Goodbye Lemon [Paperback]

Adam Davies (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

A piercing and hilarious story about love, family, and redemption by the author of The Frog King.

Jack Tennant is going home. Against his better judgment, he has succumbed to his mother's guilt-laden pleas that he see his estranged father. Jack's do-gooder girlfriend believes that this trip is a chance for Jack to achieve peace with his family, but there's a lot she doesn't know about the Tennants. So Jack finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having to make a decision he's avoided for years. Should he walk away and leave his crazy family to solve their problems without him? Or should he try to mend fences that have been broken for as long as he can remember?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

*Starred Review.* When Jack Tennant, a frustrated 32-year-old adjunct lecturer and part-time women's shelter night supervisor, returns to a Baltimore suburb to confront the wealthy WASP clan he cut off contact with 15 years before, we know what to expect: emotions will erupt, secrets will be revealed and some resolution will be found. Yet Davies (The Frog King) makes it all happen in such a fresh, smart way the conventions of this conceit are almost forgotten. Ostensibly visiting to help care for his father following a debilitating stroke (and to satisfy his girlfriend, Hahva, who thinks he needs closure), Jack sees his return as his last chance to confront the old man"who is fully conscious but entirely paralyzed. Jack blames his father, Guilford Tennant, a stern ex-marine and alcoholic industry executive, for Jack's brother Dexter's death at six (Jack was five; Dexter was known as Lemon) and for ending Jack's chance to study piano at Juilliard. Of course, things don't develop as Jack expects, and how Jack gets to the point of wanting to love his father "exactly the way he deserves" is a story that soars on the same jet stream of inspired wordplay and literary tics that made The Frog King a dazzling read. Bitter, smart and soaked in dark humor, Jack and his narrative harbor enormous heart. (Aug. 1)
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About the Author

Adam Davies is the author of The Frog King. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 289 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1 edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594480710
• ISBN-13: 978-1594480713
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye, Lemon...and what's next?, September 19, 2007

By 

Eric A. Klee "eak321" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goodbye Lemon (Paperback)

I bought and read "Goodbye Lemon" during its first week of release because I loved Adam Davies' previous novel, The Frog King, SO much and couldn't wait to read the characters he was going to create next. (Regrettably, I forgot to post a review immediately after.)

While I did again love Davies' conversational writing style, I never connected and bonded with the characters and story as much as I did with his first novel. However, my curiosity was piqued as to what exactly the meaning of the title was and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered it. I think, though...I wanted "more." I wanted to like the main character more and I wanted to feel more emotionally attached and laugh.

I look forward to Davies' next novel and hope it contains the same spark and charisma of "The Frog King."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unsympathetic characters, unrealistic resolution, July 24, 2009

By 

J. Rice (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Goodbye Lemon (Paperback)

I loved The Frog King, and liked *parts* of this book but not the sum of its parts. The writing and descriptions are artful and I like Davies' use of language, although he takes the 'list' concept a little too far in the beginning. In the second half, however, the book falls apart as does the main character. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but I found the resolution of the book's central conflict to be utterly unsatisfying and left me wondering what exactly the author was trying to convey. The main character's contemptible self-pity got so tiring that I was actually annoyed that things worked out for him in the end...

If you are looking for a good read and haven't read this author before, get The Frog King instead.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Without the self-conscious glibness, a great book., August 7, 2007

By 

Anonymous (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodbye Lemon (Paperback)

Alas, the beauty of Adam Davies' youthful voice as an author was too often tinged with show-off-iness. Too bad. The story is compelling. The brothers in the story are touching and tender. It's a shame that Davies got carried away with his own facile wit and glib repartee in a number of places. When this happens, we suspect that he is showing off more than telling a story. It's distracting and disappointing. I wish his publisher's editor had been more discerning about this tendency and insistent upon cuts. I know it's hard for writers to toss out jewels of erudition, but the book would have been incredible with judicious editing. I do believe that as Mr. Davies matures, his writing will get better and better and he will become a twenty-first century talent to reckon with.