Holds are growing on the novel that is being called the smart beach read of the summer, The Vacationers by Emma Straub, (Penguin/Riverhead).

The NYT Book Review gives it a succinct rave in its “Short Takes” section, “Straub may be an heir to Laurie Colwin, crafting characters that are smart, addictively charming, delightfully misanthropic and fun,” ending with the ultimate praise, “When I turned the last page, I felt as I often do when a vacation is over: grateful for the trip and mourning its end.”

In a lead review, People magazine gave it its highest rating, 4 of 4 stars and called it a “delicious, deceptively traditional domestic drama … offers all the delights of a fluffy, read-it-with-sunglasses-on-the-beach read, made substantial by the exceptional wit, insight, intelligence and talents of its author.”

Not everyone is completely in love. Several reviewers, like the daily NYT‘s Janet Maslin, feel the book’s ending is too pat, but admit, like the U.K.’s Independent,  that, “The Vacationers is a holiday read in every way with a gently witty narrative that slips down as easily as a beachside cocktail.”

Most libraries ordered it modestly and are showing holds as high as 25 to 1.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014 at 9:13 am and is filed under 2014 -- Summer, Fiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.