There’s Going To Be Trouble is beautifully written and extremely complex. I am a fan of dual timelines, especially when they are well done and Jen Silverman did an excellent job. TGTBT weaves Christopher’s story from 1968 in with his daughters, Minnow, story in 2018 showcasing the many parallels while allowing them to be their own stories. I will never understand how Silverman was able to weave together two stories happening in different generations with family ties while including not only romance but also a large range of political topics. The characters were well thought out and the pacing made me unable to stop reading.

A side note - the cover is amazing, I cannot wait to put this one on my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for letting me read this early!

Thanks to the kind folks at NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of this book.

Usually a sucker for a dual timeline, this one just didn't do it for me. Perhaps it's all the French. Or perhaps I simply didn't like any of the characters. But I'm thinking about it after I've read it and that always means something. Plus the ending is better than the beginning IMHO.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC read, which I received in exchange for my free and unbiased review of Jen Silverman’s There’s Going to be Trouble.

Wow. What a timely novel of political protest, abortion rights, late stage capitalism, family, and those who seek change in a broken world. Silverman has Crafted a tour de force, a novel, with nearly perfect pacing, one that had me turning pages as she sustains its narrative from the first page to the last. I had no signs of any lulls in this book. My sense is that that pacing for something to do with the structure of two protagonists: Minerva/Minnow/Minou, and her father Keene/Christopher Hunter. As the narrative oscillates between Christopher‘s relationship with Olya in 1968 and the political protest at Harvard with which they were involved, and forward to Minnow’s life in Paris, relationship with Charles, and political protests in that city, the pace is driven forward by their respective relationships, their mutual attempts to make enduring change world, and the political protest themselves.

As if that structural choice weren’t complex and clever enough, Silverman centers, Minnow’s reason for having to move to Paris in the first place in the middle of the novel. For the first half of the novel, there are only these hints at some thing having gone wrong in Minnow’s teaching job back in the United States, and her ultimately having to quit her job. But when we arrive at the middle of the novel, we learn that what caused her to have to quit her job was that she had agreed to drive a 16 year-old student to an abortion clinic across state lines. In that moment, as a reader, you.realize that Silverman has given us is a post -Roe world comparison of abortion, access, morality, and attitudes in the United States versus a country like France. When Minnow tells her boyfriend Charles in Paris, the reason that she had to leave the United States, his reaction is, “you can get in trouble for that?” It’s such a foreign concept to Charles and others that Minnow encounters in Paris that abortion rights are not assumed and automatic in the United States but also that somebody would be pilloried in the media and forced to quit their job over helping to take a woman to an abortion clinic. As it turns out, Minnow’s life is destroyed in the United States by protests nationally and in her very conservative former State, who publicly deride her, send her death threats, and even stalk her.

What Silverman really seems to be working through here is the cost-benefit of political protest, the individual and collective ability to create change through protest, or not, and the ethics of standing up for what you believe in. And, I find it so compelling that she doesn’t just give pat answers. Her characters really struggle with the rights and wrongs of these questions. Each of her characters is deeply conflicted and finding their way, just like actual humans do. And so for that, this book urns for me, one of my rare five star ratings. I think it’s going to be a really prominent important and best-selling novel when it comes out. Applause to Silverman for crafting a narrative that has enduring value and is intensely readable. I could not put it down.

In 1968 chemistry lab worker Keen is pulled into anti-war and other student demonstrations by an exuberant Olga. Their love affair will have consequences. Fifty years later in 1981, Minnow in Paris as a teacher gets caught up with anti government demonstrations against Macron's unpopular policies.

The two stories come together at the end of this literary novel about protests, youth demonstrations, and the question of how or whether they change anything they are against. by these protests.

I see this novel as about characters who change and grow and find meaning during those two turbulent times of demonstrations, rather than the significance of the demonstrations themselves. There are graphic descriptions, however, about the violence against the protestors by the police.

The pace is slow in most of the book and I had to keep reading to find the meaning and/or relevance of the characters' lives.

How do you build a house when all the building blocks are rotted through?

In 2018 the giletes jeunes protests are in full swing. Minnow is living in self-chosen exile in Paris, after a series of events led to her formerly unassuming life as a high school teacher becoming a matter of national debate. Now she's working at a university, and finds herself inextricably tied up in the protests as she begins a relationship with a young professor and activist. In 1969, protests against the vietnam war are rising, as Keen, a masters student, is trying to live a quiet unassuming life until he gets caught up in the protests after falling in love with a young activist. Switching mostly chapter by chapter between the two time periods and perspectives, we follow Keen and Minnow, father and daughter, as they make the same mistakes and struggle to try to get by in times of political and romantic upheaval.

I received this as an advanced readers copy from netgalley, mostly because I was trying to get a copy of J. Michael Stracynzki's new book. I did not succeed. I am grateful to have received this one though, and I genuinely really enjoyed it, but oh boy does netgalley's ereader app really suck. You cannot adjust the size of the font, and if you can make notes or bookmarks then I never found out how. Worst though, is that one wrong touch on the screen and it would jump around the book. This isn't a case where it would go back a page or so, but rather a full dozen pages, or forward a similar amount. Drove me crazy, but some finicky user interfaces are worth it to get to read a book this good.

There's Going to Be Trouble is about love and life during contentious times of political upheaval. Neither Minnow or Keen are people who see themselves as revolutionaries, they are quiet people who live quiet lives, but they fall into this due to a combination of falling in love with someone involved, and merely because they make choices hoping their the right ones. And of all the many things this book is about I think understanding people and the choices they make is a big part of it. It is not, per-se, a work of politics so much as a story about people caught in politics as the political becomes inextricable from the everyday.

There's Going to Be Trouble a beautifully written, wise and moving story that is inflicted all the way through with a sense of dread. Minnow, Keen, Charles and Olya are all people struggling to try to make sense of this world and find their place in it, and they are all to some extent failing, but their failure is for the same reason we all fail. We're broken. How do you make a house if the wood is rotted through? Do you give up and say it's broken? Do you try to let your life be quietly revolutionary? Or do you fight for that better future regardless? As Minnow later observes, a rotten house is better that no. Undoubtedly part of the reason society is broken is because we are, but that does not mean we couldn't build a better society, a better system, for all us broken people. One that tries to help us instead of exploiting the brokenness of the many for the gain of the few who have learned to play it like a game. We are the the contention ourselves, the world resides within us, but the inviolate future also resides within us and it's within us to try to make it.

I only got a little bit through this book but it was about to expire so I returned it. Looking forward to reading more of it. The storyline has me intrigued and I wonder how they both connect or even if they do at all.

Provocative, philosophical, and tense - There’s Going to Be Trouble is a gripping read.

In 2018, Minnow finds herself starting a new life in Paris after getting caught up in a scandal in the U.S. 50 years earlier in Boston, graduate student Keen finds himself utterly intrigued by Olya, an outspoken activist. Told in alternate timelines, we see how Minnow’s and Keen’s stories find similar arcs and how they face similar moral and intellectual dilemmas.

I was immediately captivated by Minnow and eventually warmed up to Keen as well. The writing is sharp and the stories unfold and intertwine beautifully with some surprises along the way (all while asking and not always answering questions about what it means and what it costs to stand for something).

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this excellent novel.

"Why did nobody tell me this before?" she wondered, walking back to her car in the long, late shadows of the afternoon. "My whole life, everybody just told me to watch out-- for bad men, trouble, danger. Why did nobody tell me I could be dangerous too?"

There's Going To Be Trouble flashes back and forward in time between Minnow, in 2018, a 30-something teacher living in Paris and falling in love with a French activist in the midst of the mouvement des gilets jaunes, and her father Christopher, in 1968, a phD student at Harvard falling in love with an activist during anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. I am fascinated by questions of nature versus nurture, and the parallels and differences between the two narrators emphasize just that-- how much of Minnow's behavior and worldview is both shaped by and in opposition to her father? How much of how Christopher raised her was shaped by and in opposition to the journey he goes on during his own political awakening? Or how much was a genetic predisposition that they shared anyway? They both deal with trauma, violence, large-scale political upheaval, and love in complex, messy, human ways. I loved that in this (as in Silverman's first novel We Play Ourselves), the characters are allowed to wrestle with their moral centers and with acts of violence and destruction in a nuanced, human way. I also was drawn in by the novel's dual love stories, both of which were quiet and private even though they were playing out in conjunction with large-scale political moments. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!

"There's Going to Be Trouble" by Jen Silverman is a captivating and emotionally charged novel that weaves together two interconnected stories across different generations. This thought-provoking narrative explores the consequences of personal decisions, political activism, and the enduring impact of family secrets.

The novel introduces us to Minnow, a woman who has always lived a private and apolitical life, following the example set by her father. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when a single decision to help a student thrusts her into a scandal in her small town. As tensions escalate, Minnow becomes the target of vandalism and death threats, forcing her to flee to Paris, where she finds herself in a passionate and intense relationship with Charles, a young French activist. The story delves into the complexities of their love and the risks it poses, especially given Charles's involvement in radical activism.

Simultaneously, the narrative takes us back to 1968, where we meet Keen, a man trying to avoid the Vietnam draft by pursuing a PhD at Harvard. He becomes entangled in the world of political activism when he falls in love with Olya, a passionate community organizer. Keen's story explores his transformation from a detached observer to an active participant in the student movements of the late sixties.

The intertwining of Minnow's and Keen's stories adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The novel masterfully captures the spirit of two tumultuous periods in history—the late sixties and the modern world—and explores themes of love, revolution, legacy, and the enduring consequences of hidden family secrets.

Jen Silverman's writing is both evocative and thought-provoking, drawing readers into the lives of these compelling characters. The novel's suspenseful and emotionally charged plot keeps you engaged from beginning to end.

"There's Going to Be Trouble" is a powerful exploration of personal and political choices and their far-reaching consequences. It is a testament to the enduring impact of love, activism, and the hidden truths that shape our lives. This novel is highly recommended for readers who enjoy emotionally resonant stories that tackle complex themes with depth and sensitivity.

DNF - Though I enjoyed the first little bit of this story, I wasn't able to fully appreciate the majority of it. I struggled to motivate myself to read & found the back/forth sections lacking in actual substance.

Wild cover and the story is just as good! Made me think and I really had to focus because it’s very wordy. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I always enjoy broadening my perspective.

Great Author, Great Story, Loved it more than her others. A great book for a lazy weekend afternoon for an escape. Thanks

4.5 stars - A wonderfully written story about a woman who's engagement in political activism in Paris unintentionally echo her father's exhilarating and tragic experiences protesting in Cambridge 50 years earlier. The book alternates between Minerva's and her father Keen's timelines and does a great job mirroring their respective experiences with politics and falling in love with someone who might not be the best for them. The book does touch on some real historical and more recent political demonstrations, but most of the events described are fictional albeit not far from reality. I enjoyed the questions and ideas the book posed, although it might not be for everyone especially if you're not interested in radical politics. A lot of the characters' conversations reminded me of similar conversations in Birnam Wood, although that book was decidedly much less optimistic and more theatrical than There's Going to Be Trouble.

Overall, I would recommend to anyone interested in progressive politics, especially if you've struggled with the current political climate. The struggle for a better world has always been present in society but it doesn't mean that nothing has improved.

There's Going to Be Trouble is a very intriguing title to a beautifully written book. Although I enjoyed the descriptive nature of Jen Silverman's writing, I don't think this book was for me. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the subject matter as much as I was hoping. I'm not big on protests and such and didn't realize how much of the book would revolve around politics. I typically enjoy books for escapism purposes, so I had to be in the right mood to pick this one up. As an American who has never been to Paris, I found myself struggling to understand some of the places and terms, but I don't think this is too large of a deterrent for the average reader.

I did enjoy the back and forth of timelines between daughter (2018) and father (1968), as well as the complicated relationships and romance. Silverman does a great job of making you feel like you're watching a movie play out as you read. A good book for fans of complicated love stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

Thank you Random House for my Netgalley copy of THERE’S GOING TO BE TROUBLE by Jen Silverman, out 4/9/24!

This may be in my top reads of the year! I loved this book - it’s everything I love in a novel. It has both French and American history, multiple love affairs, radical activism for the working class, time jumps, dualing POV’s that make sense around the halfway mark and family above all.

The overarching theme: The course of your life can change with one split-second decision.

Minnow has always tried to lead the life her single father modeled—private, quiet, hardworking, apolitical. So she is rocked when an instinctive decision to help a student makes her the extremely public face of a scandal in the small town where she teaches. As tensions rise, vandalism and death threats follow, and an overwhelmed Minnow flees to a teaching position in Paris.

There, Minnow falls into an exhilarating and all-consuming relationship with Charles, a young Frenchman whose activism has placed him at odds with his powerful family. As Minnow is pulled into the daring protest Charles and his friends are planning, she unknowingly draws close to repeating a secret tragedy from her family's past. For her father wasn’t always the restrained, conservative man he appears today. There are things he has taken great pains to bury from his family and from the world.

In 1968, Keen is avoiding the Vietnam draft by pursuing a PhD at Harvard. He lives his life in the basement chemistry lab, studiously avoiding the news. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with Olya, a fiery community organizer, he is consumed by her world and loses sight of his own. Learning that his deferment has ended and he’s been drafted, Keen agrees to participate in the latest action that Olya is organizing—one with more dangerous and far-reaching consequences than he could have imagined.

The Vienam War and the activism of the late 60’s is a moment in time I am very intrigued by. Any book that tackles the heartbreak of this time in a way as good as this novel has my full attention. This book is smart, suspenseful, engaging and revolutionary. I loved every second of it and I didn’t want it to end.

It keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen to each character. And the main protagonists are SO enticing. I love their thoughts, I love their way of thinking, I love the way they are challenged and their growth is astronomical. The book leaves you thinking deeply about every aspect of your life and existence and the way the world works. Jen Silverman - you are amazing! I will read anything you write. I am going to be thinking about this one for a long time.

The title of this novel is so perfect. There is a feeling of dread woven through every scene, both the flashbacks to the 60's and the current contemporary times. Minnow (Minerva), is hiding in Paris. She made a decision that cost her her teaching job in the US and she is filling in for a friend during the tumultuous Macron protests. While she licks her wounds, she meet a young radical that intrigues her.

As we learn more of Minnow, she mentions her close relationship with her father. The alternating chapters are her father's story in the 60's as he studied at Harvard during the Vietnam war and became involved with a group of protestors. Their stories mirror each other without being too perfectly matched. The dread and tension grew and it actually reminded me of the one of my most favorite books - Atonement - I actually gasped out loud at some of the events!

Jen Silverman beautifully captures youth, age, protesting and some very big themes. I think that everyone will come away with a different opinion on the themes of this book, and that is just brilliant!

The catch phrase for the description of the book is "The course of your life can change with one split-second decision." As a teacher, in the age of social media, we all know this to be true.

Grab this book is you are an old lefty, a new radical, or just love beautiful writing!
#randomhouse #theresgoingtobetrouble #jensilverman

A beautiful story that I will remember for a long time and will be recommending enthusiastically. Protest culture in 1960s Cambridge, Mass and 2018 Paris are considered through stories of love, and I was completely engrossed in both timelines. The writing is beautiful and I am certainly going to add We Play Ourselves to the TBR. Jen Silverman has a new fan.

With some beautiful writing, Jen Silverman has written a very thought-provoking book. The story is written in an interesting style, with each chapter going from back and forth into the lives of a father and daughter and the choices they have made over the years, some of which have had very damaging consequences.

The book opens with Minnow as she is known in a protest in Paris. She had recently moved to Paris after having been asked to leave her teaching position in the US. While a teacher, Minnow took it upon herself to help a student and by doing so, caused a cascade of events that changed her life and caused her to flee. As she seems to be on the edge of life, she meets Charles, another teacher from her school who is French and younger.

Charles and Minnow become a couple, even though she was initially reluctant. He is from a well-connected family, and the two of them get lured into deeper protests and take radical actions in riots across Paris. Minnow seems energized by her relationship with Charles and the many protests. What bugs me about her character, is that she seems to not think through her actions to understand consequences.

Keen her father is another one who also got drawn into situations in life that had dire consequences. As a student at Harvard during the Vietnam war he gets involved with protests and falls in love with a girl that changes the course of his life. As a reaction to all that happened in his life, he buries himself into his work and his parenting of Minnow.

Overall, I think the story is fresh and compelling, but I just didn’t like the characters. I started off reading with a
bang then had to drag myself to finish. The book seemed to drag and I got lost in all the tear gas and at the end it just seems to lose steam. I liked so much of the writing, but what is the point of the story?

“There’s Going to be Trouble” by Jen Silverman is a thought provoking beautifully written book that kept me reading for two days straight. It is the story of a young woman who has an affair with a radical activist. She has to come to terms with her own scandalous past during the tragic & violent 60s era to today’s equally chaotic present world. This book is full of suspense, love, and sacrifice that force us to recognize the consequences of the choices we make and how it impacts the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a collection of stories that showcases the complexities of humanity and surprises the reader with unexpected turns. Silverman's writing style is both elegant and sincere, conveying deep emotions through concise language. Standing out the most is Silverman's talent for crafting memorable characters who seem as genuine as the people you encounter in everyday life. Whether it's the peculiar neighbor who always finds himself in trouble, the artist who has lost faith in their craft, or the unanticipated bond between strangers, each character is richly developed, instantly relatable, and captivating.

Silverman's stories dance along the lines of humor, poignancy, and the absurd. The blend of these elements keeps the reader engaged and invested from start to finish. While the collection traverses a range of themes and moods, there's a consistent thread of authenticity that ties everything together, making the stories resonate on a personal level.

I enjoyed this story very much and can attest to the author's ability able to pack an emotional punch that will leave you reflecting on the subtleties long after you've finished reading.