This novel by a bestselling Australian mommy-lit author is, in my opinion, her best. It’s a long, gossipy yarn about dysfunctional families that still manage to figure everything out. Everybody meets their soulmate or realizes they are already married to one. The barren get pregnant and the perennially single fall in love. Complicated conflicts are resolved and love conquers all. Everything scary turns out to be not scary at all. Murders turn out to be funny mishaps. Lifelong enemies kiss and make up.
The novel is getting bad reviews because the characters are “not likeable.” This is actually a good sign because “likeable” characters are one-dimensional stick figures with no depth. Would you make a likeable character? I definitely wouldn’t.
Apples Never Fall has one big flaw. The last 30 pages are completely unnecessary and filled with utter covidiocy. Does anybody need another Australian lady lecturing us about COVID? Definitely not. I prefer authors who pretend COVID never happened. The only reason to read novels like these is for escapist reasons. I’m not trying to glean profound existential insights here. I just want to have a relaxing couple of hours. There’s enough COVID talk everywhere else. Why do I need more of it in my funtime reading matter?
Other than that, a hugely enjoyable read. If anybody knows another author like Liane Moriarty, please let me know. I love this kind of stuff.
Clarissa's Blog 
I really like Lianne Moriarty. I read all her books. My favorite was “What Alice forgot”. I’m something like #50 in line for the e-book at my library for “Apples never fall”.
Jojo Moyes writes in a similar “coffee with a good girlfriend” tone. “One plus one” is a really fun read of her.
LikeLike
What Alice Forgot was my favorite by Moriarty. And now it’s my second favorite. . .
Will check out Jojo Moyes, thank you!
LikeLike
You might like Kate Morton.
LikeLike
Agreed about Kate Morton. The only one I’ve read of hers is Life After Life but it’s delicious.
LikeLike
Have you heard of this book?
Economics & Finance
Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism
Anne Case and Angus Deaton
From economist Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton, a groundbreaking account of how the flaws in capitalism are fatal for America’s working class
https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691190785/deaths-of-despair-and-the-future-of-capitalism
LikeLike