All Adults Here

In the charming, albeit occasionally stifling, upstate New York town of Upstate, Astrid Strick, a matriarch in her seventies, finds her seemingly settled life upended by an old secret and a sudden awakening. After witnessing a bus accident, Astrid is prompted to re-evaluate her choices, past and present, and finally confront a long-held truth that could shake the foundations of her family. Meanwhile, her three grown children are navigating their own chaotic adulthoods: Nicky, the youngest, struggles with parenthood and a sense of direction; Porter, the single daughter, faces an unplanned pregnancy while grappling with her own prolonged adolescence; and Elliot, the eldest, adheres to rigid personal standards that often alienate those around him. It is perhaps Astrid’s observant thirteen-year-old granddaughter, Cecelia, who, alongside a new friend, possesses the clarity to understand the immense courage required to be truly honest with the people you love. Emma Straub masterfully blends wit, warmth, and profound insight, creating a deeply satisfying narrative that explores the complexities of family, the enduring impact of choices, and the never-ending journey of growing up, regardless of age.