Wikipedia

Go Gentle (novel)

Go Gentle is Maria Semple's fourth novel, yet it has been ten years in between her last and this one. Go Gentle was published by Putnam and Sons in 2026. In this story, the protagonist, Adora Hazzard has reinvented her life as a Stoic philosophy scholar. She is living in the historically famous Ansonia building in Manhattan. Adora's Stoic ideals are put to the test as her daily routine turns into a "madcap comedy" mystery involving museum bombings, a stolen statue, a strange European broker, and a chaotic trip to Paris. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Go Gentle was selected by Oprah Winfrey as an Oprah's Book Club pick.[8] It was also a New York Times bestseller.

Go Gentle
A small image of the book jacket for this book.
2026 hardcover book jacket
AuthorMaria Semple
Audio read bySaskia Maarleveld
Cover artistMaira Kalman
LanguageEnglish
SubjectGrief, Comedy, Mystery motif
GenreLiterary Fiction
Set inManhattan and Paris
PublishedApril 2026
PublisherPutnam and Sons
Media typePrint, E-Book, Audio
Pages384
AwardsNY Times Bestseller list, Oprah book club
ISBN9798217176632
OCLC1529600921
WebsiteOfficial website

Plot summary

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The story follows Adora Hazzard, a divorced, middle-aged scholar of Stoic philosophy. She lives in Manhattan's Ansonia building with her teenage daughter, Viv, and grew up with a narcissistic mother. Adora formerly worked in Los Angeles as a comedy writer for a late-night television show. She left her television career after experiencing a severe, workplace-related trauma. She now relies on Stoic philosophy to process her past and maintain emotional stability. Adora is part of a cooperative group of single, financially secure women of a similar age. The group purchases apartments on the same floor and shares everyday logistical costs and services, such as groceries, dog walking, and personal grooming.[3][4][5]

Adora works as a writer-in-residence at a Manhattan museum and as a private tutor. Her tutoring job involves providing "moral training" to Lucien and Lorenzo, the spoiled 11-year-old twin sons of the affluent Lockwood family. he twins' father, Lionel, is dealing with emotional trauma after losing an arm in a climbing accident. His wife, Layla, is demanding and uses their wealth to secure exclusive experiences to comfort him. Adora meets a handsome stranger at the ballet through an orchestrated seating arrangement. This man eventually proves to have hidden, deceptive motives. The narrative transitions from a character-driven story into an international mystery. The present-day narrative comically shifts into international espionage and suspense, such as: [3][4][5]

  • A radical group of protesters threatening museums with explosives.
  • An explosion at the Louvre.
  • A stolen statue and a missing person.
  • A menacing elite European art broker.
  • A trip to Paris and a mystery involving a concealed box.

Reception

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Go Gentle was selected by Oprah Winfrey as an Oprah's Book Club pick.[8] It was also a New York Times bestseller.

Jeff Giles of the The New York Times says of the author: "Semple loves the human race — not in spite of our egos, anxieties and delusions, but because of them — and yet, she knows that calamity is always close at hand... [l]ike all her work, it’s a social satire full of dopamine-releasing one-liners and sparkling writing. "[2] Joanne Kaufman writing for The Wall Street Journal says, "Maria Semple... takes several story lines out for a spin in her teeming novel “Go Gentle.” Depending on their tolerance levels, readers may or may not choose to go along for the ride.[3] Amy Scribner, reviewing this work for the publication BookPage, says, "A thoroughly fun and raucous read that richly explores the wisdom that comes with middle age and the tradeoff between being content and taking chances ... Maria Semple’s newest novel defies easy description ...[with] Plentiful laughs....[9]

References

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  1. ↑ Wait, Rebecca (April 10, 2026). "Go Gentle by Maria Semple review – a joyfully clever New York romcom". The Guardian (United Kingdom). Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Giles, Jeff (April 13, 2026). "Art Heists, Sexual Assaults, and a Coven of Middle-Aged Divorcées". The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kaufman, Joanne (April 17, 2026). "'The Golden Boy' and 'Go Gentle': The Show's Over". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Kellogg, Carolyn (April 7, 2026). "Maria Semple's latest novel is a page-turner". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 10, 2026. Full Text also available here: ProQuest 3326741418
  5. 1 2 3 Warner, John (April 11, 2026). "Maria Semple's 'Go Gentle' is a fun, rollicking read". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  6. ↑ Staff (April 14, 2026). "GO GENTLE by Maria Semple. A wild mess of a plot". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved June 11, 2026. Book release date: April 21, 2026
  7. ↑ Staff (January 13, 2026). "Go Gentle, Maria Semple". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Burlock, Charley (14 April 2026). "Oprah Announces Go Gentle by Maria Semple as 122nd Book Club Pick". Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  9. ↑ Scribner, Amy (April 2026). "Go Gentle By Maria Semple Review by Amy Scribner". Book Page. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
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