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Title details for The Frederick Sisters Are Living the Dream by Jeannie Zusy - Available

The Frederick Sisters Are Living the Dream

A Novel

by Jeannie Zusy
Gabra Zackman
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine meets Early Morning Riser with a dash of Where'd You Go, Bernadette in this "funny and insightful" (Real Simple) novel about one woman whose life is turned upside down when she becomes caregiver to her sister with special needs.
Every family has its fault lines, and when Maggie gets a call from the ER in Maryland where her older sister lives, the cracks start to appear. Ginny, her sugar-loving and diabetic older sister with intellectual disabilities, has overdosed on strawberry Jell-O.

Maggie knows Ginny really can't live on her own, so she brings her sister and her occasionally vicious dog to live near her in upstate New York. Their other sister, Betsy, is against the idea but as a professional surfer, she is conveniently thousands of miles away.

Thus, Maggie's life as a caretaker begins. It will take all of her dark humor and patience, already spread thin after a separation, raising two boys, freelancing, an ex who just won't go away, and starting a dating life, to deal with Ginny's diapers, sugar addiction, porn habit, and refusal to cooperate. "The Frederick sisters will have you laughing out loud—often through tears—in this roller coaster ride of a novel that explores what it means to be family" (Tracey Lange, New York Times bestselling author).

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 20, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797141909
      • File size: 273654 KB
      • Duration: 09:30:06

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 25, 2022
      Playwright and screenwriter Zusy explores in her powerful debut the complicated dynamics of sisterhood and disability. The title is ironic: Youngest sister Maggie Frederick is struggling to care for her intellectually challenged and volatile middle sister, Ginny, 56, while the oldest, Bets, carries on what seems a perfect life in Southern California. As the story begins, it becomes apparent that Ginny—who’s been living on her own in Maryland, but nearly dies from sepsis—needs constant care. After Maggie moves Ginny to a nursing facility near her own home in New York City, chaos reigns, as Ginny resists every rule designed to keep her healthy, and Maggie’s marriage begins to fail. As the tensions pile up, it becomes apparent that Bets’s life isn’t so great—and that Ginny has untapped wisdom. Zusy does a great job capturing Maggie’s mixed emotions about becoming a caregiver and the resentment she feels toward Bets after taking on most of the responsibility for Ginny. Zusy notes in her afterword that she herself bore responsibility for an intellectually disabled sibling, which brings a sense of authenticity to every page. This admirable story offers an excellent view into the struggles of family caregiving. Agent: Stephanie Cabot, Susanna Lea Assoc.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Zusy's debut novel introduces three adult sisters faced with the health crisis of the middle sister. Gabra Zackman gives Maggie, who tells the story, emotions that range from confidence to frustration to self-pity. Maggie must move the ailing sister, Ginny, who also has intellectual disabilities, from Maryland to New York to more closely monitor her care. Maggie is also navigating a broken marriage, two sons, and a freelance career. Ginny's voice is flat but adamant as she fights to keep her independence in spite of her physical and mental limitations. Eldest sister Bets, living in California, appears rarely, using that distance to avoid the messy work of relationships. Immigrant nannies Philomena and Lika are given appropriate accents as they provide nonjudgmental care for their challenging patient. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      Starred review from March 1, 2023

      Maggie Frederick and her husband Bill raised two wonderful young men and then divorced. Now Maggie is taking care of her temperamental sister Ginny, who has an intellectual disability and type 2 diabetes. After a major health crisis, Maggie, who is contending with parenting, online dating, and her unexpected role as a caretaker, moves Ginny to a nursing facility close to her own home in Croton-on-Hudson., NY. The third Frederick sister, Betsy, is in California, living a surfer lifestyle; Maggie greatly resents this, especially when Betsy weighs in on decisions from afar. All the intersecting familial relationships--sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes heartwarming--feel familiar and relatable. Audie Award-winning narrator Gabra Zackman takes on an appropriately monotone affect for Ginny and performs several accents, including Ghanian and Eastern European, for Ginny's aides. Zackman gently guides listeners through playwright and screenwriter Zusy's debut, capturing this intimate portrait of three very different middle-aged women. VERDICT Zusy's casual writing style and talent for dialogue are perfectly realized in audio. An outstanding production that may be even better than the physical book.--Laura Stein

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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