The Means

by Amy Fusselman

Shelly Means, a stay-at-home mom and disgraced former PTA president, is poised to get the one thing in life she really wants: a beach house in the Hamptons. Surely, once she has her beach house, Shelly will at last feel at peace, in control, and content. It might be a very small house, and it might be in the least-fancy part of the Hamptons, but Shelly is hell-bent on achieving this idea of paradise. 

But what should be a simple real estate transaction quickly goes awry as Shelly’s new neighbors disapprove of her proposed shipping container house at the same time that her spouse George’s lucrative work as a VoiceOver artist dries up. When George wants to cancel the beach house, Shelly goes deeper down the rabbit hole of capitalism: it’s an investment property! It's a community! It’s a place for their children to thrive! And, for a woman whose labor has buoyed her family for years, this beach house might just be Shelly’s last stand.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2022

Reviews

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Means, Shelly becomes fixated on the idea of owning a beach house in The Hamptons. The Means family lives in Long Island and decide to sell their lake house. On Shelly’s quest to build the new beach house, they run into challenges with both their budget and approvals.

The Means is sarcastic and somewhat snarky but also entertaining. There’s light neighborhood drama and a “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe. While it was entertaining, I can’t say I connected much with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessicah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am grateful to have received this book as an ARC. I am also glad the author shared her story idea with the world. It takes great effort to write and publish a book, so well done.

Those are the only positive statements I can make about this book. For the first 100 pages, I had no idea what this book was supposed to be. Is it a look into how rich people complain about their unrelatable problems? Is it a stay at home mother's journal in which she whines about staying home and taking care of her older children? Is it a how to on how to trick people into caring about voice actors who aren't good at what they do? I couldn't tell. Until page 100 that is. On page 100 the main character's dog starts talking to her ( she imagines the dog having a conversation with her). That was when I realized this is actually a heartfelt documentation of a rich woman's descent into madness because she is having trouble getting the beach house of her dreams.

Shelly and George are entirely unlikeable and unrelatable to me as a reader. Shelly constantly complains about how hard being a stay at home mother is, but when her son offers her a novel idea she refuses to accept it because it would be too hard to write a novel. It almost feels that she is complaining in the early chapters that she sold a lake house and bought a beach house. All while openly stating she received financial aid for her child to go to a private school.

There is an entire chapter dedicated to the woman who walks her dog, what the main character does while her dog is out walking (she eats chocolate chips by the handful like a squirrel), and takes care of a 16 and 10 year old.

The author mentions the race of the characters too obviously "white" family she goes on vacation with or the "white retiree" who is the Silver Sound HOA President.

The chapters feel more like individual diary entries than a cohesive story.

I'm not sure what I was supposed to get out of this story, but I missed it entirely. I am sure there are tons of people out there who will love this story and love hearing about The Means.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected to like this story much more than I did. It's a character-driven story that started out strong, but didn't quite deliver. The beginning and ending were my favorite, but the middle not so much.

Full review at LucyKnowsThings.com.

[Val (pagespoursandpups) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely quirky and witty satirical look at keeping up with the Jones’ in NY. A stay at home Mom dreams of owning a beach house and a Japanese toilet. Even though the family is struggling financially, she can’t seem to let go of this dream. With conflicting advice and a family dog who speaks, this book was quite funny.

I’m not sure this story really went anywhere- but it was an enjoyable quick read nevertheless.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes in the fast-paced narrative style of many of my favorite authors, yet I found this getting boring. The bottom line is that the story lacked substance. Too many stereotypical Hamptons characters. Very hard to sympathize with her issues while building a house in the very trendy Hamptons. I understand it was only in The Springs, but certainly not an area where residents could be pitied. Having spent many years there, I simply couldn’t engage with these issues.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

[Lian Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Means is a smart, funny book that will appeal to a certain niche of readers to which I belong: those who long for a beach house. Author Amy Fusselman turns this first world goal into a sharp social satire about a New York couple with seemingly no income that aspire to the Hamptons lifestyle. Along the way, we meet a charming dog, some wise teenagers, a crooked home owners association president and cynical architect. Snappy & on point.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just really don't know how the heck to review this book. To tell you the truth, I couldn't even tell you what the story was about unless you believe the story was about a woman and her house in the Hampton's obsession?

Some readers are going to think that this family, the Means, are wealthy. I think they are just upper middle class. However, my thinking may be skewed because I live around people like this. I'm not one of them, but I can understand them.

Apparently, this is supposed to be satire, and I can see that, but at certain points, this book seems to become nothing but stream-of-consciousness writing. There is no character growth, plot, or even a definitive ending. The parts where the dog talks to Shelly seem more drug-induced tho it's not...at least, I don't think so!

I did stick with the book, was a very fast read. It was easy to stick to as long as I wasn't looking for anything more than cliched fluff with weak-willed characters.

Good luck!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Mariner Books, the author, and NetGalley.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Means is a tragic, comic novel about a woman named Shelly Means, a stay-at-home mom in Manhattan. She has two kids and is married to a guy named George, a struggling voiceover artist. Shelley gets a bee in her bonnet, an obsession that she wants a respite from her life. Shelly builds a beach house on her plot in The Springs. But the beach house is made of shipping containers, leaving the housing association in arms. The book is about the shenanigans Shelley trying to get what she wants.

Thematically, this book is hilarious, but it's also about the suffering inherent in desire, capitalist delusion, and misogyny. We quickly learn that the best way to make money is to sell stupid people with enough cash things they don't need. Shelly's observations of life and the problems she encounters are faced with acceptance as she watches her must-haves cut back. This story observes family, money, society, and dreams.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny and peculiar debut novel written by a master of swerving, personal memoirs. Loosely based on her own experiences bringing a shipping container beach house into existence, The Means is a financial comedy of errors that sometimes reminded me of Patrick deWitt's French Exit. A very fun, quick read.

[Maison Dean · Rating 1 out of 5]

consider this a psa to not read this book. the main character was so annoying and in the middle of the book the dog started speaking (?). never again

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I know that The Means is satirical (I sincerely hope this was the intent!), I feel like the moral I can derive from this story is that the best way to make money is to sell stupid people that have just enough money to buy things that they don't really need from you. This book may supposed to be funny, looking at all of the pointless things people spend money on either because they think they should, or because they think they have enough money to pay someone else money to do something they really don't want to do themselves. But if anything it's infuriating and demoralizing to anyone who is working multiple jobs, trying to save money where they can, and giving things up they really shouldn't go without. Why? Because there really are people out there throwing money at stupid s*** like finance psychists and nutrient bars that taste like c***. There really are people that think they need a heated pool with ambient mood lighting when they have a house within walking distance of the ocean. If the nature of content doesn't turn you off, then Shelly being a total dingbat incapable of the smallest tasks should. If everything I previously mentioned doesn't turn you off, then surely, surely, the fact that family dog Twix (purchased at a discount!) starts talking to Shelly in the middle of the book should. And not just Shelly imagining conversations with her dog, like legitimate starts talking. This is beyond weird in a book that's already weird and ludicrous. It's hard to find things that I really like about the book. I wanted it to be funny, but it just irritated me instead. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Taylor Mucciarone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to read mostly because the narrator, Shelly, seems to be such a simple-minded person. She wants a beach house with a Japanese toilet and she’s willing to fight for it. The problem I found with her narrative was that she oftentimes rambles on about things which really hold little meaning in comparison to the book’s entirety. At one point she even admits herself to be a weird person, which relieved me because I wasn’t the only one thinking it.

I truly believe the problem with Shelly is that she has far too much time on her hands, hence her obsession with getting a beach house. She continuously claims to have the arduous job of being a housewife, yet has both a dog-walker and housecleaner. The entire time I was reading this book, I was rooting for Shelly to get a job. For her to claim some independence and accomplish her dream of getting a beach house. Only, she doesn’t want to work, yet remains fascinated by the idea of being rich.
“I became a person who was having a party for which I had hired a party planner. If that wasn’t a rich-person thing to do, I didn’t know what was.”

I know this sounds a bit like a rant, but I truly did enjoy the book. Shelly is someone you root for, even if her reasoning isn’t always logical. She stumbles and doesn’t know what the right steps to take are, but she thankfully has people around to guide her. She’s a bit ditzy and begins talking to her dog halfway through the book, but you just kind of go with it. It’s a lighthearted novel to take to the beach, which I did. Plus, if you’ve ever wanted a beach house yourself, you may find this read very relatable.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. Entertaining, except for the talking dog.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this has generated very divergent reviews but you know what- I really enjoyed it because it actually made me chuckle. Okay, yes Shelly Means is odd, her dog Twix talks to her, her plan to build a house in the Hamptons on land she calls the Tick Farm is a bit off but look for the humor here. Shelly and her husband George, who voices commercials, live in mid-town NYC (spot on description of their neighborhood, btw) and send their kids to private school with financial aid because while George makes good money (at least at first), they don't make good NYC money. They owned a lake cottage until a racoon (in the very funny and sadly plausible scenario) broke in and now she's determined to build a house in the Hamptons which must, absolutely, must have a Toto toilet. Never mind that all they can afford (or can they?) is a house made of shipping containers which predictably are unacceptable to the community. This was worth the read for the details of making shipping containers into housing alone but it's so much more. Know that not all goes well. Know also that Shelly, who narrates, has a flat affect that worked for me. The chapters are short and snappy, the dialogue punchy, and if I have a quibble it's that I don't understand why people are identified by their race. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I found this really entertaining.

[librarybythebeach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, this book was hilarious! Shelly is a stay-at-home mom to 2 kids and fantasizes about a beach house. Truly the beach house could be a main character in and of itself! Shelly is going thru the day to day tasks of parenting, budgeting, delegating, marriage, and all she wants is a beach house. With a Japanese toilet. Seriously, the toilet talk had me crying laughing. So did the raccoon incident…you’ll see. 😂

I can honestly say, I’ve never read anything quite like this but I truly enjoyed it. Shelly was funny & witty and i appreciated her dedication to the beach house!

One thing I didn’t care for was the talking dog. I’m not sure why that happened TBH. 😅

[Aumaine Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though with moments of sharpness and attempts at depth, this reads shallowly, as an entire extension of its central character without enough to undercut/balance. Perhaps the irony is just not for me, but still, the book seems like it was written in a rush

[Adriana | nannersreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Mariner Books, and Amy Fusselman for providing me with an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
-
I was really looking forward to reading The Means, but something simply didn’t click for me. Despite how short it is, I struggled to finish it. While there were parts where the satire and the sarcasm came through, the characters and the events simply weren’t enough to carry it out successfully. I got lost somewhere between the Japanese toilet and Twix carrying a conversation. I think some people may find this interesting, but it simply wasn’t for me.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok for me. Some funny parts but overall silly and not that interesting.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m rounding up from 2.5 because I very much like what Fusselman tries to do with her debut novel. Unfortunately, the execution falls flat which is so disappointing because I actually laughed out loud in multiple places in the first chapter. I thought it was going to continue in that vein. Instead, Shelly falls flat in her one-dimensional caricature of a woman trying to prove her success through a Hamptons house. The only way the character and story would work is if she went completely over the top. Instead, it falls flat. I have no doubt that many people will enjoy this book, but it wasn’t great for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Sherri Puzey · Rating 4 out of 5]

78 • I started THE MEANS last night and finished it by the lake this afternoon, a perfect way to wrap up my weekend. It was a funny and sharp examination of money, motherhood, and class. Shelly Means is desperate for a beach house in the Hamptons, and she’ll do just about anything to get it. She’s got complicated feelings about both money and all of the work she does for her home and family that generates no money. I laughed out loud several times and am delighted to have read this debut novel by @amyfusselman. This was a great summer read for me, but I think it will also hit perfectly when it releases right around Labor Day as we begrudgingly make our way into fall (just me?). A fun family story that examines wealth and work and the ways we move through the world balancing the two. Out September 6.

thank you to @marinerbooks for sending me a copy of this one!

#themeans #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #newrelease #harpercollins #amyfusselman #marinerbooks #lakeday #summerreading

[Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.25 stars rounded way up cuz writing is hard and I get it. This was not good, sadly. I don't know what the point of it is. It could have been a funny cute story about what? I dunno. The narrator, a woman who is whiny and can't decide if she's rich or not, that's the only coherent thread throughout the 'novel' - she thinks she is because they sold a lake house and are now on the way to owning a beach house- but then she thinks she's really not rich because said beach house is made of shipping containers. That's basically the story with a few "zany" side characters thrown in for the fun/eye rolling nature of it. She's married to a guy named George who stumbles into voice acting so they have money, although she doesn't know anything about it, just that it's there and she technically has kids but they are so 2 dimensional and seem to be used just so the author can write that because of the kids she has jobs, many jobs, like making lunches for her kids and paying the bills and making sure the dog walker comes to take out her dog.....her dog Twix that suddenly starts talking in the middle of the story to lecture her in little ways like a godmother which has no meaning at all, like it they say in writing when you write about a thing, a dog starting to talk, somewhere down the line there should be a reason for the dog to talk. Also the woman doesn't grow and change, in fact I'd argue she gets even more vapid throughout the "story". it's really just little vignette chapters that the author tries to write in a way where she fancies herself a comedian. I made myself finish the book just to be able to write what I had hoped would be a thoughtful review but I realize I'm just ranting. I dunno. It's silly and if you like silly but not done in a smart way, this might be enjoyable.

[Melinda Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Fusselman's character Shelly Means is both hilarious and heartbreaking. The narrative sucks you in and you can't put it down until you know the end. The issues are contemporary, e.g. the grungy fantasy of living in New York City, the appropriation of native lands known as the Hamptons, snowflake teenagers obsessed with the environment, but the themes are long-lived and universal. What does it mean to be happy and how do I know that I am healthy? The characters are full of integrity and the author clearly has a view of human nature that is not insulting, but full of hope and adventure in a world that is difficult to navigate these days. Also, the talking dog is spot on. My dog totally talks to me, but no one ever has the guts to write about it!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud in the first few pages and does not stop there. It’s funny and heartwarming. You want to be friends with the main character. Great story.

[Elyse · Rating 2 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC.

This book was ridiculous and the MC was a moron. And not in a funny way. I don’t know what the point of this book was. It wasn’t funny, it was annoying. 🤨

[Connor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good

[Sharon M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut novel by Amy Fusselman - 4.5 stars!

Shelly Means is a stay-at-home mom of two, married to George, a voice-over actor, who live an upper middle class life in NYC. They have a second home, but are forced to sell it and Shelly dreams of a beach house in the Hamptons. But as George's jobs dry up and their budget goes down, the house Shelly envisions must change.

This is just an entertaining, humorous read that I really enjoyed. While it's definitely a book about keeping up with the Jones' and lots of First World problems, it made me laugh out loud more times than I can mention. And sometimes a book like this is just the escapism I need - this is the perfect beach read! It has short chapters that beg for just one more, quirky characters, and even talking dogs.

[Mona Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

My thanks to Goodreads FirstReads for my ARC.

Shelly and George Means, English majors in college, now live with their two kids in a two-bedroom apartment in the not-charming stretch of Chelsea. They are the last people one would expect to own a beach house in the Hamptons. Okay, so maybe not the most rich part, “The Springs” and maybe it was constructed out of used shipping containers, but still…

Of course, such an outlandish project would be met with resistance. From her own family as well as the HOA at The Springs. There were also budget constraints due to Shelly’s not earning a wage/salary and George no longer getting gigs as a voice-over artist. Indulgences such as a dog-walker, Shelly’s therapy, and a cleaner further drained their already-meager resources.

It was not long before Shelly was in over her head. The expected revenue stream from the investment property would require some unforeseen compromises and schmoozing. But, if Shelly was anything, she was a resourceful problem-solver.

For me, the blurb was better than the book. Also, I didn’t understand the logic of its set-up. But it was a fast read. It had some quirky characters. There was humor, some of it amusing. Overall, mediocre.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was witty and the main character was very quirky. A story of trying to keep up with everyone and the odd things people will do.

Shelly Means REALLY wants that beach house in the Hamptons, along with a Japanese toilet. She's a SAHM, her husband's career is struggling, yet she can't seem to let go of this dream and will do anything to make it happen.

The talking dog was the best!

A quick easy read, but I'm not falling in as a favorite!

I’m not sure this stor

[Lorie Spivey Jeffries · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as a goodreads giveaway. I am giving it 3 stars because it will make a good vacation read. It is a book of fluff with a protagonist who learns nothing and isn't even likeable. I kept trying to like Shelly by comparing her to Becky in the shopaholic books, but she just isn't likeable. She didn't change or improve during the whole book. The only good thing is it is short and easy to read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fast paced, funny and heartwarming story, makes a great beach read. It is smartly written with sharp humor and an interesting premise. However, I had a little trouble connecting with the characters. Thank you NetGalley, Mariner Books and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be released September 6, 2022