Mini Review: The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz

Published April 12, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: via publisher

Rating: 4/5

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Synopsis

This Passover Seder is not just any Passover Seder. Yes, there will be a quick service and then a festive meal afterward, but this night is different from all other nights. This will be the night the Golds of Greenwich meet the Rothschilds of New York City.

The Rothschilds are the stuff of legends. They control banks, own vineyards in Napa, diamond mines in Africa, and even an organic farm somewhere in the Midwest that produces the most popular Romaine lettuce consumed in this country. And now, Sylvia Gold's daughter is dating one of them.

When Sylvia finds out that her youngest of three is going to bring her new boyfriend to the Seder, she's giddy. When she finds out that his parents are coming, too, she darn near faints. Making a good impression is all she thinks about. Well, almost. She still has to consider her other daughter, Sarah, who'll be coming with her less than appropriate beau and his overly dramatic Italian mother. But the drama won't stop there. Because despite the food and the wine, despite the new linen and the fresh flowers, the holidays are about family. Long forgotten memories come to the surface. Old grievances play out. And Sylvia Gold has to learn how to let her family go.

My Thoughts

 I loved this book! The Dinner Party is a tale of family and mother’s having to learn to let go and let her children make the decisions in their life rather she likes it or not. We met Sylvia who after she learns her daughter is dating a high society guy decides to make a good impression on him and his family and in the process looks back at how her family has gotten to where they are. She learns she has treated her children differently and she sees how this has affected her relationship with each of them.

I love how this story is so universal; Sylvia could be anyone’s mother as far as her actions go. I love how once she finds out all these secrets about her family she is forced to look inward and make decides she didn’t think she had too. In the end family is the root of all things and that is what she loves the most. She knows this is what she has dedicated her whole life to and in the end all she wants is her family to be happy. The Dinner Party is a funny and sweet look at family life one that we all can relate too.