FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Lauren Graham's approachable yet flawed performance gives voice to this ironically titled exploration of family, love, loss, and secrets. The Endicott siblings--Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude--who once enjoyed a close bond, have not seen each other in three years. Their estrangement plays out in chapters alternating across both time and characters as they are brought together by Jude for a weekend in a remote part of North Dakota. The narration is bumpy. Although the text mentions the Spanish accent of Gemma's husband, Graham doesn't give him one. Roddy's fiancé, Winston, has an unconvincing British accent. The pause before revealing the year attributed to each chapter is often much too long. Sadly, Graham is not a good match for this mesmerizing story. S.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]