Take a tropical getaway

Set on the sunny island of Mallorca in Spain, The Vacationers takes readers along on the fourteen day getaway of the Post family. The Posts are dysfunctional, to say the least, with each member of the family going through their own issues.

The author, Emma Straub, writes in a slow, lackadaisical manner, echoing the sentiments of most family vacations. You can lay by the pool with Franny, search for wifi with Lawrence, and get immersed into the subtle, summery drama.

While reading, I felt "trapped" in the crowded house with the Post bunch. It made me nostalgic for cramped summers with my own family. However, for me, the book was lacking. It ended happily enough, but I wanted more. Perhaps I wanted to like the characters more, perhaps I wanted more action to actually happen. I found it difficult to relate to most of the characters, likely because they are significantly older than me. Most of the characters are in their late fifties, the daughter, Sylvia is eighteen, and after her the youngest is a cool twenty-eight.

I also found the majority of the characters unlikable. I couldn't make myself care for them beyond a superficial interest. On the other hand, people do not usually like every member of their family.

Overall, the book is worth a read. It ended up on the best-seller list for a reason. It is a suitable beach read, to languorously savor with your toes in the sand.