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lizdesole's review
3.0
The main character in this writes for an (80's) National Enquirer-type paper.The good part is that she is constantly coming up with these fantasy scenarios from everything she sees. They tend towards the neurotic, but I feel that anyone with a child can at least somewhat relate to the always imagining the worst case scenario when worrying about your child. Unfortunately, too much of the book deals with how unrelated this writer is to anyone. She's a very frustrating character and I just found myself getting bored with her. It's a shame because the premise isn't boring but the main character is. It ruined the flow for me
flogigyahoo's review
4.0
This is the first book I have read by Francine Prose and I am ready to read all her others--that's how much I enjoyed it. This was a good, funny, intelligent read.
Vera Perl, single mother of precocious 10 year old Rosie, has been working for years at a sleazy tabloid newspaper, inventing stories for people who read the paper while waiting on line at the supermarket since Vera cannot imagine anyone shelling out actual money to read about Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and various other ridiculous myths and urban legends. Vera has written a story based on a photograph given to her by her on-again-off-again lover, Solomon, the photographer at the paper showing 2 children selling lemonade on a city street. Vera's makes up the names of the children and their parents as well as their professions, they live in Brooklyn and the lemonade acts as a fountain of youth. All hell breaks loose at her paper when it appears that these people really exist, lawyers are suing the paper for invasion of privacy and no one believes Vera made it up. Vera's life changes, her ex shows up, she visits her best friend in Seattle and attends a convention of people who really do believe in Bigfoot. So funny and intriguing, I finished it in 4 days.
Vera Perl, single mother of precocious 10 year old Rosie, has been working for years at a sleazy tabloid newspaper, inventing stories for people who read the paper while waiting on line at the supermarket since Vera cannot imagine anyone shelling out actual money to read about Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and various other ridiculous myths and urban legends. Vera has written a story based on a photograph given to her by her on-again-off-again lover, Solomon, the photographer at the paper showing 2 children selling lemonade on a city street. Vera's makes up the names of the children and their parents as well as their professions, they live in Brooklyn and the lemonade acts as a fountain of youth. All hell breaks loose at her paper when it appears that these people really exist, lawyers are suing the paper for invasion of privacy and no one believes Vera made it up. Vera's life changes, her ex shows up, she visits her best friend in Seattle and attends a convention of people who really do believe in Bigfoot. So funny and intriguing, I finished it in 4 days.
travistravis's review against another edition
4.0
Given as a suggestion to "what's your favourite book as a writer?" - from the blurb it made me think "oh wow, what have I gotten myself into" but it's a surprisingly good snapshot of a few weeks of someones life. All of the emotion, fantasies, hopes and dreams of one person who just wants to see bigfoot.
canadianbookworm's review
4.0
This unusual novel follows Vera, a single mother living in New York City and working at a tabloid called This Week. Vera writes stories about outlandish creatures, weird occurrences and the unbelievable. She makes all the stories up. Her brain is constantly thinking up lurid headlines for everything she observes and lately she has been dreaming about Bigfoot befriending her and letting her see where he lives. One day the paper's photographer gives her a picture he took and Vera makes up a story about the picture, choosing names and ages for the kids portayed, names for the parents, and a profession for the father. And against all odds, the match the family's true identity. so the family is suing the paper, and Vera's job is in jeopardy.
Her daughter Rosie is at the age where she is starting to be interested in boys, as well as starting to not share everything with her mother.Vera's husband Lowell is a wanderer and dreamer and although they are still married and care about each other and Rosie, he lives out in California, so it is a surprise when he turns up one day. He seems to slide effortlessly back into their lives, but it is only temporary.
The issue with the story makes Vera look harder at her life, her losses and her gains, her skills, and she takes advantage of a connection to the American Cryptobiological Society to explore her Bigfoot Dreams more closely, and come to terms with her reality.
Her daughter Rosie is at the age where she is starting to be interested in boys, as well as starting to not share everything with her mother.Vera's husband Lowell is a wanderer and dreamer and although they are still married and care about each other and Rosie, he lives out in California, so it is a surprise when he turns up one day. He seems to slide effortlessly back into their lives, but it is only temporary.
The issue with the story makes Vera look harder at her life, her losses and her gains, her skills, and she takes advantage of a connection to the American Cryptobiological Society to explore her Bigfoot Dreams more closely, and come to terms with her reality.
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