That Awkward Age

Francesca Segal's sharply observed second novel asks what parents owe to their children, and vice versa. After five years of widowhood, Julia.
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I suppose it is not entirely impossible that Julia, a part-time piano teacher, and doctor James might have found a way to finance not only their house but also private schools for their children, weekends in Boston, trips to see the opera in Milan, and regular visits to the Wigmore Hall.

But surely they would still occasionally look up and notice what is going on around them? It is a jarring omission in an otherwise skilfully crafted morality tale for our times. Order by newest oldest recommendations. Show 25 25 50 All. Threads collapsed expanded unthreaded. Loading comments… Trouble loading? Amori placidi in corso e amori ormai passati. La storia di Francesca Segal figlia dell'Erich Segal di Love Story li intreccia tutti, questi diversi amori, proponendo nella prima parte del romanzo interessanti sviluppi, con simpatica vena umoristica; poi gli scenari diventano prevedibili, e Amori diversi, tra persone mature - con i figli di precedenti matrimoni che condizionano - e tra adolescenti - con i genitori che condizionano pure, se possono.

La storia di Francesca Segal figlia dell'Erich Segal di Love Story li intreccia tutti, questi diversi amori, proponendo nella prima parte del romanzo interessanti sviluppi, con simpatica vena umoristica; poi gli scenari diventano prevedibili, e il romanzo chiude in calando. May 05, TL marked it as print-in-book-too-small-for-my-eyes Shelves: I received this via Goodreads Giveaways in a exchange for an honest review.

All my opinions are my own: Had a concussion in and since then small print is a no go for me.. Unfortunately, have to throw in the towel. I once heard a great quote that perfectly summarizes this book: Segal's novel is a rather drawn out novel about what happens when an American man with a son and a British woman with a daughter who are deeply in love move in together, uniting the househo Shelf talker: Segal's novel is a rather drawn out novel about what happens when an American man with a son and a British woman with a daughter who are deeply in love move in together, uniting the households.

James's son Nathan believes his father and mother have an undeniable sexual bond and will end up together again, and Julia's daughter Gwen loathes James, most specifically for creating a chasm in her and her mother's relationship. This is a novel where you don't like anyone.

I generally don't mind this, to be honest, but Segal appeared I could be wrong to be attempting to just show how human everyone is. In reality, I felt she only created the sympathy she was aiming for for specific characters or at very specific moments, and did not succeed in making it a universal quality.

Some characters remained very one dimensional especially James and Nathan , while others really flourished as full characters, complete with motives and flaws and emotions like Gwen and Iris. Honestly, it felt like whenever James was in a scene, it was either to think about how much he hated Gwen, to think about how perfect James was, or to physically show affection or Julia. I liked the idea of Julia's character, so weak and dependent while trying to carve an identity to, but in execution, I didn't believe her, and she felt like a caricature of the Julia Segal originally came up with.

Despite these flaws and a rather slow pace that did not help the characters who seemed only capable of having the same four thoughts on repeat, I really dug this book. I loved her parallels between relationships, I loved the variety of relationships presented and explored, I loved the contradictions and the humanity of it all. I loved when she was successful at making me feel one way toward a character when we were in their head and another way two pages later when someone else took the lead. I loved watching characters attempt to grow, struggling to shed old ways and move into new ones, and seeing them grow in some places but not others, despite the wishes of everyone else including the reader.

I loved seeing so many relationships exist in the precarious state of one or both parties taking the other for granted and following through to the inevitable problems. Most of all, I loved the exploration of what it means to be a parent and a person, that inevitability that we all play multiple roles on our lives, from caregiver to support system to lover to friend to child and back again. What identity gets our priority? Is it the one that makes us happiest, the one that we have a moral obligation to fill, or the one easiest to fill?

How does an enmeshed relationship survive when someone decides to no longer be enmeshed? And how do we leave one extreme without going to the far extreme? Jun 16, Emily rated it liked it. I've never wanted to scream at characters more. Aug 19, Brenda rated it it was ok. The Kids are All Right: I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.

No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted. With what is a natural protective and maternal reflex Julia has spoiled her daughter, Gwen after her husband dies. You know that even as an adult, Gwen will impose upon on her mother for things like babysitting, money, etc. On the other hand, James and his ex have raised entitled and cavalier children. Gwen is perhaps cavalier too, or maybe just self-centered. Almost out of high school Nathan actually harbors a belief that his parents will get back together.

When James and Julia combine their households they do so without really preparing their kids. This is partly a coming-of-age story, only I am not sure who is coming of age, the children or the parents. Julia is close to them and is estranged from her own mother. The mother-in-law seems a real self-involved character while the father-in-law seems in decline. Equally obvious, except to Gwen, is his cavalier attitude. The top line in the blurb says it all: Both parents are taken in by their children and not seeing reality is a wedge a relationship has a hard time surviving.

Eventually, both kids will come out on the other side, all right and could probably teach a workshop on how to manipulate parents.

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Well narrated by the effervescently voiced Jayne Entwistle who totally gets all the major characters carefully. I kept seeing the characters very clearly through her voice. Mar 25, Brie rated it it was amazing Shelves: The story is intriguing, the characters were imbued with just the right amount of whimsy, and overall it was a delightful read. Julia was widowed five years ago and since then has been a devoted single mother to her 16 year old daughter Gwen.

But when she meets American doctor James, everything changes. James moves in with Julia and Gwen, bringing his 17 year old son Daniel. Both teenagers resent their new step-parents and step-siblings, and the constant bickering is putting everyone on edge. However things get even harder on the parents when Gwen and Daniel become romantically involved.

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There's a slight "ick" factor to Julia was widowed five years ago and since then has been a devoted single mother to her 16 year old daughter Gwen. There's a slight "ick" factor to this premise. Of course it's not incest, but it teeters on the edge of what feels morally acceptable and that of course is part of Julia and James's issue. But they also realise that the chances of a relationship between a spoiled and immature 16 and marginally more mature 17 year old enduring are close to nil, and what will it mean for the family when they split? So the parents are hell bent on separating the pair and at the same time desperately trying to retain a united front and not take sides.

As Julia character observes at one point, "teenage relationships were always roller coasters, but how had the whole family ended up trapped with them on the ride? There's lot of "meat" to the book and it would be an interesting one to discuss in a book club because everyone knows someone who is struggling with the issues of blended families in one way or another.

Two and a Half Men - Jake at an awkward age

However at the same time I found the storyline a bit dragged out and I actively disliked Gwen and eventually her doting mother Julia as well. My favourite character was Julia's former father-in-law, Philip. Sep 05, Melissa Lee-Tammeus rated it it was ok Shelves: When my husband says, "You've been reading that book for awhile now," I know that's not a good sign. Reading this book was a bit like walking through sludge.

The Awkward Age by Francesca Segal review – modern-day family fallout

It was long, laborious, and repeated itself repeatedly. The plot, which can be summed up it a few clipped sentences takes pages to explain. Pretty sure it could have been told in much less. Two people - one divorced, one widowed - meet, fall in love. They both have teenagers - man has a boy, woman has a girl. They blend famili When my husband says, "You've been reading that book for awhile now," I know that's not a good sign. Boy and girl have a relationship. Boy sleeps with someone else. Husband and son move out. No one's in love anymore.

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Wife, a year later sees husband at random event. Good grief - now that I've written it out - it actually is more contrived than I once originally thought. The freak out parts last for eons and the writing is a bit choppy. One sentence may be about one thing then suddenly we just jump to something else entirely - I found myself rereading sentences, sure I missed a transition or two, but nope. So, kudos to Segal for getting this out there, but I'm hoping The Innocents - the book that put her on the map - is better than this. Normally I wouldn't let my hating a character affect how much I like the story itself but this time it really ruined what could have been good chick lit.

Julia is a terrible mother allowing Gwen to be a spoiled brat. The complicated mess that is this blended family would have or could have been much better had Julia not had a voice. I suppose what I can say is that the story telling worked and moved quickly allowing me to have these strong feelings. But it should be considered a c Normally I wouldn't let my hating a character affect how much I like the story itself but this time it really ruined what could have been good chick lit.

But it should be considered a cautionary tale about what happens when your child thinks the world revolves around them. I don't even know if I can recommend this one, I'll have to think about it some more Jun 29, Laura Spira rated it liked it. To be honest I didn't expect to like this book.

The Awkward Age

I didn't like Francesca Segal's previous book, The Innocents, and was surprised that it received awards and plaudits. But reviews of this book tempted me. It proved to be perfect reading for a couple of wakeful hours in the middle of a very hot night. The story deals with Julia, a widowed piano teacher, and James, a divorced American obstetrician, attempting to create a blended family with their teenage children, Gwen, Julia's daughter and Nathan, J To be honest I didn't expect to like this book. The story deals with Julia, a widowed piano teacher, and James, a divorced American obstetrician, attempting to create a blended family with their teenage children, Gwen, Julia's daughter and Nathan, James' son.

Initially resenting each other, the teenagers embark on a doomed love affair. I think that Segal captures teenage emotion very credibly: Gwen's emotional ups and downs have been tolerated by her mother on the basis of their shared grief for the loss of her father and it was inevitable that Julia finding a new partner would affect their relationship.

Segal explores this with sensitivity. The peripheral characters are interesting. Pamela, James' ex-wife is something of a caricature but Philip and Iris, Julia's in-laws, are well drawn although I found it odd that Iris referred to Philip using both his first name and surname. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention awkward age francesca segal blended family well written son nathan daughter gwen years ago blended families main characters teenage daughter julia and james gwen and nathan mother parents teenagers relationship ending child father lives.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. This book is about widowed Julia, her divorced boyfriend James, and how their horrid children ruin their relationship. Julia is a permissive and doting mother to Gwen, her 16 year old daughter. James's 17 year old son Nathan is a prep-school bro. James moves into the house Julia shared with Daniel, her late husband who died about six years ago. Nathan lives there on the weekends when he returns home from boarding school.

Although it is unlikely, Nathan and Gwen begin a love affair. What you imagine will happen, happens. The resolution to the "difficulty" is a bit of a cop out. I love this book because the writer made the characters so real. Although I hated Gwen and thought Julia acted like a dope I still like reading about them. The way the author describes true love is amazing, and the book emphasized the lengths of self sacrifice parents will go to to "protect" their children.

I hated the ending and I didn't expect it. But it was a choice by the author and did not diminish how great the book is. I very much enjoyed this book about a mother and teenage daughter who go through many trials and tribulations when the Mother's boy friend and his teenage son move in with them. The author obviously has had lot of experience with teenagers - both good and bad.

Overall the book is very well written and the plot well advanced, although I found the ending a bit weak for my taste. Also the daughter sees a counselor at one point, but there is no discussion about how she responded to the counselor and no further mention of the counselor after the first meeting. I found this unusual, as the daughter continues to have a great deal of issues and clearly needs outside counseling.

Talk about a modern family. Talk about a modern love story. Francesca Segal has written the novel and perhaps, cautioned any family who has ever thought about the what ifs of a blended family if there were to be double romantic relationships from two generations. Part humor, part seems-like-real life, part sad, and a whole lot of awkward. And a whole lot of walking on egg shells and not telling each other how you really feel.

It seems hard enough to bring parents with kids together into a new marriage let alone introducing teen-aged children. Just imagine if they fall in love. While not the main characters in the book, the grandparents play a vital as well, sort of foreshadowing our troubled teens and their most-in-love parents who are still tip-toeing around each other. And, I quite like the title.

Only, substitute Alice for the grandparents, and her butcher boyfriend. Oh, and there was no internal dating, as far as we know on the show. Very real and full of surprises Very entertaining. It definitely held my interestthroughout. The characters were real people not caricatures surprising plot twists. So refreshing and different. Writing style is infectious and nuanced. Very good summer read.

It started out strong but the storyline were predictable, undeveloped and uninteresting. The book is reasonably well-written but most, if not all, the main characters are unlikable. Author attempts to make Julia appear vulnerable but strong - however I found her to be the primary cause of all the dysfunction. Book also sort of plods along and is too long.