The Vacationers Summary
Emma Straub

The Vacationers Overview

The Vacationers by Emma Straub is a deceptively simple family drama that tackles serious emotional issues. The novel is the diary of the Post family's fourteen-day Mallorca vacation, but the Posts are anything but beach-ready. Jim and Franny are dealing with infidelity. Their daughter Sylvia is looking for a way to rewrite her life before she goes off to college. Their son Bobby comes to Spain with his irritable girlfriend Carmen and a huge debt, and Franny's best friend Charles seeks to adopt a baby with his husband Lawrence. Woven throughout the novel are major themes such as new beginnings, family, and the safety of routine; and the author Straub uses strong language and symbolism, especially with sex and the lure of attraction, to communicate her universal truths about family, forgiveness, and strength,