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The Figgs
Meet the Figgs. June, the family's matriarch, looks forward to a quiet retirement — if only she can get her three adult children to finally, finally, move out of the house. But her dreams are shattered when her son Derek unexpectedly becomes a single father. Now there's a newborn baby at home, and Derek's older siblings are showing no sign of going anywhere either. In the midst of the chaos, June's husband, Randy, has a shocking revelation.
With family life flying fast and furious around her, June finds herself thinking about her parents — adoptive and biological. Where did she come from? Will her new grandson be traumatized without his mother? And why in the world are all the kids still at home, anyway?
The Figgs combines the quirkiness of Miriam Toews, the startling humour and fierce energy of Heather O'Neill, the heart of Little Miss Sunshine and the unruly family dynamics of Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You into one hilarious, immensely fun novel.
With family life flying fast and furious around her, June finds herself thinking about her parents — adoptive and biological. Where did she come from? Will her new grandson be traumatized without his mother? And why in the world are all the kids still at home, anyway?
The Figgs combines the quirkiness of Miriam Toews, the startling humour and fierce energy of Heather O'Neill, the heart of Little Miss Sunshine and the unruly family dynamics of Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You into one hilarious, immensely fun novel.
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
September 8, 2018
Sometimes it is just so darn hard to get the children to leave the nest. Animals don't seem to have these problems, do they? For June and Randy Figg, now retired, wanting to downsize, maybe take a few trips together, this is the Crux of their problem. Their three grown children, despite some gentle, and some not so gentle prodding, just don't seem to get the message. Or if they do get it, just don't seem willing to act on it. Well, since they are all still here, it might be a good time to get the basement cleared of a lifetimes deitrus, deposited by various family members, after all, to sell thd house this would have to be done. So all in the basement together, getting little done actually as it seems as if item invokes a trip down memory lane, when a phone call changes everything.
Within a matter of pages this book had me in stitches, oh my goodness but I could relate to this family. Plus, it is just so hard, but wonderful when it happens, to find a funny book. A dysfunctional family, yes definitely, but aren't all families to some extent? The parts where the children, well grown adults, turn on each other, spilling secrets they had on each other but have kept from their parents. Yep, happened here and while they definitely gave me pause when I was told, I'm glad I didn't know about them at the time. Ignorance is sometimes bliss!
There are deeper issues at play too, adoption, both adopted and sdoptee, single Parenthood, a same sex relationship with an older women, and a younger son possibly addicted to porn. This family comes apart, redefines itself, and comes together again because make no mistake, these Figgs they love each other. A wonderful, charming, humorous look at a family with many flaws, secrets and much love.
ARC from Netgalley.
Within a matter of pages this book had me in stitches, oh my goodness but I could relate to this family. Plus, it is just so hard, but wonderful when it happens, to find a funny book. A dysfunctional family, yes definitely, but aren't all families to some extent? The parts where the children, well grown adults, turn on each other, spilling secrets they had on each other but have kept from their parents. Yep, happened here and while they definitely gave me pause when I was told, I'm glad I didn't know about them at the time. Ignorance is sometimes bliss!
There are deeper issues at play too, adoption, both adopted and sdoptee, single Parenthood, a same sex relationship with an older women, and a younger son possibly addicted to porn. This family comes apart, redefines itself, and comes together again because make no mistake, these Figgs they love each other. A wonderful, charming, humorous look at a family with many flaws, secrets and much love.
ARC from Netgalley.
April 30, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I was fully prepared to hate everything about The Figgs upon seeing a comparison made to . . . . .
Good grief but those are some big shoes to fill. However, the combination of my love for dysfunctional families along with the admiration of whoever had the cajones to namedrop Tropper like it was nothing was too strong to resist. And now that I’m finished? Well, I am happy to report I feel nearly the same way about the Figgs as I did about the Altmans . . .
(The only thing missing is a wicked crush on Judd.)
All June ever wanted for herself and her husband Randy was to be able to retire in peace – maybe sell the house and move someplace warm, or at minimum get to take that road trip she’s dreamed of her entire marriage. That’s been impossible, however, thanks to Tom, Vanessa and Derek – their adult children who still reside in the family home. We meet the Figgs as June is trying one last push to get the children to clean up all of their old crap and clear out of the house. Little does June know that rather than losing some family members, the house is getting ready for a plus one, in the form of Derek’s baby no one knew was even expected.
The remainder of the story is coming to terms with alllllll of their family’s history. Learning that . . . .
And to . . . .
While realizing that the Figgs might not appear as dysfunctional from an outsider’s perspective as they do from an insider’s . . . .
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
I was fully prepared to hate everything about The Figgs upon seeing a comparison made to . . . . .
Good grief but those are some big shoes to fill. However, the combination of my love for dysfunctional families along with the admiration of whoever had the cajones to namedrop Tropper like it was nothing was too strong to resist. And now that I’m finished? Well, I am happy to report I feel nearly the same way about the Figgs as I did about the Altmans . . .
(The only thing missing is a wicked crush on Judd.)
All June ever wanted for herself and her husband Randy was to be able to retire in peace – maybe sell the house and move someplace warm, or at minimum get to take that road trip she’s dreamed of her entire marriage. That’s been impossible, however, thanks to Tom, Vanessa and Derek – their adult children who still reside in the family home. We meet the Figgs as June is trying one last push to get the children to clean up all of their old crap and clear out of the house. Little does June know that rather than losing some family members, the house is getting ready for a plus one, in the form of Derek’s baby no one knew was even expected.
The remainder of the story is coming to terms with alllllll of their family’s history. Learning that . . . .
And to . . . .
While realizing that the Figgs might not appear as dysfunctional from an outsider’s perspective as they do from an insider’s . . . .
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
February 11, 2018
I adored this book about a dysfunctional family that underneath it all, cared deeply for one another. An emotional story written with humor about a quirky mother, a sentimental father, and their three adult children who live at home finding it difficult to break away from the apron strings.The story is one that is easy to relate to and I felt the family could have even be my neighbors in the Midwestern U.S.
Ali Bryan writes with a quick wit that is startlingly funny and creative. I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times throughout the book. She is an author I will watch for and recommend.
Thank you Net Galley.
Ali Bryan writes with a quick wit that is startlingly funny and creative. I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times throughout the book. She is an author I will watch for and recommend.
Thank you Net Galley.
April 30, 2018
Ali Bryan creates an all-too-believable contemporary family in The Figgs: June and Randy Figg, confused and loving parents; Tom, Derek, and Vanessa, adult children all, negotiating adulthood with halting success. June’s recently retired, Randy’s still working as a carpenter, both eagerly but ambivalently awaiting the departure of their children from their childhood rooms. Each of the five Figgs hold secrets from each other: an out-of-wedlock child; a brief, unwanted pregnancy; a lesbian lover; a remarkably generous present to a grandmother sunk deep into senile dementia; an addiction to especially weird pornography.
Bryan threads several themes throughout The Figgs: adoption as guilt and as mystery; parents’ disappointments with and fears for their adult children; the limits of parents’ knowledge and understanding of their adult children; those many secrets kept by all families, both individually and collectively; parents’ difficulties in trying to discern the reality of the adult child from the fantasy of the adult child refracted through the parental lens of ten or twenty years earlier.
Reading The Figgs may bring with it a an uncomfortable frisson of recognition: some readers may dismiss The Figgs and its five fictional Figgs and say, “not another novel about a dysfunctional family” or “I’m so glad that they’re not my kids”; some may say, “we’ve been through much worse with our kids”; and others may say—and I’m among them—that Ali Bryan has done an extremely creditable job of populating a family with ordinary people with ordinary troubles and ordinary joys. What’s notable about Ali Bryan’s portrayal of The Figgs is how she tells their individual and collective stories with both humor and empathy throughout. Reading The Figgs brought to mind an updated family comedy, easy to read and cleverly compressed into about three hundred engaging and amusing pages.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Freehand Books for providing me with The Figgs in return for an honest review, and the excellent CanLit site Consumed by Ink for bringing The Figgs to my attention.
Bryan threads several themes throughout The Figgs: adoption as guilt and as mystery; parents’ disappointments with and fears for their adult children; the limits of parents’ knowledge and understanding of their adult children; those many secrets kept by all families, both individually and collectively; parents’ difficulties in trying to discern the reality of the adult child from the fantasy of the adult child refracted through the parental lens of ten or twenty years earlier.
Reading The Figgs may bring with it a an uncomfortable frisson of recognition: some readers may dismiss The Figgs and its five fictional Figgs and say, “not another novel about a dysfunctional family” or “I’m so glad that they’re not my kids”; some may say, “we’ve been through much worse with our kids”; and others may say—and I’m among them—that Ali Bryan has done an extremely creditable job of populating a family with ordinary people with ordinary troubles and ordinary joys. What’s notable about Ali Bryan’s portrayal of The Figgs is how she tells their individual and collective stories with both humor and empathy throughout. Reading The Figgs brought to mind an updated family comedy, easy to read and cleverly compressed into about three hundred engaging and amusing pages.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Freehand Books for providing me with The Figgs in return for an honest review, and the excellent CanLit site Consumed by Ink for bringing The Figgs to my attention.
April 4, 2018
4.5 Thank you Netgalley! What a delightful read. I was in a book slump and found this and now i'm back in a book slump because nothing appeals to me. Anyway, the book is about the Figgs. June & Randy. Married for 20+ years. And their three grown children; Tom the oldest, Vanessa and Derek. The book opens with June wanting to organize the basement and start to clean things out. Mostly it's the kid's things. They sort of help as they all have jobs at what would probably seem like crappy places like petland, a recycling factory and a cleaning business. But then Derek announces that Marissa is having the baby. Who's Marissa? The rest of the family doesn't know. But Marissa was a girl Derek dated about 9 months before. The girl that June walked in on at Derek's job the they were getting it on on a counter. The image is vividly burned into her head, that Marissa.
And so the Figgs go to the hospital along with Leslie who was bringing Vanessa to work who also turns out to be Vanessa's girlfriend. June is surprised, not that her daughter is a lesbian but that she's dating a woman old enough to be vanessa's mother.
But the story unfolds as Randy, after seeing the birth of his grandchild, admits to having a son who June never knew about. Also, June was adopted.
SO the story is kind of about adoption and accepting it and finding your biological family and also loving the family you grew up with.
The author has a keen eye for dialogue and was really funny. I enjoyed the story from beginning to end.
And so the Figgs go to the hospital along with Leslie who was bringing Vanessa to work who also turns out to be Vanessa's girlfriend. June is surprised, not that her daughter is a lesbian but that she's dating a woman old enough to be vanessa's mother.
But the story unfolds as Randy, after seeing the birth of his grandchild, admits to having a son who June never knew about. Also, June was adopted.
SO the story is kind of about adoption and accepting it and finding your biological family and also loving the family you grew up with.
The author has a keen eye for dialogue and was really funny. I enjoyed the story from beginning to end.
August 7, 2019
This was good and there are many humorous moments where you can identify your own family and their quirky dynamics. June Figg and her husband have retired and are just trying to clean and clear out the basement, and get their three adult children out of the house. When one son announces he's expecting a baby with a girl he's had a casual fling with, he brings the baby home to raise as a single-parent - this signals the flood of circumstances in the Figg family where June realizes she will never be getting her motley crew out of the house. But is that what June truly wants anyway?
The Figgs is 95% told through straight up dialogue. I generally have issues reading books written this way - I like having more depth in the description and development of the story and the characters as I find it enhances and deepens my reading experience. It wasn't as annoying as I've found other books written this way to be, but it was very noticeable and lacked creating that depth in the characters and their stories for me.
The Figgs is 95% told through straight up dialogue. I generally have issues reading books written this way - I like having more depth in the description and development of the story and the characters as I find it enhances and deepens my reading experience. It wasn't as annoying as I've found other books written this way to be, but it was very noticeable and lacked creating that depth in the characters and their stories for me.
June 5, 2018
I want to invite the Figg family to dinner!
Ali Bryan has created such a colorful cast with this novel that you can't help but laugh and cry with them as they cope with whatever comes their way. The characters seem so real with their responses to life in general, particularly when it harbors the unexpected. The Figg family - retired parents with three grown children living at home - is sarcastic, soulful and mostly tender, especially when the youngest son becomes an unexpected parent.
Bryan has captured what life can be like - unexpected, but not unappreciated - with "The Figgs." By the way, I wouldn't be surprised to see this novel made into a movie. It's easy to picture your favorite comedians as the various Figgs.
ARC provided by NetGalley
Ali Bryan has created such a colorful cast with this novel that you can't help but laugh and cry with them as they cope with whatever comes their way. The characters seem so real with their responses to life in general, particularly when it harbors the unexpected. The Figg family - retired parents with three grown children living at home - is sarcastic, soulful and mostly tender, especially when the youngest son becomes an unexpected parent.
Bryan has captured what life can be like - unexpected, but not unappreciated - with "The Figgs." By the way, I wouldn't be surprised to see this novel made into a movie. It's easy to picture your favorite comedians as the various Figgs.
ARC provided by NetGalley
October 6, 2020
This was a great book! I’m not sure I found it funny, but I did find it heartfelt, relatable, quirky and un-put-down-able. Is that a word? Not sure, but you get what I’m saying. Go. Read it!
March 20, 2021
3.5 stars
June has just retired, but with her and Randy’s three adult children still living at home (though they’ve been trying to get rid of them for a while!), there’s not much time to relax. When she is trying to get her kids to help her clean the basement, her youngest son, Derek, gets a phone call. He needs to go to the hospital because Marissa is having her baby. Who is Marissa, June wonders, but they pile in the car to be there with Derek. Soon, Derek is home with a baby he’d only found out a week or so earlier that he was the father of. Daughter Vanessa seems to have a much older girlfriend – who new Vanessa was a lesbian!? Not June, nor Randy. Both June and Randy also have their own family issues going on at the same time…
This was a whirlwind! I liked it, but I’m sure happy to live alone. All that activity was crazy and would drive me insane! I like my quiet life. There was humour mixed in here and there, as well. This is a local author to me, so it’s always fun to read about places I know in my city.
June has just retired, but with her and Randy’s three adult children still living at home (though they’ve been trying to get rid of them for a while!), there’s not much time to relax. When she is trying to get her kids to help her clean the basement, her youngest son, Derek, gets a phone call. He needs to go to the hospital because Marissa is having her baby. Who is Marissa, June wonders, but they pile in the car to be there with Derek. Soon, Derek is home with a baby he’d only found out a week or so earlier that he was the father of. Daughter Vanessa seems to have a much older girlfriend – who new Vanessa was a lesbian!? Not June, nor Randy. Both June and Randy also have their own family issues going on at the same time…
This was a whirlwind! I liked it, but I’m sure happy to live alone. All that activity was crazy and would drive me insane! I like my quiet life. There was humour mixed in here and there, as well. This is a local author to me, so it’s always fun to read about places I know in my city.
June 22, 2018
3.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed this book. It was about family dynamics and the dysfunction, love, and anger that is embedded in those everyday workings of a family. The Figgs could be our friends, our neighbors, or our own family-and for that, I fell in love with them and felt like they were already my friends. They would make the perfectly imperfect dinner guests where you just have to serve the food, and the entertainment is provided, free of charge :)
February 23, 2018
The Figgs are a delightful family and my only regret was that the book ended before I could spend more time with them. I think that's generally the sign of a quality book, though - that it ends leaving me wanting more. It's a really touching and adorable portrayal of this particular family's dynamics.
May 3, 2018
A delightful, funny and touching read!
June 6, 2018
The Figgs is a fast-paced, sharp-tongued, lighthearted, but emotional story of the Figgs, husband Randy, wife June, and three grown children whom they wish would get out of the house so that they can enjoy their retirement. In the first few pages, this dream is squashed when the youngest, and supposed favorite child, Derek says he needs a ride to the hospital because he is going to be a father, to a son, with a girl he has never dated, exactly. This new addition to the family becomes a catalyst of sorts, allowing Randy to reveal a secret of his own, and for June to start thinking about her own parents. What ensues is a fantastic journey of revelation, emotion, and a genuine empathy for every family member.
The part of the book description that caught my interest was the comparison to Little Miss Sunshine, but as I was reading this, I kept thinking that this seemed a lot like Bob's Burgers after the parents had retired and the children were still living at home. Some of the wit and banter between the kids, especially while Randy is trying to have a serious moment or while June is being offended, kids that seem rotten on the outside but really have hearts of gold, reminds me of the three children on Bob's Burgers. This idea makes me love "The Figgs" even more, and quite honestly, this is one of the best, funniest, novels I have read in a while. I cannot recommend this novel enough. In fact I keep telling everyone I know about it. "The Figgs" is definitely worth the time.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The part of the book description that caught my interest was the comparison to Little Miss Sunshine, but as I was reading this, I kept thinking that this seemed a lot like Bob's Burgers after the parents had retired and the children were still living at home. Some of the wit and banter between the kids, especially while Randy is trying to have a serious moment or while June is being offended, kids that seem rotten on the outside but really have hearts of gold, reminds me of the three children on Bob's Burgers. This idea makes me love "The Figgs" even more, and quite honestly, this is one of the best, funniest, novels I have read in a while. I cannot recommend this novel enough. In fact I keep telling everyone I know about it. "The Figgs" is definitely worth the time.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2018
The Figgs is a story about a slightly dysfunctional, gloriously messy, family consisting of two retired parents, three grown boomerang kids (or rather kids that just don't seem to want to ever move out), one newborn, an ailing mother in a nursing home, and a few family secrets along the way. I'm pretty sure, even if the dynamics vary, that a lot of people could see the shadows of their own quirky families playing out in the pages of the Figgs. Wry, unexpected by times, and definitely heartwarming, this was a book I couldn't put down.
June, the matriarch, occasionally grated on me, much like my own mother (love you, Mom!), in her need to make her children's and husband's decisions and crises are all about her, and there were a couple places where I was sure the story had ended but the book went on a few more chapters, but overall it was an engaging, relatable, and humorous read.
I had to google Ali Bryan to see if she had a degree in family psychology or was a stand-up comedienne when she wasn't penning books because her characterization and deadpan humor is spot on! Now, I'm on the hunt for her first novel, Roost!
June, the matriarch, occasionally grated on me, much like my own mother (love you, Mom!), in her need to make her children's and husband's decisions and crises are all about her, and there were a couple places where I was sure the story had ended but the book went on a few more chapters, but overall it was an engaging, relatable, and humorous read.
I had to google Ali Bryan to see if she had a degree in family psychology or was a stand-up comedienne when she wasn't penning books because her characterization and deadpan humor is spot on! Now, I'm on the hunt for her first novel, Roost!
February 20, 2018
Like many family sagas this story is filled with drama, secrets, revelations and adult children who won’t leave! June Figgs is the mother and the main character in this novel and she tries to control the chaos that erupts in the household on a daily basis; it’s a daunting task. This family story is authentic and captures your interest from the start.
August 11, 2018
What a delightfully touching story. I was actually surprised that I found it so touching, because the characters all have so many issues that they are dealing with and they often do so in a manner that made me want to slap them. But the characters felt REAL and their behaviours made sense in a messy kind of way, and the family dynamics are all-too-believable. Aside from that, Bryan's writing style is exceptionally witty and demonstrates a great understanding of the human condition, and neither she nor any of her characters ever pretend to have all the answers. Highly recommended.
June 19, 2019
Family has changed over the generations. What is family? How do the generations fit together in this new society we are constructing? June faces all the questions that the sandwich generation are being asked today.
The craziness of today's family life was so well portrayed. I sympathize with June. She is being pulled in so many directions at once. Life does not slow down even in retirement.
The craziness of today's family life was so well portrayed. I sympathize with June. She is being pulled in so many directions at once. Life does not slow down even in retirement.
February 26, 2018
Well.. I must say I loved the Figgs.
An amazing dysfunctional family who in a crunch, will absolutely support each other!
The kids are all grown up and yet, still live at home. Will they ever leave? This is the dilemma as we turn the pages of this novel. Do June and Randy really want them all to leave?
There is humor, heartache and a lot of love in this book.
An amazing dysfunctional family who in a crunch, will absolutely support each other!
The kids are all grown up and yet, still live at home. Will they ever leave? This is the dilemma as we turn the pages of this novel. Do June and Randy really want them all to leave?
There is humor, heartache and a lot of love in this book.
July 19, 2019
A heartwarming story of familial love with some wonderfully humourous moments.
September 29, 2019
After reading a bunch of over-hyped “bestsellers” this book was a breath of fresh air. It was funny and chaotic and real. Randy was hands down my favourite character. As the cover blurb said “human on the best level”. Would definitely read more work by Ali Bryan.
August 14, 2024
I thought it's a family comedy about life after retirement. It turned out to be an exploration of love and loss and grief. Still a comedy and very funny. Love how it ends.
August 21, 2018
This family is such a train wreck you just can’t stop reading. Their story is filled with chaos and love 💕
June 7, 2018
God this was a funny book. The Figgs by Ali Bryan is absolutely hilarious, and I knew it would be, based on how much I enjoyed her first novel Roost, which also mines the hilarity of family, child-rearing, and the domestic sphere in general.
The Figgs centers on a family who finds themselves in increasing turmoil. The matriarch June Figg is newly-retired and looking forward to winding down after decades of motherhood, in fact she’s taken up the ukulele as a new hobby in efforts to slow down. Unfortunately her three adult children seem to have other plans as none of them have moved out of the house yet.
If you'd like to read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://ivereadthis.com/2018/06/07/bo...
The Figgs centers on a family who finds themselves in increasing turmoil. The matriarch June Figg is newly-retired and looking forward to winding down after decades of motherhood, in fact she’s taken up the ukulele as a new hobby in efforts to slow down. Unfortunately her three adult children seem to have other plans as none of them have moved out of the house yet.
If you'd like to read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://ivereadthis.com/2018/06/07/bo...
March 18, 2018
In a world of cozy mysteries, dystopian fantasies, and chick lit, this book stands out. It's not cuddly, sweet, or fantasy. Here's what it is- real life, with a unique voice, outlandish characters and humor that feels like a punch to the gut. If you hang on to this wild ride, like I did, you will end up feeling satisfied.
I have read other reviews about this book, and many described the Figg family as dysfunctional. But they are not really misfits, it's more that they are in transition and stuck. The parents, June and Randy Figg are newly retired and have vague ideas about selling their house. But their three young adult children are all still living at home. The children seem to be unable to launch themselves.
What gets them unstuck is the unexpected arrival of baby Jaxx. The first time June heard about him was when her son announced that he had received a text telling him that the contraptions had started. Now they must all consider what it means to be a family.
The writing in this book is almost existential with unexpected words. We see what June sees, whether it's clumps of families wielding foil balloons, or her husband stretched out like a gingerbread man. At times, this writing style jarred me and made it harder for me to sink into the story and connect with the characters. At other times it added to the grit and despair of the story.
I am glad I read this book. It's different, but I recommend it to you. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I have read other reviews about this book, and many described the Figg family as dysfunctional. But they are not really misfits, it's more that they are in transition and stuck. The parents, June and Randy Figg are newly retired and have vague ideas about selling their house. But their three young adult children are all still living at home. The children seem to be unable to launch themselves.
What gets them unstuck is the unexpected arrival of baby Jaxx. The first time June heard about him was when her son announced that he had received a text telling him that the contraptions had started. Now they must all consider what it means to be a family.
The writing in this book is almost existential with unexpected words. We see what June sees, whether it's clumps of families wielding foil balloons, or her husband stretched out like a gingerbread man. At times, this writing style jarred me and made it harder for me to sink into the story and connect with the characters. At other times it added to the grit and despair of the story.
I am glad I read this book. It's different, but I recommend it to you. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
June 11, 2018
Dysfunctional families have become a particular sort of meme, a flavour of the past decade in books, movies, television series, and stage plays. The Family Figg is not dysfunctional; the characters are as “normal” as your neighbours, and as likely to shock and surprise you as your own kin. They have their moments, each of them, but as frustrating as they are to mother June, from whose perspective we watch this story unfold, it is clear that they are her world—however much she has hoped that by now they would have moved at least a province, or perhaps a continent away from the family nest.
There are scenes that are comedic: June on Percy, the rocking horse, attempting a perilous gallop up the basement stairs; the entire family storming the hospital to be present at the birth of their grandchild/nephew whose arrival is as unexpected to them as it is to their son, Derek, the baby’s father; the baby shower with a cast of guests who are celebrating with the raucous gusto of a beer bash. The same scenes are steeped in poignancy, and I found myself near tears both from laughing and from feeling all that’s going on in June’s heart and mind. This is signature Ali Bryan story-telling, this ability to combine comedy with tenderness.
Like Bryan’s debut novel, Roost, The Figgs is fast-paced and has that same cinematic feel. Almost every chapter/episode brings yet another surprise, and there were moments when I had to curb my sense of disbelief.
This is a story of a family in crazy-making chaos told from the perspective of the mother. There is a point, though, at which this becomes June’s story. There is a point at which the story becomes focussed on the loss of the mother-child bond. The absent mother of Derek’s son, an adopted child with a buried longing to know her birthmother, a birthfather divulging/grieving the loss of a son. In another life I was a social worker: I worked with mothers who were “surrendering” (a long ago term for giving up their parental rights) their babies; I worked with adopting parents; and in my last position I facilitated adoption reunions. There are moments in this novel where I wanted to intervene, and had to remind myself that the rapid succession of events is totally in keeping with the pace of the story.
By the end of The Figgs, through the magic of Ali Bryan’s pen, there is a sense of understanding and cohesion that will serve the Figgs well.
There are scenes that are comedic: June on Percy, the rocking horse, attempting a perilous gallop up the basement stairs; the entire family storming the hospital to be present at the birth of their grandchild/nephew whose arrival is as unexpected to them as it is to their son, Derek, the baby’s father; the baby shower with a cast of guests who are celebrating with the raucous gusto of a beer bash. The same scenes are steeped in poignancy, and I found myself near tears both from laughing and from feeling all that’s going on in June’s heart and mind. This is signature Ali Bryan story-telling, this ability to combine comedy with tenderness.
Like Bryan’s debut novel, Roost, The Figgs is fast-paced and has that same cinematic feel. Almost every chapter/episode brings yet another surprise, and there were moments when I had to curb my sense of disbelief.
This is a story of a family in crazy-making chaos told from the perspective of the mother. There is a point, though, at which this becomes June’s story. There is a point at which the story becomes focussed on the loss of the mother-child bond. The absent mother of Derek’s son, an adopted child with a buried longing to know her birthmother, a birthfather divulging/grieving the loss of a son. In another life I was a social worker: I worked with mothers who were “surrendering” (a long ago term for giving up their parental rights) their babies; I worked with adopting parents; and in my last position I facilitated adoption reunions. There are moments in this novel where I wanted to intervene, and had to remind myself that the rapid succession of events is totally in keeping with the pace of the story.
By the end of The Figgs, through the magic of Ali Bryan’s pen, there is a sense of understanding and cohesion that will serve the Figgs well.
May 4, 2018
In The Figgs, Ali Bryan tells the story of June Figg, who's three adult children still live at home, and who's husband is harboring a big secret, though it's not what you think. At the introduction, June seems fed up with her children, believing that if they would just move out already, she and her husband could downsize, thus allowing her to enjoy her retirement traveling. As with all families, the unexpected happens to derail her big plans and June must come to terms with her own beliefs and feelings about family.
In the novel, Ali Bryan really dives in to the meaning of family, what it means to be a parent or a child, and how those bonds are altered based on natural or adoptive relationships. The tone is lighthearted, and there are some truly comedic moments throughout, as well as moments that will tug at your heartstrings. The Figgs are a family that everybody knows and or can relate to, and I loved that although there were conflicts, this was not a family with any major schisms or damage. This is a family full of love and support, even when they don't agree.
Although I enjoyed the family as a whole and felt like I understood most of the characters individually, interestingly, I often struggled with the main protagonist, June. At times, something would happen that I think would warrant a certain emotional reaction from June, but the language was not there and so I often felt that June was non-reactive to some pretty heavy issues. It wasn't that she was unlikable, so much that I was just not connected to her for much of the novel and I wanted that connection. Additionally, there were a few scenes (and even a couple characters) that I think should have been left on the cutting room floor; they were either not necessary or just pulled the reader right out of the novel.
In the novel, Ali Bryan really dives in to the meaning of family, what it means to be a parent or a child, and how those bonds are altered based on natural or adoptive relationships. The tone is lighthearted, and there are some truly comedic moments throughout, as well as moments that will tug at your heartstrings. The Figgs are a family that everybody knows and or can relate to, and I loved that although there were conflicts, this was not a family with any major schisms or damage. This is a family full of love and support, even when they don't agree.
Although I enjoyed the family as a whole and felt like I understood most of the characters individually, interestingly, I often struggled with the main protagonist, June. At times, something would happen that I think would warrant a certain emotional reaction from June, but the language was not there and so I often felt that June was non-reactive to some pretty heavy issues. It wasn't that she was unlikable, so much that I was just not connected to her for much of the novel and I wanted that connection. Additionally, there were a few scenes (and even a couple characters) that I think should have been left on the cutting room floor; they were either not necessary or just pulled the reader right out of the novel.
July 15, 2018
Actually 3.5 stars, rounded down instead of up because the characters started wearing out their welcome in the last 100 pages, and doing things that seemed more and more implausible. They started out annoying, too. About 20 pages in, they seemed to become more endearing. I wanted to root for them. Their qualities overcame the irritatingly frenetic pace of the personal revelations, and the many outbreaks of adult-aged but child-minded fecklessness. Maybe there wouldn't have been much humour if the Figg family behaved more normally. But the situations often seemed overdone, especially in the opening couple of chapters and the last 100 or so pages.
On the other hand, the entertainment level was high throughout and the pace satisfyingly brisk and consistent. The dialogue that makes up most of the text was also surprisingly persuasive. The goodhearted but semi-clueless father (Randy Figg), the mother (June) constantly trying to hold everything together, and the siblings Tom, Vanessa and Derek all sound thoroughly believable even if their actions are sometimes not. Often they even manage to be likable, despite their flaws. They make up a somewhat exaggerated version of many real families — perhaps evidence for those who think that at least some happy families are happy in their own way, or happy despite frequent bouts of unhappiness.
Unlike some other reviewers, I would not want the Figgs over for dinner. Too much chance of spilled drinks and mental absences during checks of smartphones. Also, the publisher let what was supposed to be the word "fazed" appear twice as "phased" and what was supposed to be "minuscule" appear as "miniscule." Readers deserve better. Still, there's much to say for a book that manages to be enjoyable despite its occasional annoyances.
On the other hand, the entertainment level was high throughout and the pace satisfyingly brisk and consistent. The dialogue that makes up most of the text was also surprisingly persuasive. The goodhearted but semi-clueless father (Randy Figg), the mother (June) constantly trying to hold everything together, and the siblings Tom, Vanessa and Derek all sound thoroughly believable even if their actions are sometimes not. Often they even manage to be likable, despite their flaws. They make up a somewhat exaggerated version of many real families — perhaps evidence for those who think that at least some happy families are happy in their own way, or happy despite frequent bouts of unhappiness.
Unlike some other reviewers, I would not want the Figgs over for dinner. Too much chance of spilled drinks and mental absences during checks of smartphones. Also, the publisher let what was supposed to be the word "fazed" appear twice as "phased" and what was supposed to be "minuscule" appear as "miniscule." Readers deserve better. Still, there's much to say for a book that manages to be enjoyable despite its occasional annoyances.
January 29, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley.com for my unbiased and honest opinion
I'm drawn to stories of quirky, somewhat dysfunctional families that somehow get it all together--or you get the feeling that they'll get it all together after the story ends. This is what drew me to The Figgs--and while the family is quirky, and somewhat dysfunctional (the parents are newly retired, their three adult kids still live at home for reasons that are revealed in the first few chapters) AND there's some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel in the closing chapters...it was lacking a bit.
I felt as though the author could have used a few more chapters throughout the book to give a bit more backstory and to flesh out the all of the characters. The main "conflict' is that the younger son, Derek, walks in and announces that he's going to be a father--as in--someone he "saw" was in labor, and all the changes it brings about to the family.
The other dilemma the book wrestles with is the matriarch, June, dealing with unresolved issues around her adoption. But wait...there's more! (But, because of spoilers, I'll leave them out.) While the story tightened up, the characters became a bit more relatable, and I started to care about this family towards the end, by then, it was too little too late. The book ended and I just felt like there was more to tell before it was really over.
(I will admit, I did share a tear over the very ending, so it wasn't hopeless.)
I'm drawn to stories of quirky, somewhat dysfunctional families that somehow get it all together--or you get the feeling that they'll get it all together after the story ends. This is what drew me to The Figgs--and while the family is quirky, and somewhat dysfunctional (the parents are newly retired, their three adult kids still live at home for reasons that are revealed in the first few chapters) AND there's some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel in the closing chapters...it was lacking a bit.
I felt as though the author could have used a few more chapters throughout the book to give a bit more backstory and to flesh out the all of the characters. The main "conflict' is that the younger son, Derek, walks in and announces that he's going to be a father--as in--someone he "saw" was in labor, and all the changes it brings about to the family.
The other dilemma the book wrestles with is the matriarch, June, dealing with unresolved issues around her adoption. But wait...there's more! (But, because of spoilers, I'll leave them out.) While the story tightened up, the characters became a bit more relatable, and I started to care about this family towards the end, by then, it was too little too late. The book ended and I just felt like there was more to tell before it was really over.
(I will admit, I did share a tear over the very ending, so it wasn't hopeless.)
August 5, 2018
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
I initially picked this one up because I am always interested in Canadian authors- I'm inclined to read something from my own country if it crosses my path. I wasn't disappointed in The Figgs, they were some of the truest personalities I've come across lately and therefore the novel held great appeal.
While I adored the realistic nature of their interactions and their different situations I also felt the plot occasionally lacked cohesiveness. And yet, the message regarding different families and varying dynamics on relationships was strong.
I loved Derek and his unassuming nature, his clear love for his son and his resolve to be a dad. The daughter was head first in a world of self-discovery and the other son was also trying to make his mark. Although all adult children you could feel the center of the puzzle was still the parents, specifically June. She was a cross between myself and my mother and I could hear her internal dialogue echoing in my own head. I also was charmed by the quirky marriage and found them to be sweet and irritating with each other in equal measure.
A look at modern adult family life with a twist, I enjoyed The Figgs. I wish the novel had continued a little bit longer though, I don't yet feel satisfied with their lot!
Thank you to Freehand Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
I initially picked this one up because I am always interested in Canadian authors- I'm inclined to read something from my own country if it crosses my path. I wasn't disappointed in The Figgs, they were some of the truest personalities I've come across lately and therefore the novel held great appeal.
While I adored the realistic nature of their interactions and their different situations I also felt the plot occasionally lacked cohesiveness. And yet, the message regarding different families and varying dynamics on relationships was strong.
I loved Derek and his unassuming nature, his clear love for his son and his resolve to be a dad. The daughter was head first in a world of self-discovery and the other son was also trying to make his mark. Although all adult children you could feel the center of the puzzle was still the parents, specifically June. She was a cross between myself and my mother and I could hear her internal dialogue echoing in my own head. I also was charmed by the quirky marriage and found them to be sweet and irritating with each other in equal measure.
A look at modern adult family life with a twist, I enjoyed The Figgs. I wish the novel had continued a little bit longer though, I don't yet feel satisfied with their lot!
Thank you to Freehand Books for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
February 12, 2022
June Figg is recently retired and hoping to downsize and enjoy life with her husband, Randy. That is being impeded by the fact that their three adult children still live at home with no indication that they'll be moving out any time soon. June tries to move things along by getting everyone to help clean out the basement and encourage them to become more independent, but things change when her youngest son, Derek, brings home a newborn baby and becomes a single dad, throwing everyone for a loop. Throw in some questions about adoption and some trepidation when the kids finally start showing signs of spreading their wings, and you've got a family in turmoil that's also coming together.
I didn't care for this book. From the get-go, it was in your face that "we're QUIRKY and DYSFUNCTIONAL," and the book never once let you even consider forgetting that fact. None of the characters were very likeable, and they didn't even seem to like each other the majority of the time. (Except the baby. Everyone loved the baby.) It was full of foul language, and June had a disturbing habit of remembering the time she accidentally saw her son getting his friend pregnant in vivid detail. I gave it two stars instead of one because the writing was good and the story did eventually draw me in wondering what would happen with various plotlines. But I would not recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook.
I didn't care for this book. From the get-go, it was in your face that "we're QUIRKY and DYSFUNCTIONAL," and the book never once let you even consider forgetting that fact. None of the characters were very likeable, and they didn't even seem to like each other the majority of the time. (Except the baby. Everyone loved the baby.) It was full of foul language, and June had a disturbing habit of remembering the time she accidentally saw her son getting his friend pregnant in vivid detail. I gave it two stars instead of one because the writing was good and the story did eventually draw me in wondering what would happen with various plotlines. But I would not recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook.
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