Apples Never Fall

Full disclosure, I returned this book for a refund having not gotten very far into the book. Boring. Boring. Boring. I don't care what happened to the mother. I hope she ran away and is living her best life. I don't care who the mystery girl really is. I don't care if the children get divorced or not or solve whatever other issues they have. This is the first book I've ever read where I don't care about a single character. I wish I could add more, but there was nothing about this book to keep my interest even though I tried several times. I suggest downloading a sample first before buying. I mean, one chapter ends with one of the brothers getting a bad leg cramp while getting a pedicure. Was that supposed to be a cliffhanger of sorts? 😂🤦🏻

I had anxiously been awaiting the release of this book. It was one of the most boring, anticlimactic nook of hers. It was like someone else wrote it. I struggled to make it through the ridiculous plot. I would have given it only one star, but tennis was a central theme in the book, so I gave it two stars. I do not recommend unless you are an insomniac and need help falling asleep.

Liane Moriarty is the author of 3 of my favorite books. She is usually a wonderful storyteller. This book is a big “who cares”. The characters were all unlikeable, the plot was so boring it was near impossible to get through and the ending was incredibly anticlimactic. What happed? Where is the author I love? Don’t waste your time on this one. 100% not worth it. Time and money I can never get back.

Apples Never Fall, the new book by Liane Moriarty is the very definition of empty calories with no redeeming value. Liane Moriarty is talented, skilled and experienced and thus produces a professional product even though upon any kind of close examination this novel is less than the sum of its parts. Moriarty has been very successful writing good domestic thrillers but this reader got the impression that Moriarty needs new challenges for her prodigious talents. I hope she finds them but Apples Never Fall isn’t it.Just what is wrong? Shallow characters, no character development and muddy motives mar every section of the book. The plot is nonsensical and the lack of comprehensible plot growing out of character actions makes the entire book fall flat. Because of these flaws the book is neither a domestic thriller or a literary examination of family dysfunction. The book ends up being nothing much at all. I’m tired of the taste for O’Henry endings, but the supposed twist just isn’t believable and is telegraphed from the beginning. Because Moriarty is so skilled the reader doesn’t notice unless thinking critically. It is the literary equivalent of drinking soda or eating a candy bar, but not as a special treat. Instead this book is the kind of thing you’re sorry you ate as you struggle with disappointment and nausea. This reads like a waste of time, money, calories and treats. Apples Never Fall is a true disappointment because Moriarty has excelled at balancing genuine insight into people’s behavior with an engrossing read in the past but she failed here.

I had a hard time with this one. After much pondering, I’ve changed my review from 4 stars to 3. I’ll say what I can without any spoilers.First of all, it’s so extremely readable. I downed it quickly and I do love a good mystery, so that plus the family drama was good stuff. Definitely read it, especially if you’re a fan of her other work but even if you aren’t.Secondly, I remember thinking about halfway through that even though it was a good read, it lacked her usual musings on people and relationships and families etc. Boy was I wrong. it all comes rushing in towards the end and then you realize what you’d missed all along, much like the characters themselves.Thirdly: I really had a hard time with the conclusions in this book. The main thing I want to say is, it is not OK to excuse toxic by calling it “complicated“. There are bad and toxic relationships and bad and toxic behaviors. it is not OK to write them off as part of life and relationships and just complicated; sometimes you really do need to walk away. The book very much highlighted how generational some damage is and how scars are left behind even if you determine to be different. All of theCharacters need to be in therapy, not just the one of them.Lastly: you can love someone and realize that you can’t and shouldn’t trust them, and recognize that it’s unwise and damaging to keep them in your life, especially if little innocent kids are involved. I wish more of the characters in the book had realized that.I think I’m going to reread it right away and chew on it some more.

I'm a fan of Liane Moriarty, but her latest book Nine Perfect Strangers didn't impress, so I was apprehensive about losing my favorite author but decided to pre-order Apples Never Fall and found this book enjoyable. Moriarty's wry humor and complex family dynamics are back. Enjoy the book!

This story is not worth the paper it’s written on. What fool let’s a barefoot, partially clad stranger into their house, feeds then, lets them sleep over night and then let’s them move in? The female stranger then proceeds to ingratiate herself with the parents of 4 adult children all of who were forced to play tennis by their tennis coach parents. The wife disappears and everyone assumes the husband did it. They then find out the wife went off with the stranger who is in reality. . . Oh, never mind. It isn’t worth repeating. It reads like a 2 cent novel. Dreadful.

Having read all of Liane Moriarty's books I was thrilled when this came out. However like her last one it just does not compare in any way shape or form to the genius that was "The Husband's Secret" or "Big Little Lies" It used to be said that authors have one great book in them, well Liane Moriarty had many more than one, but this is not one of them. Boring, repetitive and of no interest, except perhaps to tennis players. Sorry, hope there may yet be another Great one.

The problem with this book for me is that I couldn't invest in any of the characters and that left me not really caring about what happens to them. I've put it aside for now and will try again in a few weeks.

I got distracted reading it, it didnt have that intriguing element to keep you guessing. I couldn't wait to finish, just to finish, to be honest because i paid more for this book than i usually do and didnt want to give up. It just didn't come together for me in the intrigue and psychological stakes.

We’ll where do I start? This book is the most ridiculous, boring load of drivel I have ever read (and I’ve read some c***) It was bad enough getting to what I thought was the end. Then I noticed on my Kindle that I had another 25 minutes to go. I think the author had probably finished the book, before Covid hit. So she added a bit on to the end, to include the pandemic….and then decided to add even more at the end to which I can’t even comment on because it was completely irrelevant to the story….all in all this book is a disaster

I have read all Lianes books and have loved them all, this one does not disappoint. Her characterisation is just amazing, they are what I love most about Lianes books although the plots are always so clever too. Joy is an absolute delight and getting to know her and Stan and all her children makes this such a wonderful read, add in the mystery of Savannah and where is Joy then this makes for one very unputdownable, read in one sitting book, highly recommend.