The Most Fun We Ever Had

The Most Fun We Ever Had is a novel written by Claire Lombardo and published in 2019. Set in the suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, it follows three generations of the fictional Sorenson family, concentrating on Marilyn and David and their four adult daughters. The novel centers around themes such as the stability of family bonds, the difficulties that arise when family members rigidly define each other, and the effects a strong partnership has on one’s children.

This guide is based on the 2019 Anchor Books paperback edition.

Content Warning: This guide discusses the novel’s exploration of depression, stillbirth, substance misuse, eating disorders, and its brief mention of death by suicide.

Plot Summary

The Most Fun We Ever Had is a fictional family saga about the Sorenson family. The primary focus of the novel is one year in the family’s life during the 21st century, but a large portion of the family’s story is told in interludes that begin in the 1970s and move toward the present day.

The matriarch and patriarch of the Sorenson family are Marilyn and David. The two fall in love and marry when they are in school, and Marilyn quickly becomes pregnant with their oldest daughter, Wendy. Less than a year later, Violet is born.