s friends, Jonas, has been diagnosed with a rare disease, but he refuses any treatment, and the only person he listens to is Mikkel. How far can one go to change the behavior and even the life of another person? What would be best for our friends? Should we lie and cheat to make them understand how wrong they are?

This is Andrew Lipstein’s second book, which I read after “The Vegan,” and I’m very impressed with how good a writer he is. Even though I know Cecilie and Reuben would never become my friends in real life because neither side would want it, I understand them well and can relate to their problems. There is also a feeling of loneliness and need for other people, the constant hunger for acceptance, permeating “Something Rotten,” which is hard to forget. I’ll be thinking about this insightful novel for a long time.

[Tyler Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one hooked me from the beginning and just kept getting better and better. Lipstein’s writing is deft and self-aware. His characters come alive on the page, and I genuinely enjoyed having access to their inner monologues. Their descent into obsession and self-destruction, their pursuit of truth and the moral compromises that come with it, are at once thrilling and uncomfortably relatable.

If you’re looking for a biting, clever novel with heart that captures that uniquely millennial cocktail of cynicism, humor, doubt, and ambition, this one definitely fits the bill.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Something Rotten” – the novel that had me at times questioning the nature of toxic masculinity, the true value of health and honesty in relationships, and the popularity of Pepsi Max in Denmark. (Apparently, it’s very popular there!)

Andrew Lipstein’s novel features characters that are remarkably flawed and unlikable. Perhaps the greatest strength of “Something Rotten” is that Lipstein doesn’t jump through hoops to make you like these people. From the top down, he almost encourages resentment. That strategy really works in this context.

You have Reuben and Cecilie, a married couple. He’s a former NPR host who left in disgrace after an incident captured on-camera in a video meeting. She’s a New York Times reporter who seems abundantly unhappy with her job and overall situation. They have a young son, Arne, a rambunctious tot who makes appearances when they are convenient to the plot.

Reuben and Cecilie head to Denmark, her home country, for a few months for leave to spend time with her friends and family there. Once in Denmark, Reuben is bewitched by Mikkel, a member of Cecilie’s friend group who leads Reuben down a dark, beer-drenched road of self-discovery. Cecilie becomes obsessed with helping Jonas, an ex-boyfriend of hers who has been handed a life-altering diagnosis.

There is a lot to work with in “Something Rotten.” The characters were well-formed. Their unlikeability is a feature, not a bug. And there were moments when this novel felt like reading a long text message from one friend gossiping about another. If that’s your jam, you’ll like this. The musings on things like cancel culture, gender roles and health care were interesting and didn’t feel preachy or wrought.

The plot takes a bit to get going, and there are some long sections that were overly contemplative. Once the pieces start to come together, it does pick up. But then it starts to drag again as you wonder – does all of this really need to be said? Pacing was probably the biggest issue I had with this novel.

I also feel it’s important to mention that the marketing for this feels a little off. First, the cover: It gives the impression that there is a focus on parenting here. There isn’t. While Arne plays his role, I think the crying baby on the front is more of an allusion to the inner turmoil felt by the characters, including Reuben, Cecilie and Jonas. Second, the line in the description about Mikkel prodding Reuben into “ever more depraved stunts” is definitely off. Unless we just have very, very different ideas about what constitutes “depraved.” I was thinking “Pink Flamingos.” This seems more like frat house pranks and dares.

[Nat :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But therapy also taught her that the word itself, closure, was absurd; healing did not come from a cessation of feelings, but from understanding they would never end.”

Something Rotten surprised me. This was my first book by Andrew Lipstein and def won’t be my last. His writing style is so psychologically rich and sharp, laced with dark humor, existential dread, and an almost rhythmic cadence that mirrors his characters’ inner spirals.

The novel follows Reuben, a man teetering on the edge of self-awareness, posturing through moments of regret, ambition, and the awkward gravity of consequence. The story builds from the aftermath of a single, rash decision—getting a tattoo that says “Something Rotten”—and spirals outward, into a meditation on aging, identity, and how we assign meaning to our choices after we’ve made them.

And yet, what really stuck with me were the shifting perspectives, particularly from Reuben’s wife, Cecile, who’s returned to her home country of Copenhagen and finds herself confronting what success has cost her. Her inner monologue is razor-sharp:

“They talked about jobs and creativity, fame and success and ambition, how youthful it was, and how like love: both ideas gaining their power before they could be understood, while we spent a lifetime running on their fumes.”

There’s such a clear-eyed dissection of modern ambition in this novel. The youthful myth of success, the envy we carry when our peers seem to have made “better” choices, and the underlying tension of feeling like you’re always living a version of your life, never the truest one.

Lipstein has this uncanny ability to make a character’s self-delusion feel both tragic and funny, without ever feeling cruel. The existential crisis isn’t loud here, it simmers under the surface. And the prose? Honestly, it’s like watching someone thread a needle in the dark and still manage to sew a perfect line.

TLDR: A sharp, existential, and quietly devastating novel about regret, identity, and the absurdity of our own choices. If you love clinical, character-driven writing with dark humor and emotional depth, this one checks all the boxes.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The summary of Andrew Lipstein’s SOMETHING ROTTEN caught my attention with its promise of Shakespearean tragedy, outrageous plot twists and cultural critique. Instead, it delivers an occasionally plotty, but mostly introspective story about faltering relationships and millennial existential dread.

Reuben, a disgraced former NPR host and stay-at-home dad, and Cecilie, his Danish journalist wife, escape from Brooklyn to Denmark after a humiliating work scandal, reconnecting with Cecilie’s old friends, including her ex-boyfriend Jonas and the chaotic, enigmatic Mikkel.

The setup has all the ingredients for a compelling drama—public shaming, a potentially fatal illness, a toxic friendship with an unhinged character, family crises—but the tension never quite delivers. I was intrigued by Reuben’s fascination with Mikkel, a charismatic men’s rights movement proponent, but the promised menace fizzles out before the end. The Danish-American cultural comparisons also felt flat for me, leaning on clichés about bland, safe Danish life without much depth.

Lipstein’s writing is sharp and witty, and the themes—fear, societal pressure, masculinity, ambition—are relatable. Maybe I’m being extra picky about anything Nordic-related, but I was left wanting more: more tension, more nuance, and a more satisfying resolution. Still, I think fans of morally ambiguous fiction with unlikable characters, uncomfortable situations, and really smart writing will find much to like.

3/5 ⭐️

Thank you very much FSG Books for the free hardcover сору.

[eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cecilie is a fed-up New York Times reporter, and her husband, Reuben, is a disgraced former NPR host and grudging stay-at-home dad. Neither can wait to spend the summer in Copenhagen, Denmark, Cecilie’s hometown. But their vacation begins to turn inside out as soon as they land: Cecilie’s first love, Jonas, has been diagnosed with a rare, fatal illness. All of Cecilie’s friends are desperate to get him help—that is, except for Mikkel, a high-powered journalist who happens to be the only one Jonas will listen to, and whose influence quickly extends to Reuben.

This started off very strongly, and immediately hooked me in and, while I will admit my interest did start to falter about halfway through, it still kept me coming back all the way to the end; it was also a very quick read, and the writing was great and incredibly captivating. There's something so confusing to me about this, because I didn't even care about the characters all that much, but the story itself was what got me, and it was definitely enough, which is unusual for me. The characters were still very interesting to me, in the sense that all of them were so incredibly frustrating and flawed and honestly very awful at times, but it made them feel real. The story can get so incredibly frustrating, and it definitely is not for everyone, but it's definitely a very thought-provoking one that can spark many conversations.

Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the eARC. All opinions are my own.