Sometimes the reviews just don’t get it right. Ephron’s Siracusa was hyped and well reviewed and was on everyone’s “Best Book” list.

A New York Times Bestseller
One of People Magazine’s Top 10 Books of 2016
Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 (Fiction)
A Washington Post Bestseller • A Los Angeles Times Bestseller • A USA TodayBestseller • One of Vulture’s 100 Greatest Beach Books Ever • A People MagazineSummer Reading Pick • One of Elle, InStyle, and Marie Claire’s Best of July

With these kinds of endorsements I should have loved this book, but I really didn’t.  All the way through I hoped I would, but after every chapter I was disappointed.

Told from alternating view points this is a story of two couples and a child who go on vacation together to Siracusa, Italy. Michael is a a famous writer, who has stagnated and can’t seem to get past some major writer’s block. Lizzie, his long suffering wife is a journalist who knows she may not have a job soon and is worried about her own career stagnating. Finn is a resturantuer, who although knowledgeable about food and wine, revels in his “bad boy” image and is seemingly oblivious to civilized rules of behavior. Taylor, his wife has given up having a career to stay home with their daughter, Snow, who is painfully shy. But during their vacation together many secrets and lies are exposed that strain the marriages of each couple and their friendship as well.

Much was promised in this book, but nothing was delivered. It was not sexy, it was not very suspenseful, and none of the characters were interesting or in any way sympathetic.  As the consequences of their bad decisions, secrets and lies began to pile up, the only reaction I had was that this was their comeuppance for their own stupidity. Not quite the response Ephron was looking for I am sure. The adult characters were stuck in their own stereotyped silos. Michael is the egocentric, philandering male. Lizzie is the neurotic ditz who enables her husband’s egocentric ways to her own detriment. Finn is the amoral, fun loving, Peter Pan who continually resists growing up and Taylor is the control freak mother who lives only for and through her child.  Additionally, by the end of the book I was convinced that daughter, Snow, had all the hallmarks of being a predatory sociopath at the tender age of 10! There was nothing redeeming about these characters, nor was there any growth, change or development-they remained in their silos through out the book. In the end this was an exploration of unconscious, and immature people doing stupid and impulsive things that had horrible consequences for which they were unable to take responsibility. There is enough of this kind of behavior going on in the real world without having to read about it in a novel!

Brenda’s Rating:  (0 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to? No One.

Book Study Worthy? No

Read in ebook format.