Same as It Ever Was

A Novel

De: Claire Lombardo

Narrado por: Emily Rankin

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED A BEST BOOK BY PEOPLE AND PARADE • The New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had (“wonderfully immersive…deliciously absorbing”—NPR) returns with another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers."—The New York Times • "Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric." —The Washington Post • “Witty and insightful...a powerful exploration of marriage, motherhood, and self.”–Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

Same As It Ever Was showcases the consummate style, signature wit, and profound emotional intelligence that made The Most Fun We Ever Had one of the most beloved novels of the past decade. Featuring a memorably messy family and the multifaceted marriage at its heart, Lombardo’s debut was dubbed “the literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler” (The Guardian) and hailed as “ambitious and brilliantly written” (Washington Post). In this remarkable follow-up—another elegant and tumultuous story in the tradition of Elizabeth Strout, Ann Patchett, and Celeste Ng—Lombardo introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, this time by way of her singularly complicated protagonist.

Julia Ames, after a youth marked by upheaval and emotional turbulence, has found herself on the placid plateau of mid-life. But Julia has never navigated the world with the equanimity of her current privileged class. Having nearly derailed herself several times, making desperate bids for the kind of connection that always felt inaccessible to her, she finally feels, at age fifty seven, that she has a firm handle on things.

She’s unprepared, though, for what comes next: a surprise announcement from her straight-arrow son, an impending separation from her spikey teenaged daughter, and a seductive resurgence of the past, all of which threaten to draw her back into the patterns that had previously kept her on a razor’s edge.

Same As It Ever Was traverses the rocky terrain of real life—exploring new avenues of maternal ambivalence, intergenerational friendship, and the happenstantial cause-and-effect that governs us all. Delving even deeper into the nature of relationships—how they grow, change, and sometimes end—Lombardo proves herself a true and definitive cartographer of the human heart and asserts herself among the finest novelists of her generation.

©2024 Claire Lombardo (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

NAMED A BEST FICTION OF 2024 PICK BY PEOPLE

“Pitch-perfect. . . Lombardo is compulsively readable and consistently funny, and it’s impossible to look away as Julia continues to self-sabotage. This domestic drama hits all the right notes.”
–Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers. . . Poignant, punctilious. . . [Lombardo] refashions domestic drama into something rich and strange, with echoes of Lorrie Moore’s sardonic humor and Jonathan Franzen’s dissection of class. . . In less skillful hands, Same as It Ever Was would lose control over its transitions and veer toward soap opera; yet like Franzen’s Marion Hildebrandt, or Faye, the narrator of Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy, Lombardo gives us a woman whose inner life is knotted and revelatory. . . Same as It Ever Was is a brave, nuanced book, lulling us with its rhythms but taking risks when we glance away.”
–Hamilton Cain, The New York Times

“Lombardo’s witty, sympathetic take on motherhood exudes the sharp scent of fermented apple juice and a full diaper… Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric. She understands the chemistry of that special epoxy of irritation and affection that keeps a marriage glued together. One finishes Same As It Ever Was with the satisfaction of knowing this complicated woman well — and the poignant disappointment of having to say goodbye.”
–Ron Charles, The Washington Post

Incredibly detailed characters

Can’t remember ever reading such exquisitely portrayed characters. Just beautifully written and brilliant expose of life in the modern US. What a treat.

Beautiful

Beautiful complex characters. Very realistic story about families and life and regret. This is not an action packed book but it’s deep and gives you all the feels. I think mothers of teenagers will have a unique appreciation for it.

So good!

This author captures true, complex human emotions, the journey of life, and its relationships so beautifully.

Really Great

I really enjoyed this book. Felt sorry for Julia, then at the end, she and her mom came together and reconnected. Such a great feeling.

Excellent writing but tedious story

Characters were boring and the main character whiny and unlikeable , which is fine if also interesting but this one is not. It went on and on. I would have stopped listening but I always finish my books! Nice narrator though!

Long winded

3/4 or less of the way in it got a little boring and lost my attention. It seemed to drag on unnecessarily long.

Really liked this book!

Well written and great story. At times it was sad, joyous, exciting & honestly a little long winded on occasion. Yet, it captured my attention. I loved how I got lost in the characters and enjoyed the stories of their lives. I could relate to a troubled upbringing as a young person w my own parents.

Great story

Good character development- I loved her first book - this book was similar in richness but a bit more depressing I wish there had been more levity. But I still enjoyed it.

Real life depicted so well

Written beautifully about real life, marriage, the complexities of love. She captured the dynamics between mother and daughter so well and how confusing narcissistic behavior can be!

Characters and humanity

I enjoyed this book, the characters, and the authenticity of it all, now one of my favorite authors.