Little Monsters

By: Adrienne Brodeur

Narrated by: Jason Culp, Matt Pittenger, Cassandra Campbell, Joy Osmanski, Allyson Ryan, Sura Siu

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

“A juicy story…Simmers with tension as secrets explode out into the open.”—The Washington Post * “So alluring…I raced happily through the pages.”—The New York Times Book Review * “An absolutely captivating read.”—Elin Hilderbrand * “Gorgeously told…The work of a seasoned and wonderfully wise storyteller.”—Paula McLain

From the author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game comes a riveting novel about Cape Cod, complicated families, and long-buried secrets—for fans of the New York Times bestsellers The Paper Palace and Ask Again, Yes.

Ken and Abby Gardner lost their mother when they were small and they have been haunted by her absence ever since. Their father, Adam, a brilliant oceanographer, raised them mostly on his own in his remote home on Cape Cod, where the attachment between Ken and Abby deepened into something complicated—and as adults their relationship is strained. Now, years later, the siblings’ lives are still deeply entwined. Ken is a successful businessman with political ambitions and a picture-perfect family and Abby is a talented visual artist who depends on her brother’s goodwill, in part because he owns the studio where she lives and works.

As the novel opens, Adam is approaching his seventieth birthday, staring down his mortality and fading relevance. He has always managed his bipolar disorder with medication, but he’s determined to make one last scientific breakthrough and so he has secretly stopped taking his pills, which he knows will infuriate his children. Meanwhile, Abby and Ken are both harboring secrets of their own, and there is a new person on the periphery of the family—Steph, who doesn’t make her connection known. As Adam grows more attuned to the frequencies of the deep sea and less so to the people around him, Ken and Abby each plan the elaborate gifts they will present to their father on his birthday, jostling for primacy in this small family unit.

Set in the fraught summer of 2016, and drawing on the biblical tale of Cain and Abel, Little Monsters is an absorbing, sharply observed family story by a writer who knows Cape Cod inside and out—its Edenic lushness and its snakes.

©2023 Adrienne Brodeur (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Tedious, good context poor story

The basic premise of the book being around a marine biologist drew me in but the details were inaccurate - humpback whales don’t use echolocation, and the milk is not pink !!! The plot around the biologist and his work was very flimsy. The family dynamic was a little more believable but the ending was really contrived … can’t honestly recommend this book

Wasted credit

The narrators sounded robotic. There was no plot, or growth. Basically the story ended up where it started, with no purpose. Ken is the worst, so is Adam. We know the secrets the entire book so the reveal is pointless. Except Ken, of course he gets a pass and it cuts off as he’s about to expose himself then him and Adam just never come back into the story?? Such a waste and nearly everyone sucks here.

It was good ,could have been great !

This story was really interesting and emotional and touched on true family issues and secrets .The characters were very compelling and complicated but the author missed a few really poignant and powerful moments that would have made this book a 5star read in my humble opinion.I don’t want to say too much but some of the characters needed desperately to have a painful moment and conversation with each other and the other decided to skim over the meat of the book.It was unfortunate and hurt the read for me .The author took so much time ,effort and research explaining Oceanography,painting techniques,the descriptions of the Cape ,food served at parties yet she missed so many opportunities for clarity between all the characters.It was very disappointing because she had a gold star book but then it turned silver due to lack of “ those really heart to heart moments “and conversations,admittances and ownership between these characters.The ending was very unemotional and it should have been so very emotional.So much for the reader to know in the beginning and middle and to not know in the end .The author needed to understand the reader wanted more character interaction and less about the shells etc…. Do both then I say ,tell us all about the whales ,ponds,sand,and ocean floor but then give us real details and depth about the characters.

Interesting story

Great character development,told very
we’ll and performed by a good
reader. An enjoyable story that
was unique but believable.

Nobody's Perfect

A brother and sister bond, what broke it and their unstable father all come together in this interesting story with realistic characteristics.

Save yourself and forget this book exists.

Boring. I could never get into whatever this book is about. What was the inheritable syndrome???

Tedious and condescending.

Another dreary tale about a disfunctional family that leaves the reader in a bad mood when it’s over. The characters are mostly annoying and the author’s thinly veiled political views surfaced frequently. Save yourself from this drivel.

Great family drama

Knowable characters, mystery involved enfolded in the mystery of what makes us family in this century on the backdrop of women thinking we are on the cusp of something great for womankind. There's a lot more there in the subtle folds and shadows and themes of this story than the story itself. Great writing and introduction of an imagination like Ann Patchett and even Pat Conroy in her ability to articulate "family" and make it him like whale song.

Bravo!

After reading the print version of Little Monsters, Adrienne Brodeur’s brilliant and engaging work of fiction, I knew I had to hear the “Audible” version. As luck would have it, the audio version does not disappoint. The dialogue is engaging and smart, such that listening to this book is like having a much-needed conversation with dear friends. Thank you for writing this book, Adrienne Brodeur. Bravo!

Not good slow

Boring nothing exciting at all. Expected a lot more. Ending vague not clear what truly happened after the whole dull story!