“All Adults Here,” by Emma Straub

After witnessing the bus accident that killed her old acquaintance Barbara, Astrid Strick realizes she was right there — it could have been her. And now that she has gotten a new lease on life, Astrid is determined to share the truth about her life. Her first step in this direction is to introduce her new girlfriend Birdie to the rest of her family. But after Astrid shares her secret, she begins to wonder how many things her children have kept hidden from her over the years and how these secrets might be due to her poor parenting choices.

Astrid’s oldest son Elliott won’t tell her anything about his life, but especially avoids talking about work to her. Her younger son Nicky has moved away and rarely visits his mother for any reason. Porter, her only daughter, has decided to have a baby by herself but only just revealed this news to Astrid. With Barbara’s death so fresh in her mind and a burning desire for the truth, Astrid searches for the way to relate to each of her children and to bring her relationship with Birdie out into the open.

Emma Straub’s “All Adults Here” not only follows Astrid’s revelations about being a parent but also peeks into the minds of her children and her granddaughter Cecelia as each of them struggle with their own secrets and attempt to survive it all in one piece. Family may just be the only thing that will get them through by the end.

This story was interesting because of the many characters the author chooses to voice. It shows an intricate family dynamic and tackles some interesting issues. If this sounds like a book you would enjoy, you may also want to try “The Rain Watcher” by Tatiana de Rosnay, which is the story of a family fighting together to survive in a flooded city. You may also enjoy “The Nest” by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, since this story follows four siblings as they grapple with problems they believe could be solved with an inheritance they may not get because one of them made a huge mistake. These books are available in print, audiobook and online formats.