Title: Brand New Human Being
Author: Emily Jeanne Miller
Genre: Fiction
Published: June 2012 – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
272 pages
My take: Brand New Human Being is one of those novels I wished I had a friend who’d also read it so we could compare notes right away. I wanted to talk about Logan and Julie and Bennie and the rest of the characters. I wanted to talk about how differently we all handle grief especially when the center of the universe, in this case Logan’s father, has died.
Logan left grad school when his father was diagnosed with cancer. He’d met Julie several weeks earlier on a trip home. They spent every night together until Logan returned to school. Their son Owen was conceived during those two weeks. When Logan got the call about his dad he left school, married Julie and they both moved in with his dad Gus and Bennie.
Fast-forward a few years and Logan finds himself a stay-at-home dad with a 4-year-old son who seems to be reverting to a baby, and a wife who seems very unhappy. He also hasn’t finished his dissertation and feels the pressure of having less than a year to do so. On top of that there are other issues and people who are putting pressure on him. At times Logan made me think of a tea kettle building to a full whistle.
I can see where some readers might get annoyed with Logan and complain about his first world problems but really he’s a guy of a certain age (mid 30s) getting tired of letting life happen to him. He starts to take control of the things only he can. When even that seems impossible Logan does some things he almost immediately regrets. His father’s widow Bennie gets him to talk and she listens (and talks some sense into him). She seems to be about the only person who validates his feelings.
I liked Brand New Human Being and recommend it to readers who like books about imperfect people dealing with grief and trying to move forward.
Source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for TLC Book Tour
Disclosure: See sidebar. I was not compensated for my review.
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You can find out more about the novel and author Emily Jeanne Miller at her website. You’ll find a link to discussion questions there as well.
Click the TLC button to see the complete tour schedule
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And now for the giveaway!
One lucky winner from the US or Canada will win a copy of
Brand New Human Being by Emily Jeanne Miller
Details can be found here.
Good luck!
Giveaway now closed
Haven’t heard of this one, but when I saw just the snippit title, “brand new human being”, I immediately thought you were sharing a photo of another new addition to the family:)
Ok, I can see why you might think that, Diane
So far, I have two grandchildren (2 months old Jack and 1 year old Grace).
I always think its a sign of either a really good or bad book when I want to share it with a friend like this – to instantly compare notes oh how unbelievably good or bad a read it is such fun.
Yes, and that’s why I thought this would be a good book group selection!
This sounds interesting to me. It sounds like Logan’s in a tough place.
He was in a tough place and for the most part I sympathized.
Sounds good and I know the feeling of wanting to talk to someone
I think most of us book bloggers who aren’t in a book group feel that way a lot!
I can see where this novel would be a great discussion book as Logan sounds like a character you can sympathize with and also be annoyed with. Great review!
Thanks, Kim!
“… one of those novels I wished I had a friend who’d also read it so we could compare notes right away.” – Is one of the best complements you can pay to a book. Thank you, I will put this on my too investigate list.
I agree, Monique!
Excellent review, Mary. This sounds like an emotionally complicated novel but one that would be very enjoyable.
Thanks, Kaye!
I actually enjoy books about imperfect people and I like how you and Dar had different feelings about this book. Now I’m thinking I will have to check it out for myself and see how I feel about these characters!
There’s a giveaway, Staci!!
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i would love to win this book.. what a great giveaway…
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Based on the first few sentences of your review it sounds like this would be a GREAT book club book!
Thanks for being a part of the tour.
I love imperfect people! They make me feel right at home. I’ll have to add this to my list.