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We're All Damaged

by Matthew Norman

3.86 · Rating Details · 14,919 Ratings · 1,247 Reviews

Andy Carter was happy. He had a solid job. He ran 5Ks for charity. He was living a nice, safe Midwestern existence. And then his wife left him for a handsome paramedic down the street.

We’re All Damaged begins after Andy has lost his job, ruined his best friend’s wedding, and moved to New York City, where he lives in a tiny apartment with an angry cat named Jeter that isn’t

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Kindle Edition, 284 pages

Published June 1st 2016 by Little A

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Community Reviews

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May 05, 2016 Melki rated it really liked it

Shelves: humorous-fiction

Poor Andy!

He was dumped by his wife, in Applebee's, of all places, with Wham playing in the background! Tragic, eh? His mother is now a right-wing radio pundit - Nancy Knows - Always Right, Always Right! - and his befuddled dad is shooting squirrels with a paintball gun. Just when he thinks life can't get any worse . . . well, you know IT DOES!

Poor Matthew Norman!

His book will be compared ad infinitum to This is Where I Leave You . There are similarities: two male main characters recovering fr ...more

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May 03, 2016 Larry Hoffer rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-first

Matthew Norman aims for full-on Jonathan Tropper territory with his newest book, We're All Damaged . He doesn't quite hit that target, but the effort is still both funny and bittersweet.

"I don't have a problem with Applebee's per se. But I think we can all agree, as a civilized society, that lives shouldn't change there. Significant things should begin or end at Applebee's. You shouldn't walk into Applebee's as one thing and then leave as something else entirely."

When Andy Carter's wife ends th Matthew Norman aims for full-on Jonathan Tropper territory with his newest book, We're All Damaged . He doesn't quite hit that target, but the effort is still both funny and bittersweet.

"I don't have a problem with Applebee's per se. But I think we can all agree, as a civilized society, that lives shouldn't change there. Significant things should begin or end at Applebee's. You shouldn't walk into Applebee's as one thing and then leave as something else entirely."

When Andy Carter's wife ends their five-year marriage (at Applebee's), he is completely shocked, although he probably should have noticed the signs along the way. Their breakup throws Andy into a tailspin which results in him losing his job, ruining his best friend's wedding reception, and utterly crashing and burning. (At least the crashing part.) He flees his Omaha home for New York City, where he's the third-best bartender at a bar, removes himself from the social media grid, and he shares an apartment (at least sometimes) with Jeter, a cat with a nasty disposition.

But when Andy learns that his grandfather is dying, he must head back to Omaha, no matter how painful it all will be. And a lot has changed—his ex has moved in with her new boyfriend (a muscular paramedic named Tyler), his retired father spends his leisure time shooting squirrels with paintballs and defying the neighborhood rent-a-cop, and his conservative radio host mother is being courted by Fox News. Then there's also Daisy, the quirky stranger who is determined to make rebuilding Andy her latest project.

How do you pick yourself up again when your life as you know it has come crashing down? How do you save face in the wake of near-total public humiliation? And how do you keep from dwelling on all that has gone wrong, so you can focus on what is going right?

I really enjoyed We're All Damaged , even when I felt it tried a little too hard to be funny and edgy. I like the way Norman writes and he really created a motley crew of characters with both positive and negative attributes that (for the most part) were fun to read about. I thought a subplot involving the "Glitter Mafia" and marriage equality was unnecessary, and threw the book off track for me every time it came up, although I understand why Norman included it.

This book read a little bit like a movie and it definitely made me laugh from time to time. I think many of us have had some of the same feelings Andy has, although hopefully we've not had to experience the kind of outrageous incidents he did! A fun one to pick up...

Kindle First and Little A provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo.... ...more

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Jul 11, 2016 Zoeytron rated it liked it

Shelves: new-fangled-e-reader, kindle-first

There wasn't much sparkle here for me. It's a perfectly nice story about a man who continues to pine for his ex-wife a year after their divorce. She blindsided him at Applebee's over dinner by announcing she was tired of it all, finished with him. She moves on with her life, while Andy flounders miserably.

This was a Kindle First for the month of May, and I chose unwisely. It was just a little lighthearted and saccharin for my taste, although the garden gnome fiasco was amusing. The cover reminds ...more

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Feb 18, 2016 Jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, arc-egalley

I know that everyone’s family’s got issues. But sometimes it feels like it’s just you, like your family’s complicated baggage outweighs whatever anyone else has going on. I have definitely felt that way. I have had three different therapists throw up their hands in defeat when discussing my relationship with my father and say, “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m at a loss.” And yet, it was only relatively recently – over way too many margaritas with the half-sister who entered my life as an adul I know that everyone’s family’s got issues. But sometimes it feels like it’s just you, like your family’s complicated baggage outweighs whatever anyone else has going on. I have definitely felt that way. I have had three different therapists throw up their hands in defeat when discussing my relationship with my father and say, “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m at a loss.” And yet, it was only relatively recently – over way too many margaritas with the half-sister who entered my life as an adult – that I realized that he’s actually kind of “damaged” in the colloquial sense, that he probably could’ve used some therapy in his own right somewhere along the way, and that many of my own issues are directly descended from those issues that he left largely unaddressed. It kind of validated my neuroses a bit.

But! I am not the only one who feels that way. The idea that everyone’s kind of damaged is, not surprisingly, the central theme of this book. The title kind of hits that one right squarely on the head.

I was incredibly excited to grab a copy of this book off of Netgalley because I was so terribly fond of Norman’s first book, Domestic Violets . It was funny without being too wacky or too vulgar, it was heartwarming without being overly sentimental, and it was populated with realistic, complex, and empathetic characters with good intentions that sometimes go awry.

We’re All Damaged stays very much in the same vein as Violets. Andy’s a thirtysomething man who melted down when his wife left him for another man. He lost his insurance sales job, made an ass out of himself at his best friend’s wedding, and moved from Omaha to New York to work as the third-best bartender at a bar. He’s kind of a mess. Then he gets word that his grandfather doesn’t have much time left, and he reluctantly makes his way back to Omaha to say goodbye.

Home is a complicated place for Andy, where his mom’s a conservative talk radio host/aspiring Fox News star, his brother is kind of an unforgiving Alpha, Bluetooth-earpiece kind of dude, and his retired father is disengaged to the point where he spends his days shooting squirrels with paintballs. His ex-wife’s moved in with her new man and his former best friend hasn’t quite forgiven him just yet. While visiting his grandfather at the nursing home, Andy crosses paths with a young woman named Daisy who’s cryptically, overly invested in rebuilding this total stranger.

This book was funny and ultimately heartwarming without being too serious. If it were written by a female author, it would instantly be labelled “chick lit” (a label I revile). And it’s got a nice little nod to readers who loved Violets.

In some ways, this felt like it could have been a five-star read if it had gone through one or two more rounds of revisions. There’s some amazing insights to be had here, once you wade through all the wacky, and I loved the way Norman wrapped up everything at the end. But I was troubled by Daisy’s presence in this book. She barely rises above the cliché of Manic Pixie Dream Girl and her presence goes so thoroughly unexplained for so long that my Why the fuck is this character here?? frustration was at times hard to overcome. The gay marriage/Fox News stuff with Andy’s mom seemed a little too over the top for me, and we didn’t really get to plumb his father’s issues enough. It's a pleasant-enough read, but stops juuuuust short of Violets greatness. 3.5 stars, rounded up for an excellent ending.
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May 06, 2016 Matt rated it it was ok

I appreciate what the author attempts to show, but I expected better. The idea that everyone is (at least a little) fucked up resonates with me. I liked the writing style and the humor...but there's something about this book that irritated me. Perhaps it was the ballsy, tattooed heroine who comes to the narrator's rescue. She's the nerdy guy's femme fatale. I've seen her before, and I'm a little tired of it. Like a knight in shining armor, she devotes herself to the lonely, lame dude through no ...more

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May 02, 2016 Catherine McKenzie rated it it was amazing

Matt Norman does it again! Funny, thoughtful, fast-paced. Loved it.

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May 15, 2016 Gabriela rated it it was ok

Wow, talk about a book written rigorously to follow the Nice Guy and Manic Pixie Girl trope to a T.
I'll give Norman the advantage that a) his writing style is funny and b) there was an interesting plot somewhere buried all the terrible faux poetic analogies and Daisy's entire plot and purpose.
But this book was so...tepid. I am so tired of this narrative of "quirky" girls "saving" loser guys like our protagonist. Also, girls don't talk the way Daisy talks. Girls don't act the way Daisy acts. Only ...more

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May 05, 2016 Rick rated it it was amazing

Matthew Norman is a new-to-me writer and one whose work I will seek out in the future. He truly knows how to tell a heart-wrenching, heart-rending, heartbreaking and, at the same time, hilarious story peopled with very flawed, human characters you'll come to love.

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May 05, 2016 Liz rated it really liked it

This was a great mixture of hilarity and seriousness. It was like being transported to the good ole days of when sitcoms were the thing ( The Wonder years meets Parenthood). Great MCs and dialogue!!

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Apr 28, 2016 Bianca rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, women-s-fiction, netgalley, 3rd-person-narrative, us-author, contemporary, male-author

3.5 stars

I've requested this novel because of its title, as I like obvious truths. ;-) I imagined/expected it to be edgy and angsty. It so wasn't - serves me right for not reading the blurb.

'We're All Damaged' reads like a women's fiction novel, but this time, it's written by a man and the main character is Andy Carter, a recently divorced thirty-one-year-old, who's kind of lost. Andy is from Omaha and is a kind man. Albeit he's kind of boring, without much charm or an interesting personality. ...more

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May 01, 2016 Lee rated it it was amazing

I was getting kind of worried these last few months with the Kindle First picks. I seemed to have picked the duds of the bunch month after month. Now, BOOM! This book! I was about a third of the way in and started to get annoyed because I realized that I now have another author I will be putting on me "Keep Tabs on this Author" list.

The characters were interesting. I was sort of annoyed with Andy's friends and family at first. They all acted like they had their business on the up & up, and ...more

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May 05, 2016 Michaela marked it as to-read

Shelves: dnf

Well, I'm on page 61, but I'm worried I might be about to fall into a very cliche'd Manic Pixie Dream Girl story... guy meets strange girl after she sends him an anonymous note. she's covered in literary tattoos, drinking out of a hello kitty flask.

Here's the evidence:

"It's official... You, Andy, are now my motivation."
"What does that mean?"
"You've had a tough year," she says. "And I think I can help you."
"Help me with what?"
"Come back to life."

*sigh*

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Sep 28, 2016 Kate Moretti rated it it was amazing

I love Matthew Norman's voice and this book was the perfect break from suspense for me. I actually read this book while I was listening to Where'd You Go Bernadette. The novels have some parallels: great voice, witty main character, campy/fun/cringe-worthy plot twists, and stellar writing. It was fun without being cutesy, and I wanted to hug and strangle Andy in equal measure (and this was clearly the intention). A really fantastic light-but-not-fluffy read!

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Jun 22, 2016 David Stone rated it really liked it

Reading Matthew Norman reminds me of how much I miss Jonathan Tropper, who has expatriated to Hollywood, hopefully only temporarily surrendering his novelist's fedora for the tinseled party hat of a screenwriter. While there are numerous, wondrous female writers who expertly wordsmith about the trials and tribulations of contemporary adult women, women of higher education, of vocational ambition, of complicated family and love life, there are few male novelists who are writing treasures like Tro ...more

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May 21, 2016 Brian Rothbart rated it it was amazing

This is by far the best book I have read this year. It made me laugh out loud and it made me tear up. This book truly hit home. I felt like I was reading a story about my own life. Sure, there are some cliches, and we have seen some of this before in other books and movies but it works so well, even the ending. You really feel for these characters.

"Imagine watching the saddest scene of the saddest movie you can think of. A real tearjerker. . . . Now imagine watching that scene over and over aga ...more

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Jul 10, 2016 Heather Fineisen rated it really liked it

Shelves: blog-tour, tlc-tours

This a short, amusing novel that has it's moments of poignancy. There is political commentary, marriage turmoil, failed and rekindled friendships , suburban satire and a blind date. For a quick read, the dialogue flows and the timing between lines and scenes is nearly perfect. Norman's writing is so tight I can see this as a screenplay. There are even cute little squirrels with obscene paw gestures. If you want to read something that will put a smile on your face but is also heartwarming, this i ...more

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May 02, 2016 alex rated it it was ok

Shelves: fun-reads, kindle-first

Judging by the mostly glowing reviews and 5-Star ratings 'We're All Damaged' received on both Amazon and Goodreads, I started to feel like maybe I was missing something when the book and its main characters left me rolling my eyes in annoyance. I waited about a week before writing this review (and a few months before posting it because I forgot about it) in order to truly process my thoughts. Am I being unnecessarily harsh with my 2-Star rating? Why is everyone raving over a book that I honestly Judging by the mostly glowing reviews and 5-Star ratings 'We're All Damaged' received on both Amazon and Goodreads, I started to feel like maybe I was missing something when the book and its main characters left me rolling my eyes in annoyance. I waited about a week before writing this review (and a few months before posting it because I forgot about it) in order to truly process my thoughts. Am I being unnecessarily harsh with my 2-Star rating? Why is everyone raving over a book that I honestly only finished because of my obsessive need to finish a story, no matter how much I dislike it?
I'll dispense with a plot recap since one is easily found on the back of the book and instead explain where this book left me less than satisfied and more than a little annoyed.
We've seen all of these characters a million times before, usually better developed: the 30-something divorcée who can't get over his ex-wife, who views himself as the black sheep of the family, who ran away when things got tough and only returns home because his grandfather is dying; and the manic pixie lit-nerd femme fatale, equipped with the prerequisite sleeve tattoos, love of Kurt Vonnegut quotes (and the obvious quotes at that) and obscure Wilco albums, who dispenses witty and quirky aphorisms that we, the reader, are supposed to see as unique insights, and who appears out of nowhere determined to fix the lovelorn narrator for reasons that are never really apparent, even after she reveals why.
Sure, there are some funny moments, like the narrator's father's ongoing feud with the neighborhood squirrels (he tries to scare them off his property with a paintball gun. It doesn't work to deter the squirrels. Instead it provides them badass Braveheart-esque war paint and a vendetta). But those moments were too infrequent to save the story.
Aside from the squirrels I couldn't find one character I liked. If I hadn't been reading it on my Kindle (this was my Kindle First pick for May), I would've thrown the book across the room at parts.
The book did not challenge the stereotypes it's created. Instead it lazily relied on these stereotypes to make the book readable and, perhaps, relatable. And don't get me wrong, the story is readable, but as readers I feel we deserve more than trite stereotypes and quick wrap-ups.
I won't say "Don't read this book." Read it if you want to, it will probably only take you a day to read, just don't expect too much from it. ...more

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Jun 12, 2016 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, 2016

I read Matthew Norman's debut book, "Domestic Violets" and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to reading this book. "We're All Damaged" is another story about family ties. Andy changes his entire life after his wife cheats on him. He leaves everything behind in Omaha to make a new life for himself in NYC. He may be done with the past but the past is not done with him.

Poor Andy can't catch a break! The book follows him as he goes back home to Omaha to see his dying grandfather and contend ...more

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Jun 01, 2016 Book Riot Community added it

Shelves: new-books-liberty-s-recs

I am so excited for this book, because I am a HUGE fan of Domestic Violets, and I think Matthew Norman is one of the funniest writers out there. His new novel is the story of a man named Andy, who is flailing around in his life after his wife leaves him, he loses his job, and he relocates to NYC, where he leads a sad, drunken existence. A trip back home to visit his dying grandfather in Omaha puts a new path in front of him – but can Andy pull himself together enough to follow it? A funny and to ...more

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Jun 02, 2016 Diane rated it it was amazing

A few years back I read Matthew Norman's hilarious novel, Domestic Violets, which made my list of the Most Compelling Books of 2011. It tells the story of a man stuck in a soulless copywriting job, the son of a Norman Mailer-like father, married to a woman he fears will leave him, father to a young daughter.

He is writing a novel, but he will always be compared to his successful father, an alcoholic with a wandering eye who comes to stay with his son. It is a family story, a workplace comedy (ala A few years back I read Matthew Norman's hilarious novel, Domestic Violets, which made my list of the Most Compelling Books of 2011. It tells the story of a man stuck in a soulless copywriting job, the son of a Norman Mailer-like father, married to a woman he fears will leave him, father to a young daughter.

He is writing a novel, but he will always be compared to his successful father, an alcoholic with a wandering eye who comes to stay with his son. It is a family story, a workplace comedy (ala The Office), and so much more.

Norman's newest novel is We're All Damaged about Andy, a young man who has fled to NYC from Omaha after his wife tells him she wants a divorce. He is living in a hovel, working as a bartender, with a cat his only friend.

When Andy's mom calls him to tell him he must come home to Omaha because his beloved grandfather is dying, Andy reluctantly goes. He hasn't been home since his divorce and doesn't want to face his ex-wife, whom he still loves.

Once again the cast of characters is terrific. Andy's mom is a right-wing radio host whose latest rants against legalizing gay marriage have caught the attention of Fox News and may result in a gig on the network. Dad is a retired accountant who spends his day working on his motorcycle and shooting pesky squirrels with a paintgun.

Andy's brother Jim is a stereotypical finance guy who thinks he's Master of the Universe and every interaction with Andy is fraught with macho sibling brutality. Neal was Andy's best friend and is the twin brother of his ex-wife. Andy's ex-wife already has moved in her hunky paramedic boyfriend and wants nothing to do with Andy.

All this depresses Andy, and when he goes to see his grandpa, he meets a mysterious woman named Daisy who is passing herself off as his sibling so she can visit his grandpa. What is her story?

Daisy makes it her mission to bring Andy out of his funk, and she succeeds to some extent. She refuses to let Andy hide in his old bedroom, and forces him to face reality.

We're All Damaged has its humorous moments, like the three gay men who "prank" Andy's mom by throwing hundreds of Ken dolls on her lawn and glitterbombing her car. The leader of the group has a hilarious scene with Andy, who describes his meeting with them by saying he wonders "if this is what Tupac felt like right before the bullets started whizzing."

Andy constantly watches a YouTube video of an epic best-man fail that when explained later in the story is sad and funny at the same time. It becomes a crucial element of the story.

Norman is a somewhat more poignant this time around, as when he says maybe "all marriages end in a box in the basement" as he goes through all of the detritus of his former married life. His characters (Daisy, his mom, Neal) are multi-dimensional, not easy to put in a box and I appreciate that in a novel.

I love novels that give me insight into the male psyche and We're All Damaged certainly fills that bill. Andy has quickly become one of my favorite fictional characters, one I root for to get it together. I was also happy to see the shout-out to Curtis Violet from Domestic Violets. It made me smile so!

I highly recommend We're All Damaged, for the terrific characters and engrossing storyline. I also liked the setting of Omaha, we get a real sense of place there in this novel. If you are a fan of Jonathan Tropper, you'll love Matthew Norman. ...more

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Jul 18, 2016 Katharine rated it did not like it

Shelves: humor, 2016, contemporary

Yet another Kindle First book, from a while back. This was the most appalling book I've read in a while. I have read about the Manic Pixie Dream Girl but this was my first encounter in the wild, as it were, and I now understand how obnoxious the trope can be. The plot is about a man whose wife cheats on him and then divorces him so he moves to New York City to be Hapless and Pathetic although he is a Nice Guy, don't you know, who doesn't really deserve to have his heart broken by those Cold and Yet another Kindle First book, from a while back. This was the most appalling book I've read in a while. I have read about the Manic Pixie Dream Girl but this was my first encounter in the wild, as it were, and I now understand how obnoxious the trope can be. The plot is about a man whose wife cheats on him and then divorces him so he moves to New York City to be Hapless and Pathetic although he is a Nice Guy, don't you know, who doesn't really deserve to have his heart broken by those Cold and Heartless Enchanters which according to this book is basically all women. I know the guy, whose name I've already forgotten because he made such an impression on me, is a Nice Guy because the book informed me in so many words, even though if you actually pay attention he acts more like a self-absorbed jerk. So when he finds out his beloved grandfather is dying, Mr. I'm-a-Nice-Guy has to leave NYC and go back to his hometown in Nebraska where he will encounter his equally Hapless father, his Cold and Heartless Ann Coulter-clone conservative radio host mother, his overachieving jerk of a brother, and the aforementioned Manic Pixie Dream Girl who adopts him as her Project like Cher adopts Tai in Clueless, only with 97% more Icky Male Wish Fulfillment. She lives life to the fullest! She has quotations from hipster male authors and indy rock bands tattooed all over her body! She makes Mr. I'm-a-Nice-Guy-no-really-I-creepily-stalk-my-ex-but-that's-because-my-love-is-so-true-and-hopeless eat pistachio ice cream instead of vanilla! She makes him wear hipster t-shirts! She is cooler than anyone! She has a mysterious and possibly tragic background! She just wants to save all the Hapless and Misunderstood Nice Guys in this book! She is slightly morally ambiguous but only in the way that's secretly cool because she's untrammeled by boring socially acceptable expectations! Oh my gooses I hated this book so much! The fact that it's well-written just makes it worse! I only finished it in order to justify writing a full rant of a review. I want to rant some more but I'm running out of time. SO BAD. ...more

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Apr 26, 2016 Liz rated it really liked it

Matthew Norman reminds me of Jonathan Tropper. That same wounded, yet sarcastic, main character. Similar premise of the “am I really part of this family?” This is a bittersweet kind of novel. Andy is definitely damaged. Unable to get over his ex-wife leaving him for a paramedic, he is forced to return home when his grandfather is dying. I got equal parts mad at him for not being able to grow up or move on and then sympathetic to his plight. Daisy was a little too cliched for me. Why do these kin ...more

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Jun 27, 2016 Marie rated it did not like it

I am clearly not the target audience for this book. Self-absorbed, immature, 30ish boy-man starts putting his life back together a year after his divorce in the midst of his self-absorbed, immature mother; his self-absorbed, immature brother; a father whose character is seriously underdeveloped; and, of course, a quirky, equally self-absorbed and in the end, equally immature, not-quite-hooker with a heart of gold. Maybe I'm too old to have any patience with these characters. Maybe they are so ut ...more

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May 07, 2016 Josh rated it really liked it

We're All Damaged by Matthew Norman is a sublimely funny book. The story is told from the perspective of Andy Carter, an (un)intentionally unreliable narrator whose perception of reality provides the source of the majority of the book's humor. Andy is one of those friends you drink with at the bar who tells stories that just when they reach the top of a crescendo, channel Billy Mays - "But Wait, there's more!" This makes for a fantastic read, since just when you think events can't get any more z ...more

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May 02, 2016 Kara rated it liked it

I absolutely LOVE Matthew Norman's first book, Domestic Violets. I've read it multiple times. It makes me laugh out loud. This book, while hilarious and heartfelt, isn't as good as Domestic Violets. I found it more difficult to connect with the characters and situations because some of them felt a bit silly and unrealistic. This was an enjoyable read, but I definitely recommend Domestic Violets for a truly funny contemporary read.

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Apr 04, 2016 Sara Espahbodi rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book to review before the release date on June 1st. I had never read a book by Matthew Norman before, but I was hooked from page 2 of the arc!

This is an excellent book about perceptions, perspective, love, and second chances. Throw in a pizza parlor, New York City, and a bookstore and you have the perfect book to enjoy on a summer day. Get your hands on this book as soon as you can!

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Nov 13, 2016 Debra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

If you don't like quirky and weird characters, don't read this book.

I on the other hand, love quirky. I loved this book.

Andy Carter would be the first to admit he's damaged. He's damaged from the start and probably always has been; however, after a painful divorce and a runaway move to NYC, he finds himself back in Omaha waiting for his beloved grandpa to pass.

Pretty depressing premise…but Matthew Norman is hilarious and never let’s Andy lose his sense of humor.

“Significant things should not be ...more

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Apr 30, 2016 Sara rated it it was amazing

Reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

Andy Carter is living the quintessential Midwestern dream. He’s married to the love of his life, has a safe, stable career. Everything is going according to plan, until the rug is pulled out from under him, completely derailing his life and everything he thought it stood for.

In We’re All Damaged, we get an inside look into the psyche of a man who has lost everything, and has nowhere else to go but straight to the bottom. Amidst all of Andy’ Reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

Andy Carter is living the quintessential Midwestern dream. He’s married to the love of his life, has a safe, stable career. Everything is going according to plan, until the rug is pulled out from under him, completely derailing his life and everything he thought it stood for.

In We’re All Damaged, we get an inside look into the psyche of a man who has lost everything, and has nowhere else to go but straight to the bottom. Amidst all of Andy’s turmoil and personal conflicts, he’s also dealt a tough blow when he finds out the grandfather he’s felt closest to is in hospice care, nearing the end. Not only will he have to say goodbye to someone he loves, but this also means having to face the pain of his past, the dysfunction of his family, and making amends with not only those he’s hurt, but making an amends with himself in the process.

You’d think there’s no way that someone could face all this adversity with humor, but Matthew Norman has written a brilliantly funny character in Andy, the kind who you can’t help but find incredibly endearing. Even when he’s thrown a blow (literally), Andy gets right back up, giving his own comedic twist to all the crap life has dealt him. His story is written perfectly, seamlessly. I enjoyed every single second!

Andy soon discovers that in finding a way to heal from the past, he’s allowing himself the opportunity to move on and find a new normal. Whether that means a potential new love interest (or not), a change of scenery, or allowing for new friendships to develop. He’s beautifully flawed and so real, that it felt like I was following the life and experiences of someone who is a living, breathing person.

The cherry on top for me was the fact that Damaged takes place primarily in Omaha, NE, a city I hold near and dear to my heart, having lived there myself for many years. Norman paints a picture of the heart of the Midwest, and the people within it, perfectly. If you’re familiar with the area, you’ll feel the nostalgia. If you’re not, it won’t matter. You’ll feel right at home with the characters and the scenery. I could go on and on about how wonderful Damaged is, I really could. It really is that good.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Apr 19, 2016 Gary rated it it was amazing

Any author who can make references to "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and "Fuck The Police" with equal grace and adeptness is alright in my book. Mr. Norman's perpetual references to many varied facets of pop culture are fun and clever; and they keep the reader on his or her toes; and every now and again, provide real insight into the characters. Wham! and NWA together? On the same page? This guy is either a lunatic or a genius.

The whole novel Any author who can make references to "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and "Fuck The Police" with equal grace and adeptness is alright in my book. Mr. Norman's perpetual references to many varied facets of pop culture are fun and clever; and they keep the reader on his or her toes; and every now and again, provide real insight into the characters. Wham! and NWA together? On the same page? This guy is either a lunatic or a genius.

The whole novel is teeming with these little ironies. It's a simple story about a man recovering from the break-up of his marriage. The plot, quite simply, is for Andy Carter to get home to say goodbye to his grandfather before he passes away. The narrative is simple and linear. But Andy Carter is perpetually at odds - between home in New York City and home in Omaha, Nebraska; between loyalty to his conservative parents and his own sense of right and wrong; between allegiance to his straight-laced ex and feelings for a mysterious new girl. While he wrestles with these conflicts, he's learning that grandparents are people too; that he's not as big a loser as previously thought; life is full of things over which me must mourn and life is full of things over which me must laugh; and that despite appearances, no one has it all together. All of it takes place on the eve of the landmark SCOTUS decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Through it all, Andy maintains an astounding sense of humor and is quick to make keen observations about the absurdities, and pain, of life in the 2010s - like how the Nirvana Nevermind baby is in his 20s, like how people obsess over 401(k)s, all the Tylers, and YouTube. But it's not all absurd. There is tenderness and sensitivity to Andy that makes him - and us - grateful for the community around you; friends, family, even the people you don't think affect your life, but who at the end of the day are all part of your story.

This is a great story.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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May 02, 2016 Sarah rated it it was amazing

I loved it. As good as I hoped it would be. We have our self-deprecating protagonist- Andy who was left by his wife at an Applebee's and has never looked back because a smokin' hot chick walks into his life and saves the day.

sort of. okay just kidding but yeah Andy is alone and sad and his mother calls him to say that his grandfather is going to die really soon so he should go home, which is Omaha. So Andy comes from new NY apartment where he fled after the divorce and walks back into the neigh ...more

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About Matthew Norman

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Matthew Norman is an advertising copywriter. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Baltimore. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated in the Best Humor Category at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards.

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“We’re all damaged. Every single beautiful, stupid, precious one of us. Damaged, damaged, damaged.” — 4 likes

“Remember that string of movies when we were younger, like mid ’90s? The ones where the nerdy girl finally puts on makeup and a Wonderbra and everyone realizes how totally boneable she is?” “Yeah.” “Well, that’s you,” she says. “We’re in one of those movies. You’re my hopeless teenage girl, all stuck in your shell, and I’m here to give you a fresh coat of makeup and a slutty dress. Push those boobies up, Andy Carter, it’s go time.” “Do” — 3 likes

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