The Posts, a seemingly perfect American family, embark on a two-week escape to a luxurious villa in Mallorca, hoping to mend fraying bonds and escape their individual crises. Jim, the patriarch, has been fired from his job after an affair with a much younger editorial assistant, leaving his marriage to Franny in tatters. Their son, Bobby, is grappling with significant debt and a strained relationship with his older girlfriend, Carmen, who is beginning to question their future. Eighteen-year-old Sylvia is on the cusp of college, determined to shed her innocence before she leaves home. Adding to the family dynamic are Franny's best friend Charles and his husband, Lawrence, whose own relationship faces a turning point. As the sun-drenched days unfold, the idyllic Spanish setting forces each character to confront long-held secrets, unfulfilled desires, and the uncomfortable truths about love, loyalty, and the complex ties that bind a family together, ultimately questioning whether a vacation can truly fix a lifetime of dysfunction.
Critical Reception
"Emma Straub's "The Vacationers" is widely praised for its sharp wit, insightful character studies, and its poignant exploration of modern family dynamics set against an alluring European backdrop."