The Summer We Fell Apart
The Summer We Fell Apart is the story of the Haas siblings: Amy, George, Kate, and Finn. As the children of a once promising and brilliant playwright and a struggling actress, the Haas siblings were raised in a chaotic environment, abandoned into a shadowy adult world made up of equal parts glamour and neglect. When their father dies, they must depend on their intense but fragile bond to remember what it means to be family despite years of anger. From Amy’s adolescent yearnings for a normal life to George’s search for love, Kate’s struggle to not always be perfect, and Finn’s addictive and destructive behavior, the Haas children come to learn that this family - no matter how ragged and flawed - provides all the hope they need.
"Robin Antalek's debut is as haunting as it is gripping-- a story of the events, both mundane and dramatic, that tear a family apart; and of the often inexplicable love that binds a family together. The Summer We Fell Apart is a beautiful, memorable novel."
— Diana Spechler, author of Who By Fire
"Reminiscent of The Glass Castle, The Summer We Fell Apart tells the story of the four Haas kids, who are at best neglected, at worst utterly demoralized by their self-centered parents. It's told over the course of fifteen years, point of view shift from sibling to sibling, as they grow into adulthood. Each perspective is so poignantly etched by Antalek that you can't wait to hear what the next kid knows that the rest don't, what each can tell you about the others, and whether they will succeed in their efforts to rise from the cigarette ashes of their upbringing. With every chapter the story grows richer and clearer, as does your appreciation for their humor, their burdens and their devotion to each other."
— Juliette Fay, author of Shelter Me
“The Summer We Fell Apart is a bright big-hearted novel about the complexities and heartaches of the way we live now.”
— Elizabeth Benedict, author of Almost and Mentors, Muses & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives
"In The Summer We Fell Apart, the four children of an indifferent mother and an alcoholic, self-absorbed father stumble into adulthood.
The most moving aspect of this very moving novel may be its author's relationship to her characters. By portraying each sibling's muddled life with tenderness, respect, and clear-sightedness, author Antalek proves herself to be the ultimate good parent."
— Martha Moody, author of The Office of Desire, Sometimes Mine and
The Summer Sisters
“The arrival of Miriam, a Swiss high school student, in the Haas household is actually a minor incident in the scope of this story. The true focus is on each of the Haas siblings-Kate, Finn, George, and Amy-and to some extent their always distracted parents, Marilyn, the B-movie actress, and Richard, the one-hit-wonder playwright. An odd bunch of individuals, this family together forms a mostly dysfunctional and tentative unit. What would-be fifth sibling Miriam brings to their existence is intermittent-she's sometimes the accepted outsider, and, for handsome and tragic Finn, she is someone who loves him and tries to save him from self-destruction. The narrative shifts from sibling to sibling, allowing each character to present his or her perspective and life situation. In the final pages, Marilyn is given the same opportunity. Readers learn how the children have coped with minimal parental intervention and later see them as adults struggling to make their own way. Verdict Debut author Antalek provides a captivating look at a modern family over the course of 15 years. Her memorable characters are ultimately likable despite their flaws. Strongly recommended.”
— M. Neville, Trenton Public Library New Jersey, The Library Journal Review
“The lifelong impact of parental missteps on their children is front and center in The Summer We Fell Apart, Antalek’s debut novel.
The book spans 15 years in the lives of the four Haas children, who find their relationships and career paths inextricably affected by their dysfunctional upbringing. Each of the brothers’ and sisters’ stories are told separately but eventually converge, demonstrating the inevitable bonds between siblings that the characters eventually take comfort in.
One of the brothers, George, is gay, and while his sexuality is not a major source of conflict in the novel, his relationship with his partner is held up as one of the most successful in the book. In a family riddled with neglect and abuse, George and the eventual “normalcy” he and his partner find are welcome characterizations of same-sex couples.”
— J.C. Philadelphia Gay News
“The Summer We Fell Apart is a thoroughly entertaining and often heart-breaking romp through the chaos and comforts of a large and extraordinary family.”
— Jessica Anya Blau, author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties