Genre Fiction
![Jean Hanff Korelitz - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_jean_hanff_korelitz.jpg)
The Latecomer: A Novel
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Latecomer is a layered and immersive literary novel about three siblings, desperate to escape one another, and the upending of their family by the late arrival of a fourth.
The Latecomer follows the story of the wealthy, New York City-based Oppenheimer family, from the first meeting of parents Salo and Johanna, under tragic circumstances, to their triplets born during the early days of IVF. As children, the three siblings – Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally – feel no strong familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways, even as their father becomes more distanced and their mother more desperate. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna, faced with being truly alone, makes the decision to have a fourth child. What role will the "latecomer" play in this fractured family?
A complex novel that builds slowly and deliberately, The Latecomer touches on the topics of grief and guilt, generational trauma, privilege and race, traditions and religion, and family dynamics. It is a profound and witty family story from an accomplished author, known for the depth of her character studies, expertly woven storylines, and plot twists.
The Latecomer follows the story of the wealthy, New York City-based Oppenheimer family, from the first meeting of parents Salo and Johanna, under tragic circumstances, to their triplets born during the early days of IVF. As children, the three siblings – Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally – feel no strong familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways, even as their father becomes more distanced and their mother more desperate. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna, faced with being truly alone, makes the decision to have a fourth child. What role will the "latecomer" play in this fractured family?
A complex novel that builds slowly and deliberately, The Latecomer touches on the topics of grief and guilt, generational trauma, privilege and race, traditions and religion, and family dynamics. It is a profound and witty family story from an accomplished author, known for the depth of her character studies, expertly woven storylines, and plot twists.
Editorial Reviews
"Jean Hanff Korelitz is an ambidextrous writer: not only can she write a tight and absorbing literary thriller like The Plot, but with The Latecomer she draws us in again, this time with her ease, grace and wit, in a satisfying novel that spans generations, lives, and fates."
―Meg Wolitzer, The New York Times bestselling author of The Female Persuasion
"If this novel is funny, it is also cutting, a nearly forensic study of family conflict. Husband and wife are at odds; children pull away not only from their parents but from one another. Nimbly, Korelitz juggles the stories of each parent and child, weaving a tapestry of secrets, antipathies and private quests. ... It's testament to Korelitz's achievement that her novel leaves us wanting more. Her tale is both compulsively readable and thought-provoking. … Like [Edith] Wharton, she invites the reader to reflect, even as she paints a picture of privilege. A sumptuously wrapped gift, The Latecomer is a Gilded Age novel for the 21st century."
―New York Times Book Review
"By the time we're done with these siblings, their lives have been turned inside out, and all their stored-up junk and secret treasures have been sorted, culled and curated for this immensely enjoyable sojourn with a truly memorable family."
―Ron Charles, The Washington Post, "Jean Hanff Korelitz's ‘The Latecomer' offers wit in triplicate"
"It's a marvelous story full of plot twists, intricacies, and depth in events that the reader will not see coming. Perfect for fans of character-based novels such as those by Sally Rooney or Lauren Groff."
―Library Journal
"Korelitz (The Plot) returns with an irresistible dramedy of errors about a singularly unhappy family. This is a sizzler."
―Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
"It's a slow burn, but this complex and layered story of the Oppenheimer fa...
―Meg Wolitzer, The New York Times bestselling author of The Female Persuasion
"If this novel is funny, it is also cutting, a nearly forensic study of family conflict. Husband and wife are at odds; children pull away not only from their parents but from one another. Nimbly, Korelitz juggles the stories of each parent and child, weaving a tapestry of secrets, antipathies and private quests. ... It's testament to Korelitz's achievement that her novel leaves us wanting more. Her tale is both compulsively readable and thought-provoking. … Like [Edith] Wharton, she invites the reader to reflect, even as she paints a picture of privilege. A sumptuously wrapped gift, The Latecomer is a Gilded Age novel for the 21st century."
―New York Times Book Review
"By the time we're done with these siblings, their lives have been turned inside out, and all their stored-up junk and secret treasures have been sorted, culled and curated for this immensely enjoyable sojourn with a truly memorable family."
―Ron Charles, The Washington Post, "Jean Hanff Korelitz's ‘The Latecomer' offers wit in triplicate"
"It's a marvelous story full of plot twists, intricacies, and depth in events that the reader will not see coming. Perfect for fans of character-based novels such as those by Sally Rooney or Lauren Groff."
―Library Journal
"Korelitz (The Plot) returns with an irresistible dramedy of errors about a singularly unhappy family. This is a sizzler."
―Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
"It's a slow burn, but this complex and layered story of the Oppenheimer fa...
Readers Top Reviews
V. Rock
“The Latecomer” by Jean Hanff Korelitz, Celadon Books, 448 pages, May 31, 2022. Harrison, Lewyn and Sally Oppenheimer are triplets conceived during the early days of in vitro fertilization. They can’t wait to gradute high school and go their separate ways. Harrison is known as the smart one, Lewyn as the weird one and Sally just as the girl. Their parents are Solomon (Salo) and Johanna. The wealthy family lives in New York City. Salo and Johanna told their children that they met at a wedding, but that isn’t true. They first met a few years earlier at the funeral for Mandy Bernstein, Salo’s girlfriend, who died in a car accident in which he was the driver. Another young man was also killed and a young woman was injured. Nobody blamed Salo for the accident as he wasn’t speeding or drinking. Johanna Hirsch was a high school friend of Mandy’s. Salo works as a broker for his family’s financial company and he collects valuable paintings. He starts having an affair and is rarely home. Johanna only worked outside the home for a few years. She badly wanted the triplets to be close, but they always refused to do anything together. The triplets get accepted to college. Lewyn and Sally are both going to Cornell and Harrison is going to an all-male alternative collective for two years before transferring to Harvard. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna finds out about her husband’s affair. She is now faced with being truly alone and makes the decision to add a fourth child to the family. She has been paying for the storage of one more embryo for 18 years. Will the triplets become closer as they get older? And can the latecomer, Phoebe Elizabeth, bring together this fractured family? The strongest feature of “The Latecomer” is the great character development. The plot has several good twists and the pacing moves the story along well. This isn’t a thriller; it is an excellent novel about a family in conflict. Jean Hanff Korelitz is also the author of “The Plot,” one of my favorite books of last year. She is now on my “must read” author list. In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a review.
