Same as It Ever Was
Poignant, punctilious ... More than a character study. There are reams of gorgeous sentences, even if Lombardo occasionally indulges a sweet tooth for adverbs. She refashions domestic drama into something rich and strange, with echoes of Lorrie Moore’s sardonic humor and Jonathan Franzen’s dissection of class ... Brilliant.
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Astute and often moving ... Julia’s to-ing and fro-ing, her determination to detonate, grow a bit wearisome layered over 500 pages. But Ms. Lombardo’s psychological acuity and her compassion for her characters amply reward attention.
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This is a big novel, engaging enough to entertain you through the summer and thoughtful enough to justify its considerable heft. While many novels are too long, Same as It Ever Was takes full advantage of its 500 pages to traverse the whole life of Julia Ames, a woman who makes peace with motherhood slowly and haphazardly ... Witty, sympathetic ... Carefully structured ...
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.
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