Review: This is Where I Leave You By: Jonathan Tropper

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Judd Foxman's father has died and has made the request that his family sit the full seven day shiva, honoring this request shouldn't be wrong, it should be easy to have everyone under the same roof for seven days and seven nights....
Judd has found his boss and wife in his bed and now finds out that she is pregnant. Wendy Foxman looks to have the life, married to a broker who seems to ignore her and the children and finds she still misses the day before with a boy she knew years ago. Phillip Foxman, the baby of the family showing up late, no one ever knowing where or what he has been up to or what he'll bring with him. Paul Foxman, the oldest son, the responsible one, the one who stayed home, ran the store, who in one night had his chance of pro baseball ruined by an incident he blames on Judd. Along with their mother Hillary, a famous writer of childrearing, who seems to has lost all sense of reining in her own (reminds me of the saying, those who can, do - those who can't, teach) who has a few of her own secrets brought out to the table.
There is supposed to humor here and at times I find that self-deprecation humor that is humorous - and what couldn't be more funny than sitting shiva, stuck with your family... but this isn't like that. From accusations and nasty comments of dead babies, to more or less dealing with a self absorbed main character, unlikable characters and situations page after page. Don't look for insight, or funny humor - this is more like a Jerry Springer documentary and you got caught being in the audience.

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