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My not so functional family
For fans of Lucy Vine, Louise Pentland and Sophie Kinsella, My Not So Functional Family is a laugh-out-loud story that anyone with siblings will relate to.
Claudia is getting married in a week. Well, she's supposed to be.
Arriving back at her childhood home, Claudia is faced with spending the week with her her arguing siblings, dramatic mother, and nuisance aunt. Desperately awaiting the arrival of her best friend Nora for moral support, Claudia starts to question her relationship.
What if her ex-boyfriend was actually The One? And is downloading Tinder just before your wedding really that bad?
Claudia hopes Nora will help her face her insecurities, but she's hiding secrets of her own. With the big day drawing near, and her family close to falling out, Claudia must decide what she really wants, or doesn't want . . .
Claudia is getting married in a week. Well, she's supposed to be.
Arriving back at her childhood home, Claudia is faced with spending the week with her her arguing siblings, dramatic mother, and nuisance aunt. Desperately awaiting the arrival of her best friend Nora for moral support, Claudia starts to question her relationship.
What if her ex-boyfriend was actually The One? And is downloading Tinder just before your wedding really that bad?
Claudia hopes Nora will help her face her insecurities, but she's hiding secrets of her own. With the big day drawing near, and her family close to falling out, Claudia must decide what she really wants, or doesn't want . . .
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
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275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 27, 2018
4.5 ★s
“This was the tribe for which she knew all the codes, the secret signals, the language. That you cannot chose your family is such a pathetically obvious statement, but it is often forgotten what else you can’t choose. You can’t choose to fully and wholly extract yourself - you can sometimes, if you’re lucky, choose to learn the language and signals of another group, but you’ll never be properly fluent. Not only does the language have to be learned from birth, but you have to help create it as well.”
The Way Things Should Be is the first novel by Australian journalist and author, Bridie Jabour. Claudia Carter has returned to the family home in Winton for her wedding, a wedding about which she’s having doubts. It’s a marriage she’s sort of fallen into: the next logical step in her relationship, and the wedding has morphed into something that her mother, Rachel believes it should be.
But first, a week with her siblings, to catch up. Although, given their history, perhaps not the wisest course of action. “Every member of the family secretly thought that – apart from themselves – nobody should change.” Fairly quickly, her brother, Phinn escapes because it gives him “time to think on things without the irritating volley of perceived offences constantly arcing between his sisters, his mum and his aunt back at the house.” (It’s likely every family has a witch like Claudia’s unmarried Aunt Mary, who delights in any discord between the siblings.)
“Nora would arrive in just a few days. Claudia worried that this would be the spark to quickly engulf the bone-dry kindling of the family dynamics. Everything a woman feels for her sister – protectiveness, envy, passion, competition - is magnified twenty-fold when her best friend is around.” Nora is grieving for her just-ended relationship, really needing a shoulder to cry on, and instead has to offer one to her best friend, whose emotional problems seem both manufactured and ungracious. Not to mention having to endure the stings and barbs from Claudia’s youngest sister, the irritating and irritable Poppy.
It is immediately apparent that Claudia’s fiancé, Dylan is a good man: his words and actions bear this out right through to the last page. But, with mere days until her wedding, Claudia’s behaviour will have the reader wondering if she deserves this white knight; sharing her doubts about this marriage with family and friends while acting no differently with Dylan is probably the least of her transgressions.
The tensions that have built throughout the week are bound to erupt: the boil-over happens in a big way at the pre-wedding family dinner, with fiancé, prospective in-laws, best friend, and shunned uncle also present, and way too much alcohol consumed.
As well as using straight narrative from various character perspectives, Jabour tells her tale with text messages, email, lists and a contract. Her plot is easily believable and her characters will strike a chord with both millennials and older readers. Jabour displays an acute insight into family relationships with the dialogue she gives her characters. Love, laughter, jealousy, loyalty, kindness, immaturity, sibling rivalry (of course), anger, insecurity, spite and heartbreak, they’re all here.
Jabour’s portrayal of sibling relationships is right on the money: phrases like “Are those my shoes/earrings/blouse/socks” and “Don’t tell anyone, but…” are stock standard between siblings. And “…trying to explain your sister to an only child… you might as well be trying to explain the concept of the ocean to a landlocked desert tribe” makes it clear that this could never have been written so well by an only child! Funny and thought-provoking, this is an outstanding debut novel.
This unbiased review from a copy provided by Echo Publishing.
“This was the tribe for which she knew all the codes, the secret signals, the language. That you cannot chose your family is such a pathetically obvious statement, but it is often forgotten what else you can’t choose. You can’t choose to fully and wholly extract yourself - you can sometimes, if you’re lucky, choose to learn the language and signals of another group, but you’ll never be properly fluent. Not only does the language have to be learned from birth, but you have to help create it as well.”
The Way Things Should Be is the first novel by Australian journalist and author, Bridie Jabour. Claudia Carter has returned to the family home in Winton for her wedding, a wedding about which she’s having doubts. It’s a marriage she’s sort of fallen into: the next logical step in her relationship, and the wedding has morphed into something that her mother, Rachel believes it should be.
But first, a week with her siblings, to catch up. Although, given their history, perhaps not the wisest course of action. “Every member of the family secretly thought that – apart from themselves – nobody should change.” Fairly quickly, her brother, Phinn escapes because it gives him “time to think on things without the irritating volley of perceived offences constantly arcing between his sisters, his mum and his aunt back at the house.” (It’s likely every family has a witch like Claudia’s unmarried Aunt Mary, who delights in any discord between the siblings.)
“Nora would arrive in just a few days. Claudia worried that this would be the spark to quickly engulf the bone-dry kindling of the family dynamics. Everything a woman feels for her sister – protectiveness, envy, passion, competition - is magnified twenty-fold when her best friend is around.” Nora is grieving for her just-ended relationship, really needing a shoulder to cry on, and instead has to offer one to her best friend, whose emotional problems seem both manufactured and ungracious. Not to mention having to endure the stings and barbs from Claudia’s youngest sister, the irritating and irritable Poppy.
It is immediately apparent that Claudia’s fiancé, Dylan is a good man: his words and actions bear this out right through to the last page. But, with mere days until her wedding, Claudia’s behaviour will have the reader wondering if she deserves this white knight; sharing her doubts about this marriage with family and friends while acting no differently with Dylan is probably the least of her transgressions.
The tensions that have built throughout the week are bound to erupt: the boil-over happens in a big way at the pre-wedding family dinner, with fiancé, prospective in-laws, best friend, and shunned uncle also present, and way too much alcohol consumed.
As well as using straight narrative from various character perspectives, Jabour tells her tale with text messages, email, lists and a contract. Her plot is easily believable and her characters will strike a chord with both millennials and older readers. Jabour displays an acute insight into family relationships with the dialogue she gives her characters. Love, laughter, jealousy, loyalty, kindness, immaturity, sibling rivalry (of course), anger, insecurity, spite and heartbreak, they’re all here.
Jabour’s portrayal of sibling relationships is right on the money: phrases like “Are those my shoes/earrings/blouse/socks” and “Don’t tell anyone, but…” are stock standard between siblings. And “…trying to explain your sister to an only child… you might as well be trying to explain the concept of the ocean to a landlocked desert tribe” makes it clear that this could never have been written so well by an only child! Funny and thought-provoking, this is an outstanding debut novel.
This unbiased review from a copy provided by Echo Publishing.
August 28, 2019
My review for paperback copy, My Not So Functional Family by Bridie Jabour is on my website
www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
After I finish reading My Not So Functional Family, I found out why this book was called My Not So Functional Family.
The story reminded me of the TV series Dynasty, in the way as the same as Dynasty, this family in this story is always bickering.
Poppy is the out spoken one in the family, she never asks permission to do anything.
Years later Claudia is getting married, and has something on her mind. She tells Poppy although she loves Dylan, she doesn't know if she wants to get married.
Poppy tells everyone that she is gay.
Will Claudia eventually marry Dylan?
With this book full of family drama I highly recommend it.
I can't believe that this book is the first book that Bridie Jabour has written.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book that Bridie Jobour has published.
www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
After I finish reading My Not So Functional Family, I found out why this book was called My Not So Functional Family.
The story reminded me of the TV series Dynasty, in the way as the same as Dynasty, this family in this story is always bickering.
Poppy is the out spoken one in the family, she never asks permission to do anything.
Years later Claudia is getting married, and has something on her mind. She tells Poppy although she loves Dylan, she doesn't know if she wants to get married.
Poppy tells everyone that she is gay.
Will Claudia eventually marry Dylan?
With this book full of family drama I highly recommend it.
I can't believe that this book is the first book that Bridie Jabour has written.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book that Bridie Jobour has published.
April 10, 2018
I like the idea of the book, after all what family doesn't have issues. Unfortunately I didn't feel that this book achieved what it set out to do.
In the first chapter alone no less than 9 characters were introduced or made reference to. I had to keep notes to help me keep track. As the book went on I continued to struggle to differentiate between the characters, even with my notes. They all read the same and often dialogue would run on for too long without a hint of who was talking. I had to skip back to see who started the conversation so I could work out who said what. Essentially all of the characters are the same. Four siblings, a mother, an aunt and a friend who, despite the author trying to give individual personalities to (social conscious lesbian sibling, designer wearing mysterious sibling, alcoholic friend etc) it is all very one dimensional and falls flat. Not to mention that they are all awful. Every character is selfish, pig headed and immature with possible exception to the father. I definitely saw potential in the father but before the character could be developed he is written out of the book, barely to be mentioned again.
There isn't much of a plot, which is fine when focusing on character driven books, but this is not a character driven book, even if that was the intention of the author. I just didn't care what happened. Out of respect to the author ,as I did request this book, I wanted to finish it but that was the only thing that kept me reading.
In the first chapter alone no less than 9 characters were introduced or made reference to. I had to keep notes to help me keep track. As the book went on I continued to struggle to differentiate between the characters, even with my notes. They all read the same and often dialogue would run on for too long without a hint of who was talking. I had to skip back to see who started the conversation so I could work out who said what. Essentially all of the characters are the same. Four siblings, a mother, an aunt and a friend who, despite the author trying to give individual personalities to (social conscious lesbian sibling, designer wearing mysterious sibling, alcoholic friend etc) it is all very one dimensional and falls flat. Not to mention that they are all awful. Every character is selfish, pig headed and immature with possible exception to the father. I definitely saw potential in the father but before the character could be developed he is written out of the book, barely to be mentioned again.
There isn't much of a plot, which is fine when focusing on character driven books, but this is not a character driven book, even if that was the intention of the author. I just didn't care what happened. Out of respect to the author ,as I did request this book, I wanted to finish it but that was the only thing that kept me reading.
August 8, 2019
I'm really sorry, but this book is just not good. Sure, the writing is tolerable but for a book that is long winded, dull and hard to keep track off due to the constant changing of characters, you would expect a decent ending at least. My Not So Functional Family does not deliver on this at all I'm afraid. None of the characters are at all likable, nor do they really have any redeeming characteristics. It was truly a massive disappointment. This could have been a lighthearted, witty novel and yet the end just made me feel sad that I'd wasted time reading it. It was far too serious and dull, in fact, I think I would actively tell people to not read this book. I really hope that Bridie Jabour doesn't give up writing but learns from this mistake. Although all opinions in this review are my own, I would like to thank Zaffre and Readers First for an advanced copy.
June 28, 2018
A lot of laughs with this book about sibling rivalry and annoying family members, i could relate to most of what Rachel was saying and doing.
August 8, 2019
This is the story of Claudia who is about to get married in her home town and is reunited with her three siblings, her divorced parents, an annoying aunt and all the strained relationships that entails. She is experiencing doubts and can barely go two minutes with bickering with one of her siblings.
I had such high hopes for this book and thought that it would remind me of my own siblings, however this was not the case. At times I found myself wondering if the author even had siblings of their own and although I understand that no two families and their experiences are ever the same, however I feel this book really lacked any tenderness or familial love.
None of the characters were likeable or had any redeemable qualities. The novel ended abruptly without many questions answered in a way that was jarring and seemed indeliberate. As well as a number of jokes that landed poorly and left a very sour taste in my mouth referring to serious topics that I personally felt shouldn't be taken so lightly and didn't quite land.
However the book isn't without its merits: the writing was readable and there were comical moments, therefore I would read more from this author in the future, but this just wasn't a book for me.
I had such high hopes for this book and thought that it would remind me of my own siblings, however this was not the case. At times I found myself wondering if the author even had siblings of their own and although I understand that no two families and their experiences are ever the same, however I feel this book really lacked any tenderness or familial love.
None of the characters were likeable or had any redeemable qualities. The novel ended abruptly without many questions answered in a way that was jarring and seemed indeliberate. As well as a number of jokes that landed poorly and left a very sour taste in my mouth referring to serious topics that I personally felt shouldn't be taken so lightly and didn't quite land.
However the book isn't without its merits: the writing was readable and there were comical moments, therefore I would read more from this author in the future, but this just wasn't a book for me.
April 26, 2018
I really liked the premise of this book however the lack of plot and character development meant that I lost interest pretty quickly. I enjoyed the layout of the book and how the texts were interspersed with the different character perspectives. I thought that was a clever writing to style to use.
However the book really focused on the characters and I had major issues with them. It is as if the author has googled ‘millennial personality’ and combined every terrible and superficial trait which meant all the characters are awful. They all had certain qualities which made me think they were interesting at first but this was never explored fully which was a real shame.
I was disappointed with the ending and felt that it all got wrapped up pretty quickly. Because of the lack of depth to the characters I didn’t really care whether the wedding was called off or not which is one of the key themes of the book.
I read it to the end because I did request this book from Netgalley however I really struggled to look forward to reading it and discovering what would happen next.
However the book really focused on the characters and I had major issues with them. It is as if the author has googled ‘millennial personality’ and combined every terrible and superficial trait which meant all the characters are awful. They all had certain qualities which made me think they were interesting at first but this was never explored fully which was a real shame.
I was disappointed with the ending and felt that it all got wrapped up pretty quickly. Because of the lack of depth to the characters I didn’t really care whether the wedding was called off or not which is one of the key themes of the book.
I read it to the end because I did request this book from Netgalley however I really struggled to look forward to reading it and discovering what would happen next.
May 22, 2018
3.5 stars, rounded up. A fun read, hitting all the major millennial touch-points I so love.
If 'dysfunctional families' can be a genre (can it please be a genre?) then I think it's my personal favourite, for books and film. Better still, 'dysfunctional families at a wedding'. I just can't get enough. And honestly, some of the wild sibling anecdotes Jabour has conjured up could have been stolen directly from my own life, my own wedding. It won't be the same for everyone, but I found a lot of it startlingly (and, hilariously) relatable.
The writing seems perfectly crafted at a sentence level, however the strings of deliciously perfect one-liners didn't seem to flow well together, and the overall feeling was that of reading an essay or think-piece and I was never able to relax and be truly absorbed into the story.
Also there were a LOT of characters for a 276 page novel and therefore not a lot of closure for many of them by the end, which was equal parts frustrating and endearing (if I may be so bold).
If 'dysfunctional families' can be a genre (can it please be a genre?) then I think it's my personal favourite, for books and film. Better still, 'dysfunctional families at a wedding'. I just can't get enough. And honestly, some of the wild sibling anecdotes Jabour has conjured up could have been stolen directly from my own life, my own wedding. It won't be the same for everyone, but I found a lot of it startlingly (and, hilariously) relatable.
The writing seems perfectly crafted at a sentence level, however the strings of deliciously perfect one-liners didn't seem to flow well together, and the overall feeling was that of reading an essay or think-piece and I was never able to relax and be truly absorbed into the story.
Also there were a LOT of characters for a 276 page novel and therefore not a lot of closure for many of them by the end, which was equal parts frustrating and endearing (if I may be so bold).
May 23, 2019
My not so functional family. Is an amazing book. That will take you on a journey as the characters try and find out what they want to do with their lives. Who they are and who they want to be with. This is a great chicklit book to get stuck into. The characters are great and the storyline is fabulous. One not to be missed.
December 22, 2020
In 1932 Julia Strachey wrote ‘Cheerful weather for the weeding’, while in 2017 Brodie Jabour wrote ‘The way things should be’.
So many similarities. Family, feminism, and expectations.
Both read during a summer break (for me), and consumed in a day. Perfect holiday reading.
I enjoyed the 1990s music references, sibling quibbles and petty dramas.
Thank you @bridiejabour, looking forward to your next novel.
So many similarities. Family, feminism, and expectations.
Both read during a summer break (for me), and consumed in a day. Perfect holiday reading.
I enjoyed the 1990s music references, sibling quibbles and petty dramas.
Thank you @bridiejabour, looking forward to your next novel.
May 5, 2018
As part of a large and (at times explosively) atomised family, I can tell you that much of Jabour’s account of a disastrous pre-nuptial weekend rings achingly true. The book brims over with insights on relationships: children aghast at the sight of their denuded matriarch, once-close friends pondering a widening emotional gulf, personal divides between our “home” and “city” selves.
Though the book is slim and the prose sparkling, there is a real sense of the weight of family history conveyed. The Carter family has a synchronic existence — events of the book are constantly refracted through a prism of past slights, anecdotes, or affections. It’s a household lore that truly feels real: at times mythic, at times geological.
But it is in the relationship between the Carter sisters and their mother that the writer is at her best. In Lear, the pain of a thankless child is likened to a serpent’s tooth — none of that venom is spared in Jabour’s telling, though there is love and reverence, too. It’s a surprising debut in many ways. Stay tuned for the inevitable big screen adaptation.
Though the book is slim and the prose sparkling, there is a real sense of the weight of family history conveyed. The Carter family has a synchronic existence — events of the book are constantly refracted through a prism of past slights, anecdotes, or affections. It’s a household lore that truly feels real: at times mythic, at times geological.
But it is in the relationship between the Carter sisters and their mother that the writer is at her best. In Lear, the pain of a thankless child is likened to a serpent’s tooth — none of that venom is spared in Jabour’s telling, though there is love and reverence, too. It’s a surprising debut in many ways. Stay tuned for the inevitable big screen adaptation.
July 8, 2019
Aaawwww, what a b-e-a-u-tiful book!! Such a wonderful storyline, and the author has executed it brilliantly. A collection of characters who don’t really know who they are, who they want to be or what they want to do.
It seems the author has hit that “sweet spot”. That perfect balance, where the characters are on a journey of discovery and instead of their narrative being all needy and whiny and precocious, they’re thoughtful, funny and have a great depth. I’m impressed.
The book delivers on all it promises from the cover, synopsis & first chapter. This is a lovely, sweet, fun read. I can see this being taken away to many a beach this coming Summer.
This isn’t my normal genre but I have to say, it’s provided me with that perfect palette cleanser between my usual dark sort of thing.
I’ll be recommending this to everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author & the publisher for my arc. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
It seems the author has hit that “sweet spot”. That perfect balance, where the characters are on a journey of discovery and instead of their narrative being all needy and whiny and precocious, they’re thoughtful, funny and have a great depth. I’m impressed.
The book delivers on all it promises from the cover, synopsis & first chapter. This is a lovely, sweet, fun read. I can see this being taken away to many a beach this coming Summer.
This isn’t my normal genre but I have to say, it’s provided me with that perfect palette cleanser between my usual dark sort of thing.
I’ll be recommending this to everyone.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author & the publisher for my arc. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
August 4, 2019
I am very grateful to Readers First and Bonnier books for a sending me an advanced readers copy to read and review.
Sadly this book was a big disappointment for me. The first look gave the impression of a funny, witty book with good likeable characters.
I expected it to be an easy read and a good fun book.
Unfortunately it was dull and very long winded. The storyline was weak and it could have been a short story for what substance there was.
It dragged on and on and was a real struggle though finish and then the ending itself made me wonder why I’d ever bothered. Very weak ending.
This is just a book of moans from siblings with one getting married in the background and it was boring. The only likeable character for me was Nora and at the end of the book that had changed.
Lacked substance for me and I’m not really sure what it was actually intended to be about.
Sadly this book was a big disappointment for me. The first look gave the impression of a funny, witty book with good likeable characters.
I expected it to be an easy read and a good fun book.
Unfortunately it was dull and very long winded. The storyline was weak and it could have been a short story for what substance there was.
It dragged on and on and was a real struggle though finish and then the ending itself made me wonder why I’d ever bothered. Very weak ending.
This is just a book of moans from siblings with one getting married in the background and it was boring. The only likeable character for me was Nora and at the end of the book that had changed.
Lacked substance for me and I’m not really sure what it was actually intended to be about.
August 12, 2019
2 stars
I was given this book by Readers First in exchange for an honest review.
I really did not enjoy this book. The blurb makes it sound like a funny, light hearted and quirky book but what I got was a book filled with the most childish, selfish and ignorant people, very little humour, pretty much zero storyline and no character development.
I want to also point out the unnecessary use of the C word which seemed to be used just to shock the reader.
The ending was neither here nor there and I only didnt DNF because I was hoping the characters may pull themselves together and actually act like decent human beings.
Sadly they didnt.
I'm giving this 2 stars because the writing wasn't bad at all. Sadly this just wasn't the book for me.
I was given this book by Readers First in exchange for an honest review.
I really did not enjoy this book. The blurb makes it sound like a funny, light hearted and quirky book but what I got was a book filled with the most childish, selfish and ignorant people, very little humour, pretty much zero storyline and no character development.
I want to also point out the unnecessary use of the C word which seemed to be used just to shock the reader.
The ending was neither here nor there and I only didnt DNF because I was hoping the characters may pull themselves together and actually act like decent human beings.
Sadly they didnt.
I'm giving this 2 stars because the writing wasn't bad at all. Sadly this just wasn't the book for me.
October 6, 2020
Couldn’t finish it. Poorly written, cliche riddled story with a tired premise. Too much giggling. And one page where Claudia giggles and asks *someone* how they think Claudia is coping, when she’s meant to be asleep into another room. Needed some better editing and energy to keep it going.
April 30, 2023
I love Bridie Jabour’s articles and commentary so was thrilled to find this in my local library. Unfortunately it left me cold. I’m not quite sure why it didn’t work for me? I didn’t feel like the characters had enough depth - they felt a bit 2D? The conversations didn’t feel that authentic. And I felt like it was overwritten in parts. 2 stars.
April 15, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book as I could reflect with the characters about my family and own relationships. The characters were strong and showed what sibling rivalry is like. I liked reading chapters that came with the characters story or perspective on what was going on in the storyline. My only downfall was I wanted a little more at the end.
May 4, 2018
I was hooked from the start. Jabour masterfully captures the dynamics of a modern Australian family. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting. The characters have depth and the pace is just brilliant. An absolute must read if you want to laugh, cry or think from new perspectives.
April 20, 2018
Weddings often reveal things we try to keep hidden. AND, they can set off conflict in families and among friends OR they can heal them. Claudia's wedding (well, maybe wedding) does that for her siblings, her parents, and her friend Nora. There are a lot of characters in this short novel, which can at times be a bit cacophonous. That said, it's a fast take on modern lives. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.
August 20, 2019
Thought-provoking
I think this is a book that will provoke strong opinions. It was very 'millennial culture.' At times, so much so that it grew too tedious. I found it hard to keep picking it up, the ideas weren't necessarily ones I disagreed with, they just seemed too shallow in how they were written and the number of them. I lost interest but I persisted only because I liked the story and the complicated relationship between the family members. It was tense, awkward, funny and just perfect! There was none of that performance rubbish!
The characters were full personalities, with their own challenges. I'd recommend tthis book, for the characters alone. They were crafted meticulously and never disappointed!
I received tthis book for review consideration. All opinions are honest and completly my own.
I think this is a book that will provoke strong opinions. It was very 'millennial culture.' At times, so much so that it grew too tedious. I found it hard to keep picking it up, the ideas weren't necessarily ones I disagreed with, they just seemed too shallow in how they were written and the number of them. I lost interest but I persisted only because I liked the story and the complicated relationship between the family members. It was tense, awkward, funny and just perfect! There was none of that performance rubbish!
The characters were full personalities, with their own challenges. I'd recommend tthis book, for the characters alone. They were crafted meticulously and never disappointed!
I received tthis book for review consideration. All opinions are honest and completly my own.
October 22, 2022
Did not finish - the characters were not likeable and I struggled to understand their motivation at any stage in the story. Very difficult to get engaged in a story when it is simply just bickering. That being said the writing was well constructed and very readable... just not compelling.
June 3, 2018
I don’t have a snazzy opening line for this review so let’s be honest early in the piece. The Way Things Should Be is a book that on review of the blurb should have worked for me. It has millennials acting strangely, a highly dysfunctional family and a dry sense of Aussie humour. I love those kinds of things. But for me, this book didn’t let me in – I felt like an outsider, at the fringes of the cool group. I desperately wanted to be allowed into the sphere that the characters were in but I felt like a distant observer. Maybe it is because none of them are particularly likeable. Maybe it’s just because it didn’t involve Facebook and Snapchat. I felt like there was a firewall between me and the characters. Perhaps that is that way it’s meant to be – on the outside, looking in.
The book is brilliantly written. Bridie Jabour has a skill in making the absurd seem perfectly rational, which is a rare thing. Reading The Way Things Should Be, I was reminded repeatedly of another dysfunctional family (the Bennets from Pride and Prejudice). Jabour has the wit and the talent to write a skilled story. If I’d liked the characters or felt closer to them, this book would have been a winner for me.
I think one of my problems with this book was that I couldn’t really relate to any of them or feel sympathy. Claudia was the initial choice to be my book friend. She’s smart and is ticking off all the conventional boxes in life but still questions if that is what she should be doing. But sometimes she does really inexplicable things, almost self-sabotage, to try and make sure she doesn’t get too much happiness. I could understand her qualms about her wedding, but not the way she went about trying to convince herself either way. Sister Zoe was also a potential contender. She is almost glamourous, with a secretively cool job that has a lot of Instagram followers. She can also be an absolute bitch! Phinn and Poppy (the other brother and sister) weren’t as intriguing for me – Phinn is eternally nice and sunny (lovely in real life, but a bit too dull in a book where everyone is sniping each other). Poppy is mildly entertaining, but a little too prone to sulking. Claudia’s best friend Nora was my last chance. She’s nursing a secret heartbreak amongst the frivolity, but can she stay sober enough to hold it together? Nora tended to shy away from the big questions until it all exploded in a cringe worthy, can’t-look-away finale. Overall, the characters I’d hoped to barrack for were just a little too repugnant.
Other characters, such as Claudia’s mum and aunt are delightfully disgusting in their lack of tact and self-centredness. Claudia’s mum brings to mind Mrs Bennet, the 21st century version. Even Claudia’s dad is a little like Mr Bennet – happy to stay away from the action and complain mildly in the corner. Aunt Mary seems to come from something more grotesque as she’s just plain weird. Trying to steal from her sister, getting involved with family exes, always worming her way into her sister’s life. She’s plain creepy.
As you might have guessed by now, The Way Things Should Be is a character rather than plot driven novel. The plot is simple. Claudia’s family gathers in their rural home town in the lead up to her wedding. The action moves from sibling sniping to small town gossip and family issues. It’s entertaining, but my point of view felt too distant to be involved with or care about those involved.
Thank you to Echo Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The book is brilliantly written. Bridie Jabour has a skill in making the absurd seem perfectly rational, which is a rare thing. Reading The Way Things Should Be, I was reminded repeatedly of another dysfunctional family (the Bennets from Pride and Prejudice). Jabour has the wit and the talent to write a skilled story. If I’d liked the characters or felt closer to them, this book would have been a winner for me.
I think one of my problems with this book was that I couldn’t really relate to any of them or feel sympathy. Claudia was the initial choice to be my book friend. She’s smart and is ticking off all the conventional boxes in life but still questions if that is what she should be doing. But sometimes she does really inexplicable things, almost self-sabotage, to try and make sure she doesn’t get too much happiness. I could understand her qualms about her wedding, but not the way she went about trying to convince herself either way. Sister Zoe was also a potential contender. She is almost glamourous, with a secretively cool job that has a lot of Instagram followers. She can also be an absolute bitch! Phinn and Poppy (the other brother and sister) weren’t as intriguing for me – Phinn is eternally nice and sunny (lovely in real life, but a bit too dull in a book where everyone is sniping each other). Poppy is mildly entertaining, but a little too prone to sulking. Claudia’s best friend Nora was my last chance. She’s nursing a secret heartbreak amongst the frivolity, but can she stay sober enough to hold it together? Nora tended to shy away from the big questions until it all exploded in a cringe worthy, can’t-look-away finale. Overall, the characters I’d hoped to barrack for were just a little too repugnant.
Other characters, such as Claudia’s mum and aunt are delightfully disgusting in their lack of tact and self-centredness. Claudia’s mum brings to mind Mrs Bennet, the 21st century version. Even Claudia’s dad is a little like Mr Bennet – happy to stay away from the action and complain mildly in the corner. Aunt Mary seems to come from something more grotesque as she’s just plain weird. Trying to steal from her sister, getting involved with family exes, always worming her way into her sister’s life. She’s plain creepy.
As you might have guessed by now, The Way Things Should Be is a character rather than plot driven novel. The plot is simple. Claudia’s family gathers in their rural home town in the lead up to her wedding. The action moves from sibling sniping to small town gossip and family issues. It’s entertaining, but my point of view felt too distant to be involved with or care about those involved.
Thank you to Echo Publishing for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
May 17, 2018
The Way Things Should Be is a character driven novel revolving around the upcoming wedding of Claudia and her interactions with her family. The relationships among Claudia's family members are fraught with jealousy, competition and conflict.
Many similar characters are introduced at the beginning of the book making it tough to keep them all straight. They all seemed to have some kind of major issue they are facing. Not one of them acted as the calm in the storm. Frankly, I found the characters to be unlikeable and self-centered. The only character that seemed like a halfway decent person is Claudia's fiancée and he actually plays only a small part in the book. I felt sorry for him getting tangled up with this crazy, dysfunctional family.
There is not much in the way of plot development at all in this book. That could be okay if the characters were at all likable or interesting. I also found several of the details of the book to be far fetched. Based on the description, I expected this book to be funny and light-hearted, but I found it to be a disappointment.
I wanted to quit reading this book early on, but to decided I had to see it through to honor Net Galley's request for a review in exchange for a copy of the book.
Many similar characters are introduced at the beginning of the book making it tough to keep them all straight. They all seemed to have some kind of major issue they are facing. Not one of them acted as the calm in the storm. Frankly, I found the characters to be unlikeable and self-centered. The only character that seemed like a halfway decent person is Claudia's fiancée and he actually plays only a small part in the book. I felt sorry for him getting tangled up with this crazy, dysfunctional family.
There is not much in the way of plot development at all in this book. That could be okay if the characters were at all likable or interesting. I also found several of the details of the book to be far fetched. Based on the description, I expected this book to be funny and light-hearted, but I found it to be a disappointment.
I wanted to quit reading this book early on, but to decided I had to see it through to honor Net Galley's request for a review in exchange for a copy of the book.
July 12, 2022
3.5 stars
Firstly, I would like to say that I am an only child, so my perspective on sibling relationships is definitely uninformed. (This is part of why I was interested in reading a family drama). I found that whilst I enjoyed the dynamics explored between the characters, this book isn't to be read for the plot. From the first chapter, you can predict the ending of Claudia and Dylan's engagement. The plot events are solely based around the preparation for the wedding (including emotional preparation), which is definitely something people may consider boring.
That being said, I really enjoyed learning about sibling dynamics, in particular I liked how Bridie Jabour wrote the mum. The mum was a complex character who is simultaneously very hate-able and yet somewhat sympathetically portrayed. Her perspective is helpful in understanding the difficult people in one's life! Poppy was also interesting, as I switched between hating her and liking her every chapter. All the characters were morally ambiguous- this was done well and helped the book seem more realistic.
Despite the abrupt ending, I would say this book is worth reading (especially for only children interested in sibling dynamics)
Firstly, I would like to say that I am an only child, so my perspective on sibling relationships is definitely uninformed. (This is part of why I was interested in reading a family drama). I found that whilst I enjoyed the dynamics explored between the characters, this book isn't to be read for the plot. From the first chapter, you can predict the ending of Claudia and Dylan's engagement. The plot events are solely based around the preparation for the wedding (including emotional preparation), which is definitely something people may consider boring.
That being said, I really enjoyed learning about sibling dynamics, in particular I liked how Bridie Jabour wrote the mum. The mum was a complex character who is simultaneously very hate-able and yet somewhat sympathetically portrayed. Her perspective is helpful in understanding the difficult people in one's life! Poppy was also interesting, as I switched between hating her and liking her every chapter. All the characters were morally ambiguous- this was done well and helped the book seem more realistic.
Despite the abrupt ending, I would say this book is worth reading (especially for only children interested in sibling dynamics)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2018
This was a really unusual read, though not easy to get into. It took me a while to get my head round who was who and which character was which - the opening pages introduce us to a large cast of related people, and it took me a while to not get them confused. I liked the idea though and it was fun, after a lifetime of reading books about people mainly older than me, to read an adult book about adults younger than me. I confess I had to google some of the pop culture references though. I wasn't sure that I really found myself rooting for any of the characters, especially Claudia, as they all just felt a bit like they were trying to make dramas out of nothing. I wonder if maybe that was the point, that this is a statement about the millennial generation. Not sure. Also felt a bit let down by the ending, just seemed to come really abruptly and didn't really fit with the character of Dylan as he had been throughout the book.
I was given a free advance copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was given a free advance copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 20, 2024
Well well well, this is like reading coronation street if it was a book series. My gosh the family is so annoying, dramatic, over the top and the mother, I couldn’t cope! At its core, the book is a will they, won’t they get married with a a whole bunch a a dysfunctional shit in between. Although I must say this book had me howling with laughter, gaping in shock and welling up with tears. It’s an easy read, one you can lose yourself in, and definitely see parts of yourself in throughout. The relationships with the siblings made me reflect on my own sibling relationship, and how unique they are. There’s something about being around family that automatically makes you revert to a past self, and this book captured and evoked that perfectly. I would definitely recommend a read, and if you have siblings then prepare to be reminded of your sibling trauma haha.
June 11, 2018
Straight up, I am a late Generation-Xer. Perhaps that’s why Bridie Jabour’s
The Way Things Should Be
and I didn’t always gel? Don’t get me wrong, there is much to enjoy in this novel — eclectic characters, snappy and at times witty dialogue, and exploration of sticky real-world issues like the transforming relationships of siblings and parents into adulthood. But between the covers there is also a lot of high emotional drama, lashing out, navel-gazing and self-absorption displayed by the female characters.
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May 1, 2018Claudia and her siblings arrive home for her wedding. The story of Claudia and her family is wrapped around whether the wedding will actually happen. There are lots of characters in this book, but I really didn't feel like I had a good sense of any of them. There was either not enough development or they just never seemed to evolve at all.
While I didn't really have a problem getting through the book - there were enough snippets to make it somewhat fun - I just didn't really have any strong feelings about Claudia and Dylan's wedding/no-wedding, or any of the characters for the ending to matter.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. #TheWayThingsShouldBe #NetGalley
While I didn't really have a problem getting through the book - there were enough snippets to make it somewhat fun - I just didn't really have any strong feelings about Claudia and Dylan's wedding/no-wedding, or any of the characters for the ending to matter.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. #TheWayThingsShouldBe #NetGalley
May 7, 2018
Claudia is back in her hometown for a week to prepare for her wedding to Dylan. But she’s already dreading the battles that are quick to follow whenever her sisters are in the same room together. Her dominating mother doesn’t help matters either. With a brother who is quick to exit the room whenever things get a little messy and a best friend who’s battling some pretty fierce demons of her own, Claudia needs all the support she can to get through the week.
Anyone who’s ever grown up in a big family will relate to this sometimes poignant, sometimes witty story of the Carter siblings. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Anyone who’s ever grown up in a big family will relate to this sometimes poignant, sometimes witty story of the Carter siblings. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 13, 2019
I am an only child and don’t truly understand family dynamics, so the question is are families this fucked up? And so badly behaved?
Think of the movie The Family Stone and ramp it up Australian style...
The mother is very self involved and always has her sister hanging around. She and her ex husband can’t be in the same room together and the siblings tactfully tackle these battle lines to spend time with each one.
The purpose of this novel is Claudia is coming home to get married, let the family madness begin as the the week countdowns to the wedding.
Think of the movie The Family Stone and ramp it up Australian style...
The mother is very self involved and always has her sister hanging around. She and her ex husband can’t be in the same room together and the siblings tactfully tackle these battle lines to spend time with each one.
The purpose of this novel is Claudia is coming home to get married, let the family madness begin as the the week countdowns to the wedding.
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