Mrs. Everything

A Novel

By: Jennifer Weiner

Narrated by: Ari Graynor, Beth Malone

Length: 16 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

In this instant New York Times best seller and “multigenerational narrative that’s nothing short of brilliant” (People), two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present are explored as they struggle to find their places - and be true to themselves - in a rapidly evolving world from number one New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Weiner. 

Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise. 

Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life. 

But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after? 

In “her most sprawling and intensely personal novel to date” (Entertainment Weekly), Jennifer Weiner tells a “simply unputdownable” (Good Housekeeping) story of two sisters who, with their different dreams and different paths, offer answers to the question: How should a woman be in the world? 

©2019 Jennifer Weiner (P)2019 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Listeners hear about the lives of two sisters through a whimsical performance by Ari Graynor and Beth Malone.... Malone and Graynor put the listener in a dreamlike trance during the story's long flashbacks. The sisters' reflections are engaging, with clear expression of the emotions they felt during disappointing situations." (AudioFile Magazine)

Absolutely beautiful

This is a big, beautiful book which tells the stories of two sisters growing up during the 60s and 70s, and keeps going as they age and start lives of their own. To say this book is "too depressing" as a previous reviewer said is unfair and untrue. What life which spans 70+ years doesn't have times of sadness and grief?? This book is lovely and beautiful, and I loved it.

Beautiful Story and Beautifully Written

First of all, I’ve read every book that Jennifer Weiner has written. However, I listened to this book on Audible. The story kept me engaged the whole time. I laughed out loud, cried, and I was awestruck at how Ms. Weiner created so many believable characters spanning over many decades. She’s a genius!

Sexual Abuse: The Book

I’m not sure who could stomach this book. One of the main characters just gets sexually abused over and over again. After enduring the first description I finally stopped listening after several chapters later the description of a gang rape began. I can watch CSI & SVU with dinner but this book was pointlessly nauseating.

Difficult

I’ve read many other Jennifer Weiner books and had looked forward to this new one. I was very disappointed. The only character I really liked was Harold Jefferson. Otherwise I really couldn’t relate to Jo and Bethie other than that we are women and mothers. I didn’t like either of them. I didn’t like any of the topics covered in this book and found myself cringing frequently. I can’t think of anyone I would recommend this book to read.

Beautiful story. A must read!

This was an incredible journey. I wouldve paid 3 credits for this book. I felt every emotion. A lot of reviews are complaining that this book is sad but it’s not just sad, it’s life. It’s also happy, comforting, joyful, exciting, and will give you warm fuzzy feelings. The sadness is only a part of the whole picture. But it’s REAL. There is no sugarcoating. It speaks the truth! Thank you Jennifer for writing such an amazing story about two wonderful women whom I feel I know as well as my own sister.

returned depressing

Very sad story extremely depressing I needed to return the book. I need to read something that is uplifting and happy

Just too much...

In a professional review I read that this is Weiner’s best book. It takes her from chick-lit (hateful term) to real lit.

Sadly, I can’t agree. It is overly long, in parts overly detailed and frequently quite preachy. And the sex is embarrassingly explicit.

My major complaint, however, is that one of the two sisters, the principal characters, (spoilers coming) spends two-thirds of the book being entirely self-centered, making idiotic decisions, taking and selling illegal drugs, sleeping around and stealing, yet she is rewarded big-time by the book’s end.

I find that unappealing. Yet, I listened to the entire book because the writing was fluid and interesting. As for the performances, they were fine, the only problem being the actresses sounded very much alike.

All considered, it was just too long, too much, too overwrought.

Pretty awful!

After the first chapter I stopped listening to this book and thought I would just send it back. I am such a hopeful person I went back to it thinking it must get better! But it didn’t and now that it’s over I’m so happy that it is over. The narrator was very good but the story was awful. The characters were not believable and certainly not likable.

✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫

I really enjoyed this book. This book follows two very different sisters while they try to find their way in life and figure out who they are. This book touches on a lot of sensitive subjects for the time like lesbians, rape, drugs, abortions, biracial relationships, and more. It was enthralling and I couldn't wait to see what these girls were going to do and I honestly loved that it wasn't predictable for me at all.

The narration was very good. I was glad each sister had her own voice since this is written in both POV's.

Not for me

Unlikable characters with illogical plot events. I don't understand how so many people can love it. i kept hoping for it to end.

Enjoyable story & narration, some annoying details

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, found the story compelling and thought the performances by the two narrators definitely added to the experience of it. As large parts of the book are set in Detroit and Ann Arbor, two towns I am intimately familiar with, I have some real problems with some of the details and the names used that I'm sure wouldn't matter in the slightest to anyone who had never set foot there. To cite one particularly galling example, current and former Wolverines will bristle at their alma mater being called "The U of M", even though everyone else will probably wonder what difference an extra article could possibly make.

These annoyances will likely detract somewhat from the experience for locals, but overall I found the book to be very enjoyable and take my hat off to the two narrators.

Marvellously poignant

This story is so full of real life and it’s sadness and joys. So tragic and yet so beautiful. I loved it.