Kaethe Cherney's "Happy as Larry" is a coming-of-age story set in the grimy glamour of 1970s New York City. Narrated by Saskia, a teenager grappling with the sudden loss of her father, the novel takes us on a journey through personal growth amidst family chaos. The story unfolds as Saskia's family crumbles. Financial woes force them to move to a seedier part of town, and her older siblings become entangled with a controversial cult, the "Sullivanians." Saskia, meanwhile, is left to navigate the complexities of adolescence, first crushes, and a search for normalcy in a world turned upside down. The plot might feel slow at times, focusing more on character development than fast-paced action.

Overall, Happy as Larry is a captivating novel that offers a poignant look at family, loss, and finding your way in a world that can be both harsh and beautiful.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for being so kind and allowing me to receive a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, where do I even begin? This book broke my heart into pieces.

So first of all, I’d actually downloaded this book because of it’s title; Happy as Larry: A New York Story of Cults, Crushes and Quaaludes.
I myself love books about cults, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, and this novel is based on a New York cult: the Sullivanians. I had previously never heard of that cult so I became curious!

But it’s not only about a cult, this book is about SO much more. It’s about heartbreak, surviving teenage years while grieving, the “nuclear family” dynamic and the consequences of it breaking.
On top of that it portrays New York in the seventies! Which I personally found very interesting.

Trigger warnings:
Also, important to note is that the novel is written in the third perspective as we follow the main protagonist around, Saskia. It also deals with triggering subjects such as: grief, sexual assault, drug use and miscarriage.

The story:
Saskia, at first glance, has it all: the powerful nuclear family, the lovely siblings, but most importantly; she has a very bright future ahead of her. But what happens when her family goes trough a very heartbreaking loss, and will they survive the challenges that are passing them like tornadoes, waiting to break anything and everything that’s in their way, after their family of five becomes a family of four.

Thoughts:
I loved it, I cried, and I will definitely recommend this well written masterpiece to anyone who wants to learn more about the “nuclear family”, the Sullivanians cult and New York in the seventies.

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

I really enjoyed this novel and it's many complexities. Saskia is left to pick up the pieces when her father unexpectedly passes away. Her mother tries to find herself through a series of conquests and delves back into an adolescence of sorts. Her siblings respond by joining the Sullivanians and become inaccessible to her. New York circa 1970 becomes Saskia's playground. This novel is gritty and definitely captures the emotions and the trials that she goes through trying to come of age with no guidance. I really felt that this book was original and I have never read anything like this before. Thanks for the ARC. NetGalley.

Happy As Larry is a tragic, heartbreaking novel told through the eyes of a teenage girl who has just lost her father. Saskia’s world falls apart when her siblings move out and join a cult, her mother becomes involved with other men, and she uses drugs to forget her pain. A family drama about relationships, growing pains, and redemption.

Saskia bears the brunt of her father’s death and tries desperately to keep the family together. She is the only one who acts like an adult as her mother runs off with other men, her grandmother is non-existent, and her siblings abandon her. The reader roots for Saskia as she tries to escape her messy life, making it right again.

I loved this story set in the 70s, the voice of Saskia as she discovers herself. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it.

I don't have many words for this book. I didn't know what I was walking into with reading it. It was very well written, a great coming of age story that deals a lot with grief. I don't do well with grief so I can definitely feel where the main character Saskia was coming from. I feel like the author touched on the subject very well and didn't make it too hard to bear. It felt very real to me and something I could relate with. I received this advanced copy for my own reivew.

Written as fiction but take from the authors true life experiences this book is a love letter to NYC (it all its glamour and grit) and to finding yourself no matter how challenging the journey is. Saskia’s whole life is blown up when her dad dies suddenly. Her mother loses her way and becomes less and less of a mother, her siblings join a cult in NYC and she begins a descent into drug use qnd self loathing. To tell you it has a happy ending would be kinda lying and cutting out the journey that makes any ending meaningful. Suffice it to say that this book will take you on an emotional journey, have you googling NyC in the 70’s and reminding yourself to be gentle with yourself and others in crisis.

I simply adored this book!

While I don't have personal experience with cults, quaaludes, or even a parental cycle of bad boyfriends, there was so much that resonated with my own personal loss and the feelings that emerge when you have a parent with codependent tendencies. The feelings of displacement, loss, insufficiency, and parentification absolutely were on point.

The title is a clever tongue-in-cheek British/Australian expression meaning "extremely happy". When Saskia's father Larry dies unexpectedly, there is anything but extreme happiness in the Soyer household. Her mother Meredith, and her siblings Toby and Naomi all struggle with their loss in complex and unhealthy ways, so much so, that you can hardly express where blame for one person begins and blame for another ends.

While I understand that this book is a memoir with considerable liberties, the emotions of this book are very real. I would strongly recommend for all readers!

An interesting read, however it was a little slow paced for me. It did keep my engaged throughout thigh!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

The writing was clear and professional but for me, the pacing of the story was too slow to hold my attention. I wanted more drama instead of such subtle events. A good choice for a different type of reader!

Absolutely fantastic! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone I know!

This was a great book. The beautifully written prose kept me in its grasp from the first sentence until the last. Part of the time I felt like I was morbidly watching a train wreck, but I cared enough about Saskia to keep rooting for her. I thought the ending fit the story perfectly. Highly recommended!