Multiple stories being told, but only a few are interesting.

Just another typical family book where they get together for a special birthday for the father Joe, together on the coast of Maine at Jake and Liz's house. The families three women (2 sisters-in-laws and one sister) are pregnant at the same time.

Jake (who is married to Liz) and Daniel (who is married to Brenda) each had their quirks and different personalities and Hilary the daughter was definitely different and didn't know who the father was.

I wasn't a big fan of this family especially Ellen and Joe, the parents and she was annoying to me. You can tell she was annoyed with him a lot especially when he brought his turtle Babe to the celebration.

The ending was not “tight” enough for me but everything can't always be black or white in an ending I guess.

This book did not have one happy thing in it. It seemed that noone really "liked" each other, both siblings and parents alike.

poor ending...

I got through over half of this book and NOTHING was happening at all. I read as far as I could before I was so bored with it, that I just gave up. I have only given up in the middle of a book a couple of times, but I just could not finish this one.

Didn't like it. Got to page 60 before DNFing it. Character's felt completely empty and their existence was pointless and they involved in pointless breeding - like reading about a bunch of soulless NPCs, each page frustrating to read, suffocating with irritation and banality.

A collection of over-privileged, whiny, amazingly self-absorbed family members travel to Maine for a weekend to celebrate the father's birthday. Halfway through, and I'm ready to give up the ghost on this one. I ask myself, "Why should I care what happens to these characters?" They are completely disconnected emotionally from themselves and each other, which may be true to life, but is unpleasant and unremarkable to read about.

Una rappresentazione realistica e attenta, intima e veritiera, di un week end tra familiari, in una piccola isola al largo del Maine. L’occasione per riunirsi è il settantacinquesimo compleanno del capo famiglia, Joe. Un omone americano silenzioso e affettuoso a modo suo, che si porta sempre dietro la sua cara amica tartaruga da terra. Poi abbiamo Ellen, sua moglie, affettuosa con i figli, soprattutto con i maschi, ma portatrice di un piccolo segreto di cuore. E poi ci sono Daniel e Brenda, coppia sfortunata, Jack e Liz, ricchi e in attesa di due gemelli, e Hilary, la sorella minore, incinta anche lei, non si sa di chi. Tra segreti e risentimenti, piccole acidità e forti dolori, perdite e speranze, il libro dipinge il quadro di una famiglia come ce ne sono tante, con le loro meschinità, le sofferenze e le piccole gioie del vivere.

Left me flat at the end.

Such a sad group of family members. Book had no point and do not understand the title. It's just one birthday not several

A family of seven, including spouses - two generations go to Great Salt Island in Maine to celebrate Dad's 75th. Lives are changed.

A sweet story, & I think they will all be OK eventually.

I loved this book. I kinda felt like I was reading about my own family. Great character development and the story was fantastic.