What do you think?
Rate this book
The Misfortunes of Family
WHAT BRINGS FAMILY TOGETHER CAN ALSO PULL IT APART
JJ, Spenser, Charlie and Philip, the four adult sons of retired Senator John Bright, dutifully head with their partners to the lake house for their annual family reunion. The Brights are the picture of perfectness, a family of outsize pride—fun, attractive, competitive and a bit terrible… They have everything they need, except the ability to see themselves clearly. This year the senator has agreed to let a producer film them for a documentary. Naturally, they let their guard down—each adrift in his own way. Petty jealousies surface amid the joys of summer. Philip, the youngest and least like his siblings, announces an unconventional decision and earns the ribbing—or is it scorn—of his brothers. The senator toys with another political run. But not everyone wants in this time. So one by one, family secrets start to come out…and keep coming. It becomes apparent that, despite their affection for one another, it is time for this big, dysfunctional family to redefine what it means to be a Bright.
JJ, Spenser, Charlie and Philip, the four adult sons of retired Senator John Bright, dutifully head with their partners to the lake house for their annual family reunion. The Brights are the picture of perfectness, a family of outsize pride—fun, attractive, competitive and a bit terrible… They have everything they need, except the ability to see themselves clearly. This year the senator has agreed to let a producer film them for a documentary. Naturally, they let their guard down—each adrift in his own way. Petty jealousies surface amid the joys of summer. Philip, the youngest and least like his siblings, announces an unconventional decision and earns the ribbing—or is it scorn—of his brothers. The senator toys with another political run. But not everyone wants in this time. So one by one, family secrets start to come out…and keep coming. It becomes apparent that, despite their affection for one another, it is time for this big, dysfunctional family to redefine what it means to be a Bright.
347 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2020
About the author
Meg Little Reilly
4 books148 followersMeg Little Reilly is the author of the novels THE MISFORTUNES OF FAMILY, EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS, and WE ARE UNPREPARED. She is a writer at Bennington College, an essayist, public radio commentator, and outdoors enthusiast. Prior to writing novels, Meg worked in national politics and the White House. She holds a B.A. from the University of Vermont and an M.A. from the George Washington University. These days, she lives in rural Vermont with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 18, 2020
When I picked up this book and read blurb on the back and saw that this book was about a political family, I was prepared to unimpressed by it, as I generally can't stand politics or religion being focal points of books ... and this book had both! I must say though, that by the end of the book, my feelings were so much more positive than I expected.
The plot is centered around the family of retired Massachusetts Senator John Bright, and his four sons, and is told from the POV of three spouses of the boys (the "extras," as they call themselves), as well a documentary filmmaker, who has been invited to film the Brights for three weeks at the family summer home in the Berkshires. Three of the boys, JJ, Spenser, and Charlie, all have issues, but youngest son, Phillip throws the whole family for a loop when he announces that he is going to join the priesthood. The families' dismay over Phillip's decision is short-lived though, when two grandsons nearly escape death from an overseas terrorist attack. John Bright, Sr., immediately sees the attack and his grandsons' proximity to the event, as the perfect opportunity to throw his hat in the ring for the governor's race in Massachusetts. The older three Bright boys, who are all still dominated by their father and babied by their mother, decide to get involved in their dad's campaign. The three weeks are full of drama, stress, high emotions, and of course, shocking secrets are eventually disclosed - all while a camera is rolling and catching every detail as it unfolds.
I thought the writing was good, and the plot moved along at a fast-paced. I found myself invested in all of the characters and actually hated to see the dirty little secrets come to light. I thought the documentary angle was unique and was a good method to tell the story; however, there more than a few times when it was a bit unrealistic, as no "polished" political family such as this one, would be so loose with their conversations and emotions in front of a camera. I also still found the family a bit too perfect, even with all of their "dirt." I did guess most of the big secrets long before they were revealed, so that was a bit of a bummer, but that being said, I liked the ending of the book, as it felt true to life.
Overall, I think Reilly did a great job at penning an engrossing and suspenseful tale of a powerful family's struggle to find themselves in the wake of surprises, secrets, and scandals. 3.5-why-don't-politicians-know-by-now-that-their-secrets-never-stay-hidden stars!
The plot is centered around the family of retired Massachusetts Senator John Bright, and his four sons, and is told from the POV of three spouses of the boys (the "extras," as they call themselves), as well a documentary filmmaker, who has been invited to film the Brights for three weeks at the family summer home in the Berkshires. Three of the boys, JJ, Spenser, and Charlie, all have issues, but youngest son, Phillip throws the whole family for a loop when he announces that he is going to join the priesthood. The families' dismay over Phillip's decision is short-lived though, when two grandsons nearly escape death from an overseas terrorist attack. John Bright, Sr., immediately sees the attack and his grandsons' proximity to the event, as the perfect opportunity to throw his hat in the ring for the governor's race in Massachusetts. The older three Bright boys, who are all still dominated by their father and babied by their mother, decide to get involved in their dad's campaign. The three weeks are full of drama, stress, high emotions, and of course, shocking secrets are eventually disclosed - all while a camera is rolling and catching every detail as it unfolds.
I thought the writing was good, and the plot moved along at a fast-paced. I found myself invested in all of the characters and actually hated to see the dirty little secrets come to light. I thought the documentary angle was unique and was a good method to tell the story; however, there more than a few times when it was a bit unrealistic, as no "polished" political family such as this one, would be so loose with their conversations and emotions in front of a camera. I also still found the family a bit too perfect, even with all of their "dirt." I did guess most of the big secrets long before they were revealed, so that was a bit of a bummer, but that being said, I liked the ending of the book, as it felt true to life.
Overall, I think Reilly did a great job at penning an engrossing and suspenseful tale of a powerful family's struggle to find themselves in the wake of surprises, secrets, and scandals. 3.5-why-don't-politicians-know-by-now-that-their-secrets-never-stay-hidden stars!
January 28, 2020
The Misfortunes of Family by Meg Little Reilly is a recommended family drama.
The Bright family is a political family. Newly retired senator John Bright and his wife Patty have four sons: JJ (John Junior), Spencer, Charlie, and Phillip. Every summer they have the sons and their partners for a family reunion at their lake house in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. It is a stressful time for "the extras," as JJ's wife Mary-Beth and Spencer's husband Ian call themselves. The older three Bright boys are all dominated by their father and their mother still mothers them throughout the reunion. The youngest son, Phillip, who has always been an outlier in the family, makes an announcement that further sets him apart.
This summer is different and ripe for more stress for the extras than usual for two reasons. First the reunion is three weeks long instead of the usual one. Secondly, this summer a documentary filmmaker will be filming the entire Bright family the whole time. It is a situation ripe for tension and highly guarded secrets are certainly going to be exposed. Family reunions are usually fraught with underlying tension. How many families can withstand potentially having all their secrets uncovered?
The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of the extras and Farah, the filmmaker, as they observe the sometimes larger-than-life Brights. The three weeks is full of drama, unbelievable stress, emotional releases, some self-realization, and, eventually, several shocking secrets are disclosed. The plot moves along quickly, but the connection with the characters becomes more distant with each new chapter. Ian was the most appealing character, partially because he was the only character who was content with his life and didn't come to the reunion with some hidden need or agenda.
The writing is good, but I pretty much knew or guessed most of the secrets that were going to be outed so I was anticipating when my predictions would be revealed in the plot. That meant that my interest in the novel needed to be focused on the various characters and their personal development. While character development does happen, most of it felt truncated, which left me pining for the richness and depth that great character development and personal growth can provide to a plot that is otherwise rather predictable. I would look for another Meg Little Reilly because this novel shows promise for her future works.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
The Bright family is a political family. Newly retired senator John Bright and his wife Patty have four sons: JJ (John Junior), Spencer, Charlie, and Phillip. Every summer they have the sons and their partners for a family reunion at their lake house in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. It is a stressful time for "the extras," as JJ's wife Mary-Beth and Spencer's husband Ian call themselves. The older three Bright boys are all dominated by their father and their mother still mothers them throughout the reunion. The youngest son, Phillip, who has always been an outlier in the family, makes an announcement that further sets him apart.
This summer is different and ripe for more stress for the extras than usual for two reasons. First the reunion is three weeks long instead of the usual one. Secondly, this summer a documentary filmmaker will be filming the entire Bright family the whole time. It is a situation ripe for tension and highly guarded secrets are certainly going to be exposed. Family reunions are usually fraught with underlying tension. How many families can withstand potentially having all their secrets uncovered?
The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of the extras and Farah, the filmmaker, as they observe the sometimes larger-than-life Brights. The three weeks is full of drama, unbelievable stress, emotional releases, some self-realization, and, eventually, several shocking secrets are disclosed. The plot moves along quickly, but the connection with the characters becomes more distant with each new chapter. Ian was the most appealing character, partially because he was the only character who was content with his life and didn't come to the reunion with some hidden need or agenda.
The writing is good, but I pretty much knew or guessed most of the secrets that were going to be outed so I was anticipating when my predictions would be revealed in the plot. That meant that my interest in the novel needed to be focused on the various characters and their personal development. While character development does happen, most of it felt truncated, which left me pining for the richness and depth that great character development and personal growth can provide to a plot that is otherwise rather predictable. I would look for another Meg Little Reilly because this novel shows promise for her future works.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
February 1, 2020
This book was great. I loved the family dynamics and how the story was told from the point of view of the “extras.” It’s also a reminder that a life in a political family would be DREADFUL. This was a book about a lot of people who aren’t so very nice but you find yourself rooting for them anyway.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2020
It seems as though I’m in the minority on this one, but I just could not get into this book.
I found the beginning to be dry, and writing style did nothing to endear me to the characters, I didn’t like any of them to be honest, except for maybe Phillip, and even then my appeal to him was more mild curiosity. As I continued through the book, I found that I was not invested in their story, and didn’t care what happened to them.
The book took a lot of turns that we’re not obvious in the synopsis, but I’m unsure if that was a help or a hindrance to the main plot of the story, that is: family. I think a lot of that point got lost in the ‘noise’ of everything else that happened. And with so much happening, the reader gets shifted from here, to there, to here, to there in such a short timeframe (only 3 weeks) that it was difficult to really absorb the effect of each event, before we’d moved on to the next one.
All in all, I think the bones of the story - a family with secrets and the search for identity outside of their surnames - was what initially gravitated me to this book, but I guess it just wasn’t for me.
Many thanks to Meg Little Reilly, Harlequin MIRA, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found the beginning to be dry, and writing style did nothing to endear me to the characters, I didn’t like any of them to be honest, except for maybe Phillip, and even then my appeal to him was more mild curiosity. As I continued through the book, I found that I was not invested in their story, and didn’t care what happened to them.
The book took a lot of turns that we’re not obvious in the synopsis, but I’m unsure if that was a help or a hindrance to the main plot of the story, that is: family. I think a lot of that point got lost in the ‘noise’ of everything else that happened. And with so much happening, the reader gets shifted from here, to there, to here, to there in such a short timeframe (only 3 weeks) that it was difficult to really absorb the effect of each event, before we’d moved on to the next one.
All in all, I think the bones of the story - a family with secrets and the search for identity outside of their surnames - was what initially gravitated me to this book, but I guess it just wasn’t for me.
Many thanks to Meg Little Reilly, Harlequin MIRA, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2019
This book was received as an ARC from HARLEQUIN - MIRA in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book screams future Hallmark movie and/or regular movie due to the perfect family having family problems forgetting what it means to be a family tightened together. All it takes is a film producer agreeing to film the Senator and his sons for a documentary at their family reunion. Little did they know their youngest son picks this time to unveil a secret he has been keeping that takes everyone off guard and if that was not enough, the Senator declares that he will run in the next political race and not everyone is on board with this idea and all of the secrets are exposed and chaos comes across the family and they just get out of control. It's all thanks to this experience that makes them realize what it means to be a family.
We will consider adding this title to our Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
This book screams future Hallmark movie and/or regular movie due to the perfect family having family problems forgetting what it means to be a family tightened together. All it takes is a film producer agreeing to film the Senator and his sons for a documentary at their family reunion. Little did they know their youngest son picks this time to unveil a secret he has been keeping that takes everyone off guard and if that was not enough, the Senator declares that he will run in the next political race and not everyone is on board with this idea and all of the secrets are exposed and chaos comes across the family and they just get out of control. It's all thanks to this experience that makes them realize what it means to be a family.
We will consider adding this title to our Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
December 11, 2019
The Bright family is the personification of the political dynasties we know. During a trip to the home of the Bright patriarchs all four of their sons become involved in the unraveling of years of parental machinations and lies.
This was really a great read with interesting characters. I was totally engaged and willing to accept some of the clearly absurd situations that are built into the story. Rather than question them, I let myself enjoy this good read with incredibly likable characters.
Thanks Netgalley.
This was really a great read with interesting characters. I was totally engaged and willing to accept some of the clearly absurd situations that are built into the story. Rather than question them, I let myself enjoy this good read with incredibly likable characters.
Thanks Netgalley.
June 12, 2020
This book is a pleasant, vivid, thorough evisceration of privilege, wealth and power. It is done deftly, and unapologetically, as a wealthy US senator and his family enjoy their annual summer vacation retreat -- only this year allow a journalist to film them the whole time.
Oddly, evil smiles throughout the novel, blithely unaware of itself and its arrogance. Meanwhile there are characters of varying integrity, the highest being the family's outcast son who has the temerity to want to attend divinity school and become a clergyman.
There is one remarkable aspect of craft at work in this novel: It is crowded. The patriarch, his wife, their kids, their kids' spouses, the grandkids -- a population that would challenge any author seeking to characterize each of them and give all of them a role in the larger plot. Yet somehow here it reads as effortless.
Oddly, evil smiles throughout the novel, blithely unaware of itself and its arrogance. Meanwhile there are characters of varying integrity, the highest being the family's outcast son who has the temerity to want to attend divinity school and become a clergyman.
There is one remarkable aspect of craft at work in this novel: It is crowded. The patriarch, his wife, their kids, their kids' spouses, the grandkids -- a population that would challenge any author seeking to characterize each of them and give all of them a role in the larger plot. Yet somehow here it reads as effortless.
October 14, 2019
I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review
Very well crafted. Was five star 90% of the way but the ending was a smidge too dramatic, hence the four. Hubris never gets to be its own reward.
Very well crafted. Was five star 90% of the way but the ending was a smidge too dramatic, hence the four. Hubris never gets to be its own reward.
April 13, 2020
This family drama was my favorite of the recent novels that I have read. It is the story of the Brights, a privileged and entitled family with roots in both Massachusetts and DC, since the patriarch, John Sr, is a longtime US senator. The plot revolves around the family's annual three-week reunion at their lake house in the Berkshire Mountains of MA. A lifetime of assumptions and lifelong secrets are divulged during what turns out to be just a one week period.
Reilly is an excellent writer with a talent for description, dialogue, and irony. I'm glad that I have discovered her and can't wait to read her other books.
I noticed and enjoyed the symbolism that Reilly used:
--The surname "bright" for this family of outwardly shiny and superficial individuals. They reminded of the song,"Shiny happy people"
--The lakefront setting, often described as smooth and still...deceptive because so much turmoil existed below the surface
--The documentarian, Farah, who was hired to record the family and their interactions....in actuality, they lived their entire life in a fishbowl, whether they were being filmed or not.
Reilly nails the DC culture; it's not surprising that she has worked there. For me, who was a part of that much earlier in my life, it rang true and was bittersweet.
Reilly is an excellent writer with a talent for description, dialogue, and irony. I'm glad that I have discovered her and can't wait to read her other books.
I noticed and enjoyed the symbolism that Reilly used:
--The surname "bright" for this family of outwardly shiny and superficial individuals. They reminded of the song,"Shiny happy people"
--The lakefront setting, often described as smooth and still...deceptive because so much turmoil existed below the surface
--The documentarian, Farah, who was hired to record the family and their interactions....in actuality, they lived their entire life in a fishbowl, whether they were being filmed or not.
Reilly nails the DC culture; it's not surprising that she has worked there. For me, who was a part of that much earlier in my life, it rang true and was bittersweet.
February 29, 2020
"Nobody knows what they're going to want in the future. It's impossible to know, so you make choices based on the things you want now. You plan your life on the assumption that future you will be exactly like current you. But nobody is the person they start out as." Meg Little Reilly, The Misfortunes of Family
From my unread Kindle shelf I began to read this book as I sat in the airport this week. I gravitate toward family drama, stories told by the water and unlikely relationships. This one gave me all three. It unfolded slowly and gently as the we learned the stories of each of the family members. How they interwove and where they are headed now. It was a story of love, mistakes, loyalty and family all surrounding a political patriarch. I grew to love the ancillary characters that provided so much of the color and warmth to the story. Isn't it funny how it's not the popular people who are the heartbeat of the room. It's the ones that stand out, stand for something other than fitting in. This story left me smiling, with a feeling of resolution. It also reminded me that marriage and family don't need to look glamorous. It's how they fill you up inside that counts.
From my unread Kindle shelf I began to read this book as I sat in the airport this week. I gravitate toward family drama, stories told by the water and unlikely relationships. This one gave me all three. It unfolded slowly and gently as the we learned the stories of each of the family members. How they interwove and where they are headed now. It was a story of love, mistakes, loyalty and family all surrounding a political patriarch. I grew to love the ancillary characters that provided so much of the color and warmth to the story. Isn't it funny how it's not the popular people who are the heartbeat of the room. It's the ones that stand out, stand for something other than fitting in. This story left me smiling, with a feeling of resolution. It also reminded me that marriage and family don't need to look glamorous. It's how they fill you up inside that counts.
January 30, 2020
Many thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and Meg Little Reilly for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. I have enjoyed this author's other books and really enjoyed delving into her latest.
The Brights are a political family - John Sr is a recently retired US Senator. He and his wife, Patty, have 4 boys, each struggling in their own way to live up to the family name. Summer means spending time in the Berkshires with the family and the extras (I love that way of describing the sons' significant others). This year, John Sr has allowed Farah, a documentary filmmaker, to spend the month with them filming their daily lives. When a devastating family secret comes out right as the Senator announces his candidacy for governor, the family has to look a bit deeper into what being a Bright means.
While the Bright family occupies that elite, moneyed, power spot that our regular families can't relate to, there is still much to relate to in this book - after all, families are families, with all the good, bad and in between. This book is written mostly from the viewpoint of the extras, Farah included, to allow us a bit more of an outsider's look into the family dynamics. A great read!
The Brights are a political family - John Sr is a recently retired US Senator. He and his wife, Patty, have 4 boys, each struggling in their own way to live up to the family name. Summer means spending time in the Berkshires with the family and the extras (I love that way of describing the sons' significant others). This year, John Sr has allowed Farah, a documentary filmmaker, to spend the month with them filming their daily lives. When a devastating family secret comes out right as the Senator announces his candidacy for governor, the family has to look a bit deeper into what being a Bright means.
While the Bright family occupies that elite, moneyed, power spot that our regular families can't relate to, there is still much to relate to in this book - after all, families are families, with all the good, bad and in between. This book is written mostly from the viewpoint of the extras, Farah included, to allow us a bit more of an outsider's look into the family dynamics. A great read!
January 20, 2021
This was a nice story but not a great story. The difficulties the politician’s family faced were predictable and very slowly revealed. The characters initially were interesting but didn’t develop much beyond first impressions. As I read, I kept hoping for more, but sadly, the best parts of the story were never flushed out.
May 27, 2020
"Normal is whatever our crazy family is"
Mr. Bright was a retired US senator. Every summer the family would spend 3 weeks at their family cottage. This year however, the family was asked if a documentarian could videotape the family during their time at the cottage, which of course they agreed to as the Brights were used to being the public eye. Mr. Bright was hoping that this documentary would shine a light on their family and put him back in the minds of the public. The Misfortunes of Family is a story of a political family with a strong patriarch. The Brights have 4 adult boys: all highly charismatic, intelligent with a strong sense of family. They could all do no wrong.
Farah was the documentarian that was assigned to spend with the Brights, following their every move and bearing witness to their conversations. Farah was a bit anxious about the whole thing, about blending into the background, not being noticed, all the while recording the Brights as they spend their summer at the lake.
Along the course of the weeks, many things slowly come light that threaten to overturn their family. The children slowly discover the truth about their family and you see the disillusionment that takes place. Farah bears witness to this uncovering and feels sorry for the family, to be watching and recording as their lives come unravel.
The Misfortunes of Family shines a light into some of the sacrifices a mother, a woman, a wife can make for her family. Many questions were raised and many insights were discovered. Can the family come out of this intact? Do their values still hold true? I enjoyed reading this story, and asked myself that as a woman, as a mother, how far would I be willing to go to keep my family together?
Thank you @netgally for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Mr. Bright was a retired US senator. Every summer the family would spend 3 weeks at their family cottage. This year however, the family was asked if a documentarian could videotape the family during their time at the cottage, which of course they agreed to as the Brights were used to being the public eye. Mr. Bright was hoping that this documentary would shine a light on their family and put him back in the minds of the public. The Misfortunes of Family is a story of a political family with a strong patriarch. The Brights have 4 adult boys: all highly charismatic, intelligent with a strong sense of family. They could all do no wrong.
Farah was the documentarian that was assigned to spend with the Brights, following their every move and bearing witness to their conversations. Farah was a bit anxious about the whole thing, about blending into the background, not being noticed, all the while recording the Brights as they spend their summer at the lake.
Along the course of the weeks, many things slowly come light that threaten to overturn their family. The children slowly discover the truth about their family and you see the disillusionment that takes place. Farah bears witness to this uncovering and feels sorry for the family, to be watching and recording as their lives come unravel.
The Misfortunes of Family shines a light into some of the sacrifices a mother, a woman, a wife can make for her family. Many questions were raised and many insights were discovered. Can the family come out of this intact? Do their values still hold true? I enjoyed reading this story, and asked myself that as a woman, as a mother, how far would I be willing to go to keep my family together?
Thank you @netgally for the opportunity to read and review this book!
February 1, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
In Meg Little Reilly's The Misfortunes of Family, readers are introduced to the Brights - a political family with a touch of Kennedy magic whose menfolk are buffeted by scandal, unfulfilled political ambition, and who try to make use of incidents of terrorism to find their way back to the light that should rightly flock to their name. Reilly plays an interesting game of bait and switch with the reader, however. On the surface, the book seems to be about the bright men - the powerful ex-Senator looming over all - but its actually a book about women and the choices women make when it comes to family. The most interesting scenes in the book focus on Farah, a documentarian trailing the Senator in hopes of reviving her career, and her attempt to riddle out the truth of the Bright brother who is least like the rest of his famous family. Another key player is the "extra" (what she calls spouses who are not Brights) Mary Beth who is raising the next generation of Bright men and trying to mold them into good men even as they mold versions of themselves on social media. There's also Chelsea, a Bright girlfriend who has to decide if the sacrifices the Brights demand she make in order to be part of their world are worthwhile. The character who plays the biggest role of all is also a woman, but Reilly hides her in plain sight and I don't want to ruin the twist for you. Suffice it to say that readers interested in how we construct ourselves in a world with social media and the 24 hour news cycle will be caught up in the political drama of the Brights - but so will readers who grapple with what it means to be part of a family.
In Meg Little Reilly's The Misfortunes of Family, readers are introduced to the Brights - a political family with a touch of Kennedy magic whose menfolk are buffeted by scandal, unfulfilled political ambition, and who try to make use of incidents of terrorism to find their way back to the light that should rightly flock to their name. Reilly plays an interesting game of bait and switch with the reader, however. On the surface, the book seems to be about the bright men - the powerful ex-Senator looming over all - but its actually a book about women and the choices women make when it comes to family. The most interesting scenes in the book focus on Farah, a documentarian trailing the Senator in hopes of reviving her career, and her attempt to riddle out the truth of the Bright brother who is least like the rest of his famous family. Another key player is the "extra" (what she calls spouses who are not Brights) Mary Beth who is raising the next generation of Bright men and trying to mold them into good men even as they mold versions of themselves on social media. There's also Chelsea, a Bright girlfriend who has to decide if the sacrifices the Brights demand she make in order to be part of their world are worthwhile. The character who plays the biggest role of all is also a woman, but Reilly hides her in plain sight and I don't want to ruin the twist for you. Suffice it to say that readers interested in how we construct ourselves in a world with social media and the 24 hour news cycle will be caught up in the political drama of the Brights - but so will readers who grapple with what it means to be part of a family.
November 15, 2019
I was given a free e-arc from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The first 90 percent of this book was a solid, enjoyable 5 star read. It was well written, and covered interesting themes, such as family, loyalty, what it means to belong. The main characters were all likeable, flawed and only a little bit "typed" (political wife, gay professor, sensitive brother etc) .
It troddles along very satisfyingly, and then starts ramping up the DRAMA, which is fine. That's not where it starts to go wrong.
The book is written in third person, and focuses on the POV of the 'extras" not the Bright family itself, but their partners. For no explicable reason, at 95percent there is a chapter written in first person. Its a very short chapter, but it jars. And then the book moves on to "three months later" where it explains how everything got resolved. The ending is so rushed and trite for a book that is otherwise well paced and thoughtful. It detracted from the rest of the book, and that's a shame, since the rest of the book was a 5 star read. I will look out for other books by Meg Little Reilly, because this book showed so much potential.
The first 90 percent of this book was a solid, enjoyable 5 star read. It was well written, and covered interesting themes, such as family, loyalty, what it means to belong. The main characters were all likeable, flawed and only a little bit "typed" (political wife, gay professor, sensitive brother etc) .
It troddles along very satisfyingly, and then starts ramping up the DRAMA, which is fine. That's not where it starts to go wrong.
The book is written in third person, and focuses on the POV of the 'extras" not the Bright family itself, but their partners. For no explicable reason, at 95percent there is a chapter written in first person. Its a very short chapter, but it jars. And then the book moves on to "three months later" where it explains how everything got resolved. The ending is so rushed and trite for a book that is otherwise well paced and thoughtful. It detracted from the rest of the book, and that's a shame, since the rest of the book was a 5 star read. I will look out for other books by Meg Little Reilly, because this book showed so much potential.
January 31, 2020
Family secrets and drama! What sets this apart from much of the genre is that it's about the four sons (vice daughters or a mix). of retired Senator John Bright and it's told from the POV of their extras (how insulting is that to their partners!). Three weeks in the Berkshires would be tense under the best of circumstances for this crew but add in the fact that a documentary filmmaker is there filming and well, it gets dark in spots (don't worry, not that dark). JJ, Spenser, and Charlie all have their issues but Phillip has a whopper that will throw things off balance. John is so self absorbed that he doesn't see that another run for office is not in his or anyone else's best interest. Several of these people are not particularly likable but you might recognize them from your own life. How did Patty deal with all of this for all those years? Denial? Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A story of a family that has to face facts.
March 18, 2020
The Bright family, led by patriarch and retired senator John Bright are the spitting image of the American family. The four Bright brothers and their “extras” (wives, husbands, girlfriends, kids) are spending a few weeks together at their summer home in the Berkshires. But, as we all know, family reunions aren’t always easy with tensions simmering under the same roof. To make matters more complicated, John has agreed for a documentarian to follow them along on their vacation, recording every little side eye and passive aggressive comment. What could possibly go wrong?
I read this book in a day. I was captivated by the Bright family. I’m always intrigued by the inner workings of a family in the public eye, particularly their “extras,” who didn’t grow up in it. Even though the family hammed it up for the cameras and the public, you saw their inner struggles and deep rooted resentments. Throw in some political and familial scandals and you have yourself a fun ride.
I read this book in a day. I was captivated by the Bright family. I’m always intrigued by the inner workings of a family in the public eye, particularly their “extras,” who didn’t grow up in it. Even though the family hammed it up for the cameras and the public, you saw their inner struggles and deep rooted resentments. Throw in some political and familial scandals and you have yourself a fun ride.
February 26, 2022
The Bright family meet every summer at the lake house belonging to John, a retired former senator and his wife, Patty. Their four sons make the trip with spouses and and significant others in tow. Those sons, JJ, Spencer, Charlie, and Philip see their family dynamic through rose-colored glasses never really trying to examine the surface closeness any further than necessary. The "extras" as the spouses call themselves, see the underlying tensions more clearly, never more so than this summer when a documentary filmmaker is there to capture their every move. This is a serviceable entry in the dysfunctional family genre, but as interesting as the plot line is, there is something about it that just doesn't rise to the best in that type. The writing is good for the most part and there are moments that shine through when bad behavior is called out, but for me, the characters didn't really resonate with any vivid personality - they all seemed to be a bit wishy-washy.
March 14, 2026
Would really give it a 3.5/5 - I bought this freshman yr of college and I’m just reading it (put it off forever) but it was actually great! - PHILIP AND FARAH are so cute, they don’t really give you much to work with in terms of their romantic relationship but I’m rooting for them - such a good encapsulation of subtle indications and overt indications of privilege and wealth and how they’re overlooked by those in privileged and wealth positions - I do not like John, thank god that garage was lit on fire holy heck - loved how short the chapters were in the beginning, it makes the book easy to start and then the longer chapters in the middle of the book feel like nothing because you’re interested - I WISH the documentary was made I was invested - love JJ and Mary Beth, Charlie and Chelsea meh, Spencer and Ian love - all in all good book just nothing insane! Was interesting though and well written
February 6, 2020
Okay, this book is so good, they have to be making it into a Netflix series! A political family on vacation agrees to allow a production crew to film their summer in hopes of setting the next generation on the path to further success. But the patriarch has announcements to make that will leave no one happy. His four sons must adjust their goals as they figure out how their father's plans affect each of them. While the men of the family absorb the news and prepare for change, the women make their own decisions; and everyone knows it's the women who keep lives running smoothly. The family dynamic in this book is central yet complex enough to leave cracks that let readers see that not everything is as it seems. And it's all on camera! Meg Little Reilly, I'm not sure why I had never read any of your books before...but that's about to change!
February 20, 2020
4-5 stars! This is not my normal type of book, as anything that even remotely mentions politics I am far away from, but this one was actually intense, well written, and eye opening! I thought the author did an amazing job of creating this family, showing you their lives that are not even remotely shown to the public. I thought it was engrossing, original, and even quite suspenseful at times. I thought the another did an amazing job on character development and a well developed story which made the book a quick easy read, which I think most would enjoy if looking for something you can easily get swept up in. I recommend to those who enjoy seeing something of an inside story to a family in a powerful position and how it truly affects the members inside! Interesting for sure!
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms!
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms!
February 26, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Misfortunes of Family by Meg Little Reilly.
The aptly named Bright family is coming together for three long weeks in their summer home. They are a WASPish, well-to-do family who have had their hands in politics and the public eye most of their lives. While they often come together like this, they've never done it with a video document-er among them, someone that they hired to capture the nuanced and more intimate moments of their lives. What could possibly go wrong?
I really love to be the fly on the wall into any family, especially when the children are grown, family dynamics are fascinating. And while there was a lot about the Brights I enjoyed, they are also kind of terrible, just like most families are. This was personable, entertaining, kind of campy and fun. I very much enjoyed it.
The aptly named Bright family is coming together for three long weeks in their summer home. They are a WASPish, well-to-do family who have had their hands in politics and the public eye most of their lives. While they often come together like this, they've never done it with a video document-er among them, someone that they hired to capture the nuanced and more intimate moments of their lives. What could possibly go wrong?
I really love to be the fly on the wall into any family, especially when the children are grown, family dynamics are fascinating. And while there was a lot about the Brights I enjoyed, they are also kind of terrible, just like most families are. This was personable, entertaining, kind of campy and fun. I very much enjoyed it.
May 27, 2021
Enjoyable quick summer read about a political family from Massachusetts who I suppose is supposed to resemble a more nuclear Kennedy clan who gather at the Berkshires for their annual summer holiday at the lake house. A Senator and his wife and their four sons, with their own spouses/partners etc gather for what was to be an ordinary July tradition, this time spiced up by a documentary filmmaker who is capturing their every move for possible dubious motives. There is some great dialogue between the siblings and I enjoyed Reilly's storytelling in the camaraderie and devotion the family has for one another. The story does hinge on a couple twists, as some skeletons come out of the closet but don't expect earth-shattering reveals. But it is still quite a fun read and I felt Reilly did a good job capturing both the setting and the dynamics amongst the family members.
January 15, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.
I love a rich family's drama in a picturesque setting, but everything about the book felt surface-level - the plot, the characters, the introspection. The characters are obviously meant to have secret depths beneath the public veneer, (please, let there be more underneath the surface of a family that says things like "Mom, can you make us some of your famous guacamole?" and tosses a football around as soon as they greet each other), but I didn't come out of it feeling like I knew any of them very well. Maybe it's because there are so many characters and the narrative shifted around? I think the author was trying to go for something more challenging, but I don't think it happened. Still, a pleasant enough read.
I love a rich family's drama in a picturesque setting, but everything about the book felt surface-level - the plot, the characters, the introspection. The characters are obviously meant to have secret depths beneath the public veneer, (please, let there be more underneath the surface of a family that says things like "Mom, can you make us some of your famous guacamole?" and tosses a football around as soon as they greet each other), but I didn't come out of it feeling like I knew any of them very well. Maybe it's because there are so many characters and the narrative shifted around? I think the author was trying to go for something more challenging, but I don't think it happened. Still, a pleasant enough read.
April 10, 2024
Something new for me
I’ve read this author before, I loved her book we are unprepared, I couldn’t stop reading it. So I gave this one a try, I got hooked from the beginning wondering how things will go for this family. I won’t lie this family sounded very irritating and a little too stiff, but that was the point of this book. Seeing a family that grew to believe they had to act a certain way and be prim and proper. It was interesting to see the slightly political things mixed in with the odd pretense of a family raised in privilege America.
I did wish the family had more of blow out then just “kindly” behind the scenes whisper yelling at each other lol. It was an interesting book, and I would recommend for those who like mildly intense soft political books. 5.6/10 ⭐️
I’ve read this author before, I loved her book we are unprepared, I couldn’t stop reading it. So I gave this one a try, I got hooked from the beginning wondering how things will go for this family. I won’t lie this family sounded very irritating and a little too stiff, but that was the point of this book. Seeing a family that grew to believe they had to act a certain way and be prim and proper. It was interesting to see the slightly political things mixed in with the odd pretense of a family raised in privilege America.
I did wish the family had more of blow out then just “kindly” behind the scenes whisper yelling at each other lol. It was an interesting book, and I would recommend for those who like mildly intense soft political books. 5.6/10 ⭐️
February 2, 2020
Is this doesn't grab you .... This book is a review for an arc I received on #Netgalley #netgalleyreview #themisfortunesodfamily #meglittlereiley a man who is a retiring politician, his wife, their sons, and the extras. Their parents sign up for a documentary where the family is to be watched/recorded during the summer. Where that journey will take you is one that will keep you up at night turning the pages. It's an amazing story of family, marriage, and the secrets we keep. #mystery #family #marriage #Brightfamily #bookreader #booksofinstagram #books📚 this book is a definite read and will be a great addition to your #beachreads
March 9, 2020
Meg Little Reilly offers readers a glimpse into a family of wealth, privilege and politics. Dysfunction is certainly the norm, however the need for protecting image and projecting cohesiveness prevails. The story is related by the outliers; 3 spouses and a documentary filmmaker. Yes, added to the stress of a three week family gathering is the presence of the documentary crew. What are the family secrets? Will they be uncovered? Meg Little Reilly uses her talent for creating three dimensional, complex characters to draw the reader into the drama. I thoroughly enjoyed The Misfortunes of Family.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.
May 11, 2020
2.5 stars. Contrived but I still devoured it! The Bright family gathers at their lake house for a summer of being WASPy and it’s all documented by Farah, a woman who hopes this will be her big break in the documentary biz. Four sons (JJ, Spencer, Charlie and Phillip) and the patriarch (John Sr.) and matriarch (Patty) are all so charmed by themselves... but the “extras” (in-laws, partners) always feel one step behind the tightly woven knot of family. A couple of scandals roll through and there are some tender moments when the characters question who they want to be and their devotion to their family. Lots of tropes, but still entertaining for an easy read.
August 6, 2020
Netgalley ♥️ Spencer always spends time with his family in the summer at their lake house. He is going with Ian ,his husband of nine years. Spencer's father is a us senator . JJ bright is married and has twin sons Cameron and Lucas. Charlie bright is going out with Chelsea. She has to get to know Charlie's family. They company they worked for got in trouble and they are now jobless and homeless. I was hooked from the beginning. The pacing was good. Phillip was less known then his brothers but interesting in his own way. There was a lot of political drama as expected. There was also terrorism and it added to the story and characters. I enjoyed the relationship drama.
January 24, 2026
3.4/ Entertaining and interesting if a tad familiar. I liked it but I don't think it will leave much of a mark in my memory. The family was "messy" in a surface way, but I wasn't tied up in their emotions enough to feel much about their problems. Maybe if the focus was on one of the multi-POV narrators we could've gone deeper. Similarly, there's also a lot that happens in the plot, so rather than exploring the dynamics and fallout of 1 or 2 big plot moments, we were always moving on to some other national story the family was involved in. I would've like something a little more complicated. Still I found it pleasant and would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a family drama.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews