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Book Review of All We Ever Wanted Was Everything

All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
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Despite the fact that the cover blurbs promise "a razor-sharp critique of the absurd expectations" of modern affluence, this is merely a story of three women who each loses something of value and has to figure out whether it was really worth all that much to begin with.

Janice loses her husband of 29 years and her title of World's Perfect Silicon Valley Wife, and then is threatened with being denied half her soon-to-be ex's windfall IPO profits.

Eldest daughter Margaret loses her boyfriend and the magazine she has struggled to start goes down the tubes when an anticipated merger falls through.

And 14-year-old Lizzie loses a ton of weight, her virginity, and her reputation.

After setting this triple-play into motion, Brown slows down the pace until the last 50 pages or so drag on interminably. If you've already invested your time up to this point, you might as well hang on for the final denouement, but you probably ought to pack a lunch. It's a long haul.