There's a Word for That Lib/E

by Sloane Tanen, Thérèse Plummer (Reading)

A hilarious and moving chronicle of a wildly flawed family that comes together--in rehab, of all places--even as each member is on the verge of falling apart Meet Marty Kessler, a retired LA film producer whose self-worth has been eroded by age and a late-in-life passion for opioids; his daughter Janine, former child star suffering the after-effects of a life in the public eye; and granddaughter Hailey, the less-than twin sister, whose inferiority complex takes a most unexpected turn. Nearly six thousand miles away, in London, celebrated author Bunny Small, Marty's long-forgotten first wife, has her own a preposterous case of writer's block, a monstrous drinking habit, and a son who has fled halfway around the world to escape her. When Marty's pill-popping gets out of hand and Bunny's boozing reaches crisis proportions, a perfect storm of dysfunction brings them all together at Directions, Malibu's most exclusive and absurd rehab center.But for all their failings, the members of this estranged--and strange--family love each other. Rich with warmth, humor, and deep insight, There's a Word for That is a comic ode to surviving the people closest to us, navigating the perils of success, and taking one last look in the rearview mirror before mapping out the road ahead.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor, Audiobook, Family, Adult, Adult Fiction

Audio CD

First published April 2, 2019

About the author

Author of nine books including Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same--being re-released by Bloomsbury January, 2019. New novel There's A Word For That, coming from Little, Brown on April, 2019

Instagram: sloane.tanen

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read: if you like reading Emma Straub, you will probably like this novel. If you don’t like Emma Straub, try this novel anyway. It’s fun!

Long form: I really liked this novel. It’s what I label lit lite; the writing style is clearly literary fiction, but the tone/plot/subject matter is light enough to enjoy by a pool in between swims. It’s a fine line that is very enjoyable when it works. Think Where’d You Go, Bernadette? or The Vacationers. It works here.

There’s a Word for That is the story of two famous septuagenarians that reconnect at a Buddha laden rehab facility and the trials and tribulations of their families. The book has multiple POV, but it can be argued that the main protagonist is Janine, the daughter of of famous film producer and heroin addict Marty. Janine’s arc is the strongest in the novel, allowing the reader to understand her journey from beginning to end. While the other POV are certainly explored, a frustrating amount of their character growth either occurs off page or is brushed aside. Henry, the son of the JK Rowling-ish Bunny Small, talks to his mother about their relationship in therapy sessions that mostly happen in between chapters. Hailey, Marty’s granddaughter and Janine’s niece, has some extreme emotional issues that are suggested to be abruptly resolved, and it’s hard to tell if the dismissive tone is coming from a character still in the process of dealing with issues or from a downplaying author.

These may sound like major quibbles, but none of them detract from enjoying the book. (My major quibble is that Gail doesn’t end the story sting by a thousand bees.) The tone is easy going, the humor is dry and sarcastic, the characters are deceptively relatable, and every now and then I found myself thinking, “Huh, that’s a really good line.” I also really enjoyed the framing of the book around German words for very specific, but common situations. I had no idea “zugzwang” was a word, but now I can’t imagine my life without it.

The characters in There’s a Word for That deal with issues few can relate to, like being a former child star or being the inspiration for a bestselling series, and yet those issues are really superficial manifestations of universal conflicts: sibling rivalry, parental love, family dynamics and boundaries, and finding self worth. The fact that these serious issues can be dealt with a tone that’s both light and poignant is very impressive.

This is Sloane Tanen’s first adult novel. I’ll be keeping an eye out for her next one.

[Jonathan K (Max Outlier) · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it's got redeemable qualities, it lacks depth and theme though I suspect the author felt otherwise. I grew weary of the redundant story line that's focused on a deeply dysfunctional family composed of flat, clueless characters. And while humorous in an ordinary way. I can't say it's funny. Not sure what the author had in mind, but for me, the word for this book is Dull!

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sloan Tanen has written a quick and bitingly-funny tale of the unraveling of two burned-out celebrity families. Directions (based on the now-closed controversial Malibu clinic Promises) is the place where these people will reunite, confront their pasts, battle their addictions, and embrace forgiveness and love. Two families will become one seething with multigenerational craziness.

An impressive late-summer read. I enjoyed it.

4 stars

[Gretchen Rubin]

A gripping, hilarious novel about dysfunctional family dynamics set amid Hollywood and London fabulousness. I love a family story.

[Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another compulsive read. Family dysfunction, humor. Great characters. Can't ask for much more. Marty is a 75 year old former movie producer and he's on his umpteenth girlfriend/wife. His money is disappearing at an alarming rate and because he's a sucker what's left of it will be passed to his girlfriend rather than his two daughters. He also might have a small drug problem that lands him in rehab, yet again.
We have his daughter Janine who is a former child actress who is hiding out in her Manhattan apartment trying not to be recognized because she's sort of gone downhill. And there's his other daughter Amanda who is the "prettier" daughter but who didn't get to be an actress because she's not great so she went on to direct high school plays. She has twin girls who are interesting themselves and an ex husband who is moving in with a man named Gilbert.
We also have a character named Bunny Small who lives in London (the bulk of the story takes place in LA) and she's a 70 year old mega hit teen book writer. She also happens to be Marty's first wife that no one knows about until she also- due to her gin problem- ends up at the same rehab as Marty.
It also gets a little complicated when Janine. meets Bunny's son (from another man) Henry and they have a one night stand before worrying that she might have had sex with her half brother.

It's great. Truly. A quick fun read about family and clashing personalities and teenage angst and denial and friendship and classic tropes that seemed to work so well here.

Also, the title: There's a word for that - comes from Janine's ex boyfriend who has since gotten married but they are still friends and he's German and sometimes Janine can't explain a feeling and he says the word in German and defines it which seems to describe what she's feeling. There are 5 parts to the book and each section starts with a different hard to describe feeling.
Part 1- Verschlimmbessern- To make matters worse in the process of trying to improve them.
Part 2- Zugzwang- The obligation to make a critical move when one would prefer to do nothing at all (basically MY LIFE)
Part 3 - Schnapsidee- A plans to stupid it must have come from a drunken mind; literally "a schnapps idea"
Part 4- Torschlusspanik- The fear that time is running out in life; literally "gate shutting panic" (also me)
Part 5- Sehnsucht- a wistful longing or nostalgia for something indefinable. ditto

The author has written several kids books. This is her first adult book. I hope she's writing more!
She's also married to the writer Gary Taubes. (he's also a writer and LOW-carb diet advocate)--- imagine being married to that? poor woman.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The relationships between all the characters, the plot, the insanely good weaving of all the components and families and relationships together. It was just a treat to read. Shows real connections between people, both good and bad, and how redemption can happen at any time.

[Glenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly humorous novel about two highly dysfunctional families and the trials and tribulations of each during a chance coupling at a posh rehab facility in Malibu.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, funny read about a dysfunctional family and what happens during a rehab session and the serendipity of life.

[Goldie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the likeness of a modern day Jane Austen novel, Sloane Tanen captures the sheltered world of a circle of elite Hollywood socialites, blinded to the outside world in the pursuit of material gain. A compassionate novel with a philosophical undercurrent that critiques the affects of fame and capital success. A wonderful insight into a microsim that the world iconiclizes, perhaps too naively.

[K.J. Dell'Antonia]

My favorite book of 2019 so far! This ticks all the boxes for me. Hollywood behind the scenes! Rehab behind the scenes! Families with lots of baggage forced to cope with each other! And—best of all, and I didn’t even know I wanted this—what if JK Rowling was actually an awful, awful person and mother and was roaming drunk around London and Los Angeles? Tasty, I tell you. Loved this one.

[Mskarla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only give 5 stars to books that I think are amazing in some way, so 4 stars mean I really liked something. Entertaining, warm, and very funny, this was an easy and enjoyable read. Take it to the beach and you’ll have a sunburn before you’re ready to put it down.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. A light, fun read that is deceptively well written.

[Ric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and sardonic take on overprivileged Hollywood types and the damage inflicted on their messed up offspring. And THEIR offspring. Perfect beach read, and that is meant as a compliment.

[Sophie Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly flawed characters that you shouldn't get attached to and yet you really really do (or, at least, I did)! And it all ends up being very lovely and heartwarming. :)

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully-written tale of damaged but lovable characters. All is not what it seems!

[Samantha Bilan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. I liked the characters; they were all narcissist in their own way which worked for the dysfunctional family dramedy.

[Claire Zechiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably should not have stayed up so late the day before my Mandarin final to finish, but I did. Because I couldn't put this book down. There was something about this book that made me hold on to every word. Maybe it was because the characters and their disasters of lives made me feel better about where I'm at right now. Maybe it was the tragically funny humor. Maybe it was the way that the twisted mindset of the characters intrigued me. There's a Word for That is sad and hopeful, troubling and uplifting. The narrative switches between characters, showing readers glimpses into their sometimes awful sometimes wonderful lives. It was a very cathartic and engaging read, something I find to be incredibly uncommon.

[Alicen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of flawed but incredibly real-feeling characters, I really enjoyed this romp through from dysfunction to a certain version of happiness.

[Laura Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got caught up in the characters and therefore really enjoyed this. Probably a more realistic view of the children of Hollywood types than most stories. I listened to it on audio and at times thought I must have skipped a chapter because a few things were talked about that I didn't realize had happened. As the story went on, more explanations were given, so it was just the author's way of telling the story. (Sorry, just trying not to give away any spoilers!)

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

forgettable. I read this book 3 weeks ago and had to look at the summary and a couple reviews before I could remember ANY of it.

It wasn't terrible, but is it even worth reading a book that obviously didn't make me think at all?

Poor rich kids who have been handed everything and earned nothing, counting on an inheritance that's already been squandered away. Unbelievable ending, and this is probably a spoiler, but thank God everything works out for these people who did nothing to earn a happy ending.

[Kerry Anne King · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a Word for That is so many different things-- funny, insightful, thought provoking, creative, heart warming--but at its wonderful heart it is a story of family and the bonds that hold us together. Beneath the laugh out loud humor, the story runs deep into the places where we are all a little broken and damaged by our families. The lovable but oh-so-flawed characters take us on a journey of discovery that we can all relate to. I loved it and was sad when it ended. Highly recommended.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. )

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 100 pages of this book made me think of a bad traffic accident: you felt guilty for staring but, you couldn't look away. There were a lot of sad, broken people that you weren't quite sure you liked at all. And then Bunny & Marty were thrown into the mix and the whole tone changed. The fun had been put back in dysfunctional (a well worn phrase, I know, but so appropriate here.)
I really enjoyed this book. I kept putting it down as I really didn't want to get to the end. I recommend it, especially if there is some dysFUNtion in your background.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Some funny moments and a dysfunctional family with lots of drama and issues. A fast, easy read.

[Danielle - BookishRhetor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us have heard or used phrases like “Money doesn’t fix everything” or “Money doesn’t make you happy.” Well, Sloane Tanen’s There’s a Word for That delves into the topic of money, celebrity, familial relationships, and drug abuse.

Once I started reading There’s a Word for That, I couldn’t put it down. I was compelled to find out what happened next and addicted to the on page drama. In a sense, There’s a Word for That is reminiscent of a season of The Real Housewives. Readers get several POVs, plenty of drama and secrets, personal and public opinion, and everything revolves around money. But, in the end, the characters find that what initially tore them apart is what brings them back together.

While I couldn’t relate to any of the characters, it didn’t stop me from falling in love with them. Tanen plays on the stereotypical solipsistic nature that comes with being a celebrity parent while also capturing the abandonment, need to please, or dependency felt by celebrity children. Marty Kessler and Bunny Smalls believe their money can fix everything, but Marty has squandered his fortune, is dating a manipulative gold digger, and is addicted to heroin while Bunny is an in denial, vicious drunk that doesn’t realize her money is why her son wants nothing to do with her. Janine Kessler, Marty’s daughter, is a washed-up child celebrity that’s plagued by social anxiety and is completely dependent on her father’s money. And, Hailey, Marty’s granddaughter, is “the ugly twin” that can’t seem to please her mother and lives in the shadow of her sister.

Tanen gives each character their own personality, which comes through beautifully in each point of view. The switching between POVs isn’t messy and the stories don’t overlap, which is refreshing. The characters’ humor is subtle, self-deprecating, and dry but packs a punch. I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the novel. Additionally, each section provides a German word that encompasses the theme of the section, which is a nice and well thought out touch on Tanen’s part.

If you like drama, secrets, manipulation, humor, and self-involved celebrities, you’ll enjoy There’s a Word for That. While I laughed, got frustrated and angry, and felt sad, the novel emboldened clean emotions from one page to the next. There’s a Word for That is raw, gripping, cathartic, and unputdownable. It’s a very quick read that everyone should give a shot.

[Bernadette Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this book enough! I loved every single character - Marty Kessler (former LA producer and addicted to opioids), his daughters Janine (former child star) and Amanda (overachiever). Amanda's twins, Hailey (the lesser twin) and Jacey (the pretty one), Bunny Small (alcoholic famous author) and her son Henry (his mother Bunny used his name for her main character - it's like calling your son Harry Potter...) Both families are incredibly dysfunctional, and very estranged but when Marty and Bunny end up in the same rehab centre together, healing begins. The book is hilarious, moving, and insightful. I found myself rooting for every single one of them. The audiobook is done to perfection. 10/10 !!!

[Sharon Layburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanen examines the long-coming downfall of a patriarch & matriarch of two different but connected families. The effect parents and their choices have on the next generation is examined, and those ripple effects have certainly been hard felt. Narcissism, substance abuse, mental issues, selfish choices…so many hardships and pain, yet the author still manages to make the portrayal amusing, sympathetic, and hopeful. Despite their many flaws, I cared about the characters and wished them well.
Nicely paced, a well-developed cast of characters, and the perfect balance of humor and pathos. A recommended read.

This ARC was provided by Little Brown & Company/Hachette, in exchange for an honest review.

[Elisabeth Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An estranged family gathers together to support the patriarch through his seventh? eighth? stint in rehab ("it's just a little heroin, all this fuss is ridiculous, it's a habit, not an addiction") and turns into a garbage fire of long festering resentments and hurts. A former child actress who fled Hollywood decades ago, the Prettier Sister who is accidentally recreating the same bitter dynamic with her own daughters, a retired Hollywood producer who throws money at problems and at his ex girlfriends so they feel they need him, a wildly successful author who drinks herself into rehab, her estranged son who can barely stand her narcissism for holiday visits twice a year, it all explodes gloriously and hilariously.

I listened to the audiobook, and the actress emoted fantastically. A well narrated and produced book.

[Dad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads.com. It is the story of a dysfunctional family who come together at the same Rehab. Marty is a 75 year old man addicted to Heroin, his ex wife is an alcoholic. They end up along with other members of their extended family at the same facility, and don't realize they are all together until they bump into each other. At times quite funny, and also very moving.

[Susie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

This is the kind of book that I really enjoy reading, but that probably won't stick with me for a long time and before long, I may have trouble remembering what it was even about. But that's OK because I enjoyed it in the moment and sometimes that's all that really matters!

The book focuses on several different people and it may take a little bit of time before you fully understand how they're all connected. Marty Kessler is a has-been movie producer with a drug problem. His daughter, Janine, is a former child television star now in her 40s desperately trying to figure out her focus in life. Hailey, Janine's niece, is struggling with typical teenager problems and trying to stand out against her "prettier" twin sister. And Bunny is an aging famous author living in London and struggling with a drinking problem and feeling all alone (she also happens to be Marty's first wife from long, long ago). I definitely connected with Janine the most and felt for her and what some people may call a "charmed" childhood while others would say she was doomed from the start.

Mainly, There's a Word for That is about the complications of family, especially dysfunctional families. But even if you're family isn't technically "dysfunctional," it's very likely you'll find things to relate to her, whether it's dichotomous feelings about things that happened in your past or knowing when to stay close and help or pull away from your loved ones. I did really enjoy this novel and think Sloane Tanen does a wonderful job building her characters. This book and its plot may not stick with me long-term, but that doesn't mean it's not a great book!

[Zannyiia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and read it in 2 weeks which is alot faster than any books I've read lately. Each chapter is of a character and at first it took me a bit to warm up to this style of writing and some chapters I'd forget who was who and have to page back to the previous chapter that the character was written about to find out who was who. But by mid book I knew them all and didn't want to put the book down. A turn at the ending comes on quick and was a surprise to me. I didn't expect it. Even though this book was about addiction and some depression and sad at times I still enjoyed reading it.