The premise, which delves into questions of Daphne’s parentage as well as her romantic past and future, is old-fashioned, sometimes to a point requiring some generosity from the reader ... Daphne comes across as a bit primly Victorian, prickly and unyielding. But Lipman dresses the plot up with contemporary cultural touches ... Good Riddance is a caper novel, light as a feather and effortlessly charming. It will not save lives or enrich them in an enduring way... But the book inspires a very specific kind of modern joy. I read it fast, in a weekend, during which I did not find my social media accounts or tidying my house nearly as diverting as what was on these pages. Being more attractive than Twitter may sound like a low bar, but in these distractible times, it feels like a genuine achievement.
True to form, Ms. Lipman blends a pair of highly appealing love stories into this farrago. The author has long been one of our wittiest chroniclers of modern-day romance ... the most touching subplot in Good Riddance follows Daphne’s widowed father’s intrepid attempts to rejoin the dating scene ... Ms. Lipman’s writing is brisk and intelligent, and if the plot of this novel is zanier than her usual fare, that too may show just how plugged-in she is to our farfetched times.
... [Lipman is] pulling off a clever trick, though it may not be evident until the last page ... The characters in Good Riddance don’t necessarily develop ... It would be easy, and not messy at all, to say this isn’t Lipman’s best novel ... However, when you come to the end of Good Riddance, you might disagree, and you’ll definitely be delighted. Can an entire book function as a shaggy-dog story? My answer is yes, although for me that twist ending wasn’t necessarily worth the trip. What was: Lipman’s portrait of Daphne ... Despite her complaining, Daphne is an intriguing heroine, and if you love Lipman’s work, you may love her, too.
The question of who gets to tell one’s own story lies at the heart of Lipman’s smart, sassy, and satisfying rom-com. Luckily for fans of contemporary women’s fiction, the answer is Lipman as she once again delivers a tightly woven, lightly rendered, but insightfully important novel of the pitfalls to be avoided and embraced on one’s path to self-discovery.
What a charming, benevolent novel this is. Beyond a few neurotic narcissists, there’s not a true villain in sight. Still, author Elinor Lipman has managed to contrive a credible narrative, filled with plot twists that miraculously resolve themselves by the end of this bonbon of a book ... makes for lively reading, and it’s not hard to imagine it as a rom-com, with a funny, beautiful heroine and her dashing confidante ... Whatever the eventual medium, Lipman's audience is in for a delectable treat.
An interesting combination of comedy styles ... the end result is pretty original and interesting – sometimes a black comedy that leans heavily on squirmy discomfort, sometimes a touching comedic pastiche, sometimes simply a story of a New York transplant learning how to live like an adult ... The plot is twisty but the last fifty pages (mostly) peter out of plot with the major conflict resolved, leaving sub plots to be tied up with neat strokes and plot twists that don’t really fit with the resolution of the main plotline. This is a feature more than a flaw, but it’s noticeable ... Yet Daphne’s long journey back to her mother – and to forgiveness – is a delightful little trip that’s for the most part quite a funny ride. Sophisticated and bawdy, silly and touching, Good Riddance is an enjoyable read.
It's pretty silly, and very contrived, but this author has a black belt in silly contrivance and a faithful horde of fans who are looking for just that. Au courant elements like an investigative podcast serial, the television show Riverdale, and online courses for becoming a chocolatier add a fresh twist to the proceedings ... Lipman's narrative brio keeps things moving at a good clip.
Lipman’s satisfying latest is a worthy addition to her long lineup of smart, witty novels ... In a lesser writer’s hands, the plot could have devolved into a soapy mess, but Lipman ably turns it into a charming romantic comedy. Lipman complements Daphne, Tom, and Geneva with a stellar cast of supporting characters (especially Jeremy, the sexy actor across the hall) and intelligent and lyrical prose, making this novel a delightful treat readers will want to savor.
