I'm afraid I didn't like this at all. I'm a big fan of Mad Men, but I found this awkwardly written, uninteresting and sexist. It's also more of a short story than a novel. I wouldn't be likely to recommend this to people who like Mad Men, but I'm sure it will be very popular anyway.

What to say about this book? It was dark. It was good. The author keeps it brief and that prevents the topic from being too perverse to stomach. Lots of innuendos that keep you guessing. Overall, I'm not sure I enjoyed it but it was a good read.

Well, its not Mad Men. This novella read like a story right out of New Yorker Magazine. Very well drawn characterization of a New York family in crisis. However, the central conflict between the family and the "worker" stalking their daughter is  not believable and the resolution of the crisis is not believable. Matthew Weiner probably has a great novel in him but this is clearly not it. (Review posted in Goodreads)

I am suffering with an attack of major disappointment.  I am a huge fan of Matthew Weiner (devoted to MAD MEN), so this book came as quite a shock.  It is amateurish and predictable.  There is no real character development, the plot is not only not twisted and exciting, it is dull and absurd. 

Heather, the beautiful child of a clichéd NY couple, is viewed by a sexual pervert, who her father can tell just by looking at him, and he decides that the man must die.  He conveniently murders him and saves his daughter and his marriage, and will probably never get caught.

Is this a book?  Is it a short story?  Is it a treatment for a TV show?  Whatever it is, it is simply dreadful.

I have been a Matthew Weiner fan ever since Mad Men settled deep into my brain, inhabiting my subconscious and informing how I absorb character development. So when I heard he was writing a novel, I was beyond excited. The pace of Mad Men, after all, was the pace of a novel. So I had very high hopes. 

This novella length book tells the story of a wealthy New York couple, their daughter, Heather and the recently released from prison sociopath that crosses their path. In true Matthew Weiner-ish description, the summary of this book here on Goodreads and elsewhere is sparse and totally not revealing (remember the previews for episodes of Mad Men??) and I wouldn't dream of providing any spoilers here. 

I don't want to say that I'm disappointed in the book as a whole; the story is gripping and tense and will engage pretty much everyone. The writing is sparse and reminded me a lot of Hemingway with its economy. I also liked the character studies of each of the four main characters. Weiner manages to tell us a lot by revealing a little at a time.

However, there were aspects that I found off putting. There are a couple of descriptions of the women in the book that I found a tad sexist in an almost cliched way. The characters were fully realized which helped make up for that. However, I did find myself cringing at some of the women in the book's motivations. It left a slightly bad taste in my mouth. 

Overall, the story is not at all what I expected, which can be a good thing. I would be interested to see if he would be writing any more novels or short stories. I did get the sense that he could probably do more justice to a short story format than a longer format.

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.  In this short novel, Matthew Werner does something that fans of his show Mad Men have known all along; he excells at revealing the ugly truth that lurks below the surface of normality. "Heather, the Totality" is a story of obsession. This is a very American story in which a couple focused on their careers and success lose themselves and become unrecognizable when they have a daughter. Their story is told alongside the story of a man whose life is vastly different and darker than our success driven couple. Their stories inevitably collide and come to a somewhat foreseen conclusion which revolves around the obsession and perfection they desire. Heather, the Totality's plot is fast paced making for a very intriguing and exciting read. While the characters are not very likable, they are relatable and on a long spectrum of damage. I devoured this book in one sitting and I'm excited for Its publication for a good reread!

4 stars: really enjoyed the story and pacing of this book. Can't wait to read more from this author. The voice the author used to tell the story connected with me well. Thumbs up!!