Another depressing bookclub book. (view spoiler)[ The reviews I read that said the ending was happy lied (hide spoiler)]. 
 I've always thought of my family as pretty poor communicators when it comes to talking about feelings, but these guys make us look like John Gottman proteges. The parents are self-centered and oblivious to anyone else's feelings. The kids just bury emotions and make the problems worse. Marilyn's assertion that she has two choices, doctor or mother, made me twitchy (so many other jobs she could have found - what exactly was she doing with herself all day?), and who the fuck leaves their small children and husband without so much as a note and thinks it's for their own good?