Plays well with others: a novel

Average Rating

Author

Brickman, Sophie

Publisher

Varies, see individual formats and editions

Publication Date

Varies, see individual formats and editions

Language

English

Description

In the vein of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Fleishman Is in Trouble, a wickedly funny and incisive debut novel following a mother trapped in the rat race of NYC parenting as her life unravels.

"Funny, relatable fiction for anyone who thinks they're above the fray but still want to read all about it."—People

"Heavenly hilarity for readers."—Good Housekeeping

It takes a village...just not this one.

Annie Lewin is at the end of her rope. She’s a mother of three young children, her workaholic husband is never around, and the vicious competition for spots in New York City’s kindergartens is heating up. A New York Times journalist-turned-parenting-advice-columnist for an internet start-up, Annie can’t help but judge the insanity of it all—even as she finds herself going to impossible lengths to secure the best spot for her own son.

As Annie comes to terms with the infinitesimal odds of success, her intensifying rivalry with hotshot lawyer Belinda Brenner—a deliciously hateful nemesis, what with her perfectly curated bento box lunches and effortless Instagram chic—pushes her to the brink. Of course, this newly raw and unhinged version of Annie is great for the advice column: the more she spins out, the more clicks and comments she gets.

But when she commits a ghastly social faux pas that goes viral, she’s forced to confront the question: is she really any better than the cutthroat parents she always judged?

A shimmering epistolary novel incorporating emails, group texts, advice columns, newspaper profiles, and more, Plays Well with Others is a whip-smart, genuinely funny romp through the minefield of modern motherhood. But beneath its fast-paced, satirical veneer, Brickman gives us a fresh, open-hearted, all-too-real take on what it means to be a parent—fierce love, craziness, and all.

More Details

Contributors

Brickman, Sophie Author
Kaminsky, Eva Narrator

ISBN

9780063371200
9780063371248

Subjects

Advice columnists -- Fiction
Competition (Psychology) -- Fiction
Fiction
Humor (Fiction)
Interpersonal relations -- Fiction
Kindergarten -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction
Literature
Mothers -- Fiction
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
Parenthood -- Fiction
Parenting -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction

Discover More

Summary

Video And Music

Video Games

About The Author

Look Inside

Series

Professional Reviews

Also Available As

Awards and Honors

Browse Shelf

Similar Titles From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.

Living the dream: a novel - Berry, Lauren

These books have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; the subject "city life"; and characters that are "sympathetic characters."

Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty: a novel - Weisberger, Lauren

These books have the subjects "mothers," "options, alternatives, choices," and "mothers and daughters."

Class mom: a novel - Gelman, Laurie

These books have the appeal factors sardonic, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child"; and characters that are "flawed characters."

The good part: a novel - Cousens, Sophie

These books have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "options, alternatives, choices."

Sociable: a novel - Harrington, Rebecca

These books have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; and the subjects "social media" and "internet."

Friends and strangers: a novel - Sullivan, J. Courtney

These books have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "social media"; and characters that are "flawed characters" and "sympathetic characters."

Grown ups: a novel - Unsworth, Emma Jane

These books have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "social media"; and characters that are "flawed characters."

Want: a novel - Strong, Lynn Steger

These books have the subjects "mothers" and "motherhood"; and characters that are "flawed characters," "sympathetic characters," and "complex characters."

Weather: a novel - Offill, Jenny

These books have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; and characters that are "flawed characters" and "complex characters."

The seven day switch: a novel - Harms, Kelly

These books have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child"; and characters that are "sympathetic characters."

Happy & you know it - Hankin, Laura

These books have the appeal factors sardonic, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; and the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "social media."

Tracy Flick can't win: a novel - Perrotta, Tom

These books have the appeal factors sardonic, irreverent, and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies."

Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.

Hess, Amanda, (Journalist)

These authors' works have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "social media."

Pinneo, Sarah

These authors' works have the appeal factors sardonic and upbeat, and they have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child."

Crawford, Catherine, 1972-

These authors' works have the appeal factors upbeat and amusing, and they have the subjects "mothers," "parent and child," and "parenthood."

Krugel, Mareike, 1977-

These authors' works have the appeal factors sardonic, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child"; and characters that are "introspective characters."

Rorick, Kate, 1978-

These authors' works have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; and the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child."

Kuzmic, Kristina

These authors' works have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child."

Gelman, Laurie

These authors' works have the appeal factors sardonic, and they have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child."

Wainwright, Holly

These authors' works have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child."

Middleton, Jo

These authors' works have the subjects "social media," "parenthood," and "child rearing."

Frankel, Laurie

These authors' works have the appeal factors sardonic and witty, and they have the genre "satire and parodies"; the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "parent and child"; and characters that are "flawed characters" and "complex characters."

Jefferson, Anna

These authors' works have the subjects "mothers," "motherhood," and "mother and child."

Glass, George S.

These authors' works have the appeal factors upbeat and accessible, and they have the subjects "mothers," "parent and child," and "parenthood."

Published Reviews

Booklist Review

Annie Lewin has her hands full. She's taking care of three young children, her venture-capitalist husband is increasingly absent, and her job as a parent-advice columnist at a fledgling website is not exactly the hard-hitting journalism she did earlier in her career. And if that's not enough, she now has to enter the uber-competitive world of kindergarten admissions for her son, Sam. That pressure paired with a rivalry with another mom at the school, a wealthy and successful divorce attorney, pushes Annie over the edge, and soon she's writing snarky, honest and unfiltered advice in her column. Her readers embrace this new side of Annie, but will she go too far and jeopardize her son's spot? This biting commentary on the travails of modern parenthood is perfect for fans of Laurie Gelman and Laura Zigman, and for those who appreciate funny portraits of imperfect women.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

Booklist Reviews

Library Journal Reviews

Brickman's (Baby, Unplugged) fiction debut receives a 100K-copy first printing. The epistolary novel, told through emails, texts, and more, satirizes viciously competitive NYC parenting, as Annie Lewin judges her fellow moms in her advice column—but then finds herself going to great lengths to secure a kindergarten spot for her own son. Prepub Alert. Copyright 2024 Library Journal

LJ Express Reviews

DEBUT Brickman's first novel (after Baby, Unplugged) centers on parenting and mental health, but in epistolary fiction full of warmth, emotions, and humor. Annie was an arts writer for the New York Times, but having three kids in four years means taking a job writing a parenting column for an internet startup. Her editor obsesses about clicks, and Annie's anxiety about her own parenting skills sends her into occasional panic attacks. Living on Manhattan's Upper East Side brings its own special kind of pressure; now that her oldest is four, that means getting him into the right school for kindergarten and life. Her nemesis is Belinda, a fierce divorce lawyer who regularly gets her digs in as their kids compete for entry into the top schools. Annie's husband is busy making money and figures he can start parenting in about a decade, leaving Annie to wonder if she'll make it until then. Told through her parenting columns, text chains replete with emojis, school newsletters, and more, the story eventually implodes into a glorious, satisfying ending. VERDICT One doesn't have to be a young mom to appreciate this hilarious look at family life in a big city. It should appeal to readers who enjoy Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Laurie Gelman, or Laura Zigman.—Stacy Alesi

Reviews from GoodReads

Loading GoodReads Reviews.

Staff View

Loading Staff View.

ALERT: Maintenance and Upgrades at Central Library

Navigation