“Family & other Catastrophes” (MIRA) by Alexandra Borowitz
Emily knew her family was flawed, but she had no idea the dysfunction could reach such epic levels until she comes home for her wedding. In her debut novel, Alexandra Borowitz paints a quirky picture of what it means to “honor thy father and mother” in “Family & other Catastrophes.”
Emily, who is neurotic, is engaged to a wonderfully normal man who, fingers crossed, will not ditch her at the altar because her family appears to be socially impaired. Her sister is a boisterous feminist who all but boycotts the traditional view of marriage. Her brother is recently divorced and is on the prowl. And her therapist mother decides that since all of her children are under one roof, she should facilitate a few family therapy sessions.
All Emily wants to do is get married to the man of her dreams, but it seems the universe is out to get her. She has to deal with a medical emergency, inappropriate feminist rants, strip-club hijinks, clashing families, a weird relative and deep-dark secrets that bubble to the surface, thanks to family therapy.
Emily’s goal is to keep her cool and look good doing it. It’s her wedding week and she will not go down without a fight. Bring on the crazy people.
Borowitz’s humor falls into the raw and sometimes crude category in “Families & other Catastrophes.” If something can go wrong, it does go wrong. Readers will definitely feel for Emily as she navigates each and every setback, but for those hoping to see a resolution for all the catastrophes, don’t hold your breath. There are too many strings to tie up to satisfy those who desire closure. Lincee Ray, AP
No Comments