A masterfully layered family drama with deeply complex characters.  

 

Much like the beautiful roses on the front cover, the Oppenheimer family is both alluring and thorny.  With the family bedrock being a combination of privilege and tragedy, you’ll find the parents and triplets equal parts mystifying and unlikeable.  Yet even the thorniest of roses produce beauty, and when the bonus child… the latecomer… enters the picture, so does a modicum of hope.  

 

Dense in detail, the first half of the book was an investment.  While the prose was intricate and beautiful, I found myself longing for brevity. 

 

But the slow build of these meticulously crafted characters paid off in the second half.  Suddenly, the ambitious character study unfolded into drama and cultural commentary that kept me turning page after page, speeding towards the end.   Patience in the first half was highly rewarded in the second half.  The Latecomer section was my favorite, and I would’ve loved even more from Phoebe.  

 

Korelitz use of art as a vehicle to understand the family, both past and present, was incredibly unique and created an emotional connection to these highly unlikeable characters in a manner that couldn’t have been executed otherwise.  

 

Cultural commentary on wealth, religion, education, and birth order was also expertly woven into the storyline in a distinct and compelling manner.  Korelitz’ magnifying glass look into this flawed family conspicuously symbolizes flaws within society as a whole.  

 

Completely differing from Korelitz prior mystery/thriller works, The Latecomer is a slow build family drama worth your time. 

 

Thank you to @celadonbooks for this #gifted copy.