Same as It Ever Was

A Novel

By: Claire Lombardo

Narrated by: Emily Rankin

Length: 18 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED A BEST BOOK BY PEOPLE AND PARADE • The New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had (“wonderfully immersive…deliciously absorbing”—NPR) returns with another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers."—The New York Times • "Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric." —The Washington Post • “Witty and insightful...a powerful exploration of marriage, motherhood, and self.”–Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

Same As It Ever Was showcases the consummate style, signature wit, and profound emotional intelligence that made The Most Fun We Ever Had one of the most beloved novels of the past decade. Featuring a memorably messy family and the multifaceted marriage at its heart, Lombardo’s debut was dubbed “the literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler” (The Guardian) and hailed as “ambitious and brilliantly written” (Washington Post). In this remarkable follow-up—another elegant and tumultuous story in the tradition of Elizabeth Strout, Ann Patchett, and Celeste Ng—Lombardo introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, this time by way of her singularly complicated protagonist.

Julia Ames, after a youth marked by upheaval and emotional turbulence, has found herself on the placid plateau of mid-life. But Julia has never navigated the world with the equanimity of her current privileged class. Having nearly derailed herself several times, making desperate bids for the kind of connection that always felt inaccessible to her, she finally feels, at age fifty seven, that she has a firm handle on things.

She’s unprepared, though, for what comes next: a surprise announcement from her straight-arrow son, an impending separation from her spikey teenaged daughter, and a seductive resurgence of the past, all of which threaten to draw her back into the patterns that had previously kept her on a razor’s edge.

Same As It Ever Was traverses the rocky terrain of real life—exploring new avenues of maternal ambivalence, intergenerational friendship, and the happenstantial cause-and-effect that governs us all. Delving even deeper into the nature of relationships—how they grow, change, and sometimes end—Lombardo proves herself a true and definitive cartographer of the human heart and asserts herself among the finest novelists of her generation.

©2024 Claire Lombardo (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

NAMED A BEST FICTION OF 2024 PICK BY PEOPLE

“Pitch-perfect. . . Lombardo is compulsively readable and consistently funny, and it’s impossible to look away as Julia continues to self-sabotage. This domestic drama hits all the right notes.”
–Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers. . . Poignant, punctilious. . . [Lombardo] refashions domestic drama into something rich and strange, with echoes of Lorrie Moore’s sardonic humor and Jonathan Franzen’s dissection of class. . . In less skillful hands, Same as It Ever Was would lose control over its transitions and veer toward soap opera; yet like Franzen’s Marion Hildebrandt, or Faye, the narrator of Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy, Lombardo gives us a woman whose inner life is knotted and revelatory. . . Same as It Ever Was is a brave, nuanced book, lulling us with its rhythms but taking risks when we glance away.”
–Hamilton Cain, The New York Times

“Lombardo’s witty, sympathetic take on motherhood exudes the sharp scent of fermented apple juice and a full diaper… Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric. She understands the chemistry of that special epoxy of irritation and affection that keeps a marriage glued together. One finishes Same As It Ever Was with the satisfaction of knowing this complicated woman well — and the poignant disappointment of having to say goodbye.”
–Ron Charles, The Washington Post

Incredibly detailed characters

Can’t remember ever reading such exquisitely portrayed characters. Just beautifully written and brilliant expose of life in the modern US. What a treat.

Beautiful

Beautiful complex characters. Very realistic story about families and life and regret. This is not an action packed book but it’s deep and gives you all the feels. I think mothers of teenagers will have a unique appreciation for it.

So good!

This author captures true, complex human emotions, the journey of life, and its relationships so beautifully.

A Gloomy 18 Hour Trudge

I can’t believe I made it to the end of this book. The writing and narration were good, and perhaps if it was edited to a quarter of its length I could better appreciate a well-written tale of a life of unrelenting disappointment and drudgery.

Beautiful writing

Beautiful characters, lovely story I did not want to end! It circled back to the last sentence with a universal truth.

Narration and story are perfection

I could not recommend this book more! if you enjoy books about family dynamics and relationships it was just so lovely. It was such a relatable story and the narration was just spectacular. I would also suggest listening to the most fun we ever had by the same author. I just so thoroughly enjoyed the weavings in and out and ups and downs of the story. Was truly enjoyable!

Complex but beautiful family story

5 stars for Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo. I really liked Lombardo's other book The Most Fun We Ever Had but it fell just shy of 5 stars when I read it- probably because I'm very critical of adoption themes and wasn't 100% on board with one aspect of that part of the story. (And I thought the amorous middle aged parents to be a bit over the top, too!) This book, however, landed perfectly on the 5 star runway as it ended up making me both laugh and (surprisingly) cry at multiple points and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since I read it. Additionally it's a book I feel is SO well written with such enduringly memorable characters who were flawed and messy but in the way that is just so relatable you can't help but care about them. Honestly, I loved the whole family - the "incremental vegan" 18 year old daughter who sometimes loves/sometimes hates her mom, the firstborn son who is ever so gently trying to disconnect from his mother's loving arms and I even loved Suzanne the worshipful dog!
Claire Lombardo is really at the top of her game creating complex family drama that doesn't pull punches but never feels heavy handed or melodramatic. I just despise syrup and superficiality in family drama. This author has proven she can write a really good story without either. The relationship between Julia and Anita, her long estranged mother, was so complicated and painfully touching. The push and pull between the two women - each trying to preemptively reject the other so as not to be the one rejected - was some of the most moving mother daughter literature I have read. And the gold star in this shining saga is the intergenerational friendship between Helen and Julia. Truly brilliant. I just have so much respect for Lombardo's observations and craft in creating this intricate spider web of connections within this family that appear delicate but like most families - are actually very strong bonds that can withstand an enormous amount of injury. Just like her previous book this is a character driven novel - but with a few plot lines to keep the most literary averse reader engaged! I think everyone would enjoy reading it and highly recommend!

Enjoyable

I really did enjoy listening to this audiobook. The story was very interesting and drew me in!

Struck a nerve

It’s been two days since I finished listening to this wonderful book. It definitely struck a nerve with me because I keep reflecting on my own life and my own relationships. Such a beautiful story.

Amazing

Loved every moment of this story. It touched my heart as a mother, daughter, and friend. I couldn’t recommend enough.