Review of Little Monsters

This was an interesting character driven family drama. The novel is set in Cape Cod and details the story of the Gardner family. Adam is about to turn 70 and the book describes the lead up to his birthday celebration. He has raised two children, Abby and Ken, after his wife’s death and has had a very successful career. Adam is a complicated person and now to make matters worse he has let his bipolar disorder get out of control. Abby and Ken both have a lot of issues going on in their lives and are also concentrating on what important gifts they can bestow upon their esteemed father at his birthday party. Abby is a painter and her painting is wonderfully detailed throughout the book. Ken is a successful developer and is married with two children. A mysterious newcomer has also arrived in Cape Cod and has befriended Adam. All of the problems begin to coalesce as the birthday nears and the anxiety of everyone increases. The descriptive writing and complicated characters kept my interest and engagement throughout. I love family drama novels and this book definitely had that. If you like a character driven story definitely check this one out.