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The Art of Adapting: A Novel
Author:
Dunn, Cassandra
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Class:
Fiction
Age: Adult
Language: English
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LC: PS3604.U
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ISBN-13: 9781476761602
LCCN: 2013039950
Imprint: Touchstone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
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Pub Date: 07/29/2014
Availability: Out of Stock Indefinitely
List: $25.00
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Hardcover
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Physical Description:
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354 pages ; 24 cm
H 9",
W 6",
D 1.3",
1.17 lbs.
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LC Series:
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Brodart Sources:
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Brodart's Insight Catalog: Adult
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Bibliographies:
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Awards:
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Starred Reviews:
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TIPS Subjects:
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Domestic Fiction
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BISAC Subjects: |
FICTION / Family Life / General
FICTION / Women
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LC Subjects:
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Brothers and sisters, Fiction
Domestic fiction
Family life, Fiction
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Reading Programs: |
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| Annotations |
| Publisher Annotations | 03/27/2014 |
| In this warm and winning first novel, a recently divorced woman rises to the challenge and experiences the exhilaration of independence with the unlikely help of her brother with Asperger's, who she takes in to help pay the rent. Seven months after her husband leaves her, Lana is still reeling. Being single means she is in charge of every part of her life, and for the first time in nineteen years, she can do things the way she always wanted to do them. But that also leaves her with all the responsibility. With two teenage children-Byron and Abby, who are each dealing with their own struggles-in a house she can barely afford on her solo salary, her new life is a balancing act made even more complicated when her brother Matt moves in. Matt has Asperger's syndrome, which makes social situations difficult for him and flexibility and change nearly impossible. He only eats certain foods in a certain order and fixates on minor details. When Lana took him in, he was self-medicating with drugs and alcohol to numb his active mind enough to sleep at night. Adding Matt's regimented routine to her already disrupted household seems like the last thing Lana needs, but her brother's unique attention to detail makes him an invaluable addition to the family: he sees things differently. Complex, smart, and genuinely moving, 'The Art of Adapting' is a feel-good story that celebrates the small moments and small changes that make one big life. |
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| Journal Reviews |
| Kirkus Reviews | 05/15/2014 |
| Dunn's debut novel treats readers to a family in transition--in other words, a taste of real life, plain and simple.Lana, recently separated from her husband, struggles to adapt to life after being under his controlling thumb for nearly two decades. Being in charge of herself, her two teens--Byron and Abby--and her younger brother, Matt, who has Asperger's syndrome, forces Lana to reassess her approach to life by forgiving the past and trusting again to find new happiness. The character-driven story knits together the varied ways each family member suffers and shows their attempts, often dysfunctional, to alleviate the pain. Dunn gives each of the four main characters a voice in alternating chapters, an approach that allows a touch of insight into all but deprives readers of the full force of any one personality and also gives a "young adult" feel to the story--three of the four characters are young. Adult readers may wish for more of Lana and a deeper exploration of her problems. Nevertheless, each character is appealing and will hold readers' interest. Dunn explores dating after divorce, Asperger's syndrome, anorexia, teen bullying and more, but again, by crowding so many issues into one novel, she dissipates the effect of each, somewhat simplifying the sufferers' struggles. Problems resolve quickly and loose ends are neatly tied--perhaps a nod to Dunn's short story background--but readers will gain a greater awareness of the complexity of such problems and the many struggles a broken marriage creates for families.A neatly wrapped, happily-ever-after tale of a broken family that survives and thrives. 368pg. KIRKUS MEDIA LLC, c2014. |
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| Library Journal | 07/11/2014 |
| After her husband moves out, Lana is forced to confront the demise of her marriage and its personal and financial effects as she struggles to care for her 14-year-old daughter, Abby; 16-year-old son, Byron; and now her adult brother, Matt, who has high-functioning Asperger's. Narrated by each character in alternating chapters, the book reveals their personal struggles. Matt has just been released from the hospital after overmedicating himself to the point that his roommate couldn't wake him up. Abby, who tries for perfection, is a straight A student who has received her first "C" and stops eating. Byron, who is artistically talented, is told by his father that his passion is impractical. Lana, distracted by her own changing circumstances, doesn't notice that the brother she claims is "incapable of adapting" is able to find a way to help Abby and Byron. Verdict The abundance of issues confronting these individuals at times feels excessive. While the ending borders on saccharine, debut author Dunn still manages to compel with her sympathetic characters.-Susan Santa, Syosset P.L., NY. 368p. LJ Xpress Online Review. LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2014. |
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| Publishers Weekly | 07/21/2014 |
| Dunn's debut novel is a lively, engaging, and heartfelt tale of learning how to cope with change. Lana is separated from her husband, and trying to raise two teenagers. Her son Byron navigates between the jocks and the rebels, nursing a crush for his best friend's college-age sister, and getting interested in the sport of parkour. Her daughter Abby is descending into an eating disorder, while trying to keep up her high grades and her status as an honor student. The household is further complicated when Lana's brother Matt moves in--a challenge, since he has Asperger's syndrome, and has a unique way of ordering the world. Told from the alternating points of view of Lana, Matt, Byron, and Abby, Dunn is able to fully draw the reader into each individual character's skin. Through the four characters' conflicts, Dunn draws the reader's sympathy: Matt, in particular, is a memorable narrator. This is a thoughtful and touching novel, and will leave readers eager for the author's next work. (July). 368p. Web-Exclusive Review. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2014. |
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