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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I’m not nearly cool enough for this novel’s Lower East Side indie rock scene. (If you don’t know the Tragic Mulattos or 13th Floor Elevators, neither are you.) But there’s a real affection among the 2 generations of misfits it follows from the downtown ’90s to the Trump election, with a major interlude at 9/11. Music-hipsters Pam & Daniel try their hand at child-raising while sweet pal Joe becomes an unlikely rock star. Despite its best efforts to stay droll, actual emotions break through. If only the author’s smug detachment didn’t keep getting in the way.
Merged review:
I’m not nearly cool enough for this novel’s Lower East Side indie rock scene. (If you don’t know the Tragic Mulattos or 13th Floor Elevators, neither are you.) But there’s a real affection among the 2 generations of misfits it follows from the downtown ’90s to the Trump election, with a major interlude at 9/11. Music-hipsters Pam & Daniel try their hand at child-raising while sweet pal Joe becomes an unlikely rock star. Despite its best efforts to stay droll, actual emotions break through. If only the author’s smug detachment didn’t keep getting in the way.
Merged review:
I’m not nearly cool enough for this novel’s Lower East Side indie rock scene. (If you don’t know the Tragic Mulattos or 13th Floor Elevators, neither are you.) But there’s a real affection among the 2 generations of misfits it follows from the downtown ’90s to the Trump election, with a major interlude at 9/11. Music-hipsters Pam & Daniel try their hand at child-raising while sweet pal Joe becomes an unlikely rock star. Despite its best efforts to stay droll, actual emotions break through. If only the author’s smug detachment didn’t keep getting in the way.
Daniel came down to D.C. for the weekend, and he and Pam rode the train home together, holding hands. Not clasped, but in that strange way sad people will sometimes do, tensely wringing each other's fingers. A stark contrast divided them from others in their city. They were mourning other dead.
It wasn't a bad book, neither was it boring, I was just untouched by it even though it takes place in New York City and in a time and an environment that I'm quite familiar with. It's not unlike City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg, but not half as good in my opinion.
We follow a family for two generations - past 9-11, which was a complete turning point for the characters. Perhaps we Europeans simply will never understand the impact of that day on Americans, not least New Yorkers. In that sense, it was interesting.
We follow a family for two generations - past 9-11, which was a complete turning point for the characters. Perhaps we Europeans simply will never understand the impact of that day on Americans, not least New Yorkers. In that sense, it was interesting.
This book won’t appeal to everyone, but maybe for that reason, I was completely hooked when on page 17 I read the line, “Hey, man, you have the Sassy Sonic Youth flexi!” (Because I had that flexi! It was my intro to Sonic Youth!) I loved the Pam, Daniel and Joe half but found the Flora half to be a bit lackluster (especially given the momentum in the first half). I’m also not quite ready for Trump satire, preferring the whole thing would just disappear. But overall I love Zink’s writing and characters and can’t stop thinking about this book.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I was reading this, I kept having to tell myself it was entertaining, but is something entertaining if you have to convince yourself of it? I would generally be fine with Zink's style, which is not exactly realism, if it were more surreal, but trying all this stuff that isn't quite believable, like how every person sounds exactly the same, just needed a bit more umph to it. Plus there's this undercurrent of glib self satisfaction that really bugged me. I know you're smart, Ms. Zink, but maybe you don't need to include smart ass conversation that requires parentheticals explaining the allusions.
the first half of this was a nailed on five star book, and then it just kinda drifted afterwards. Which I suppose cleverly represents the anomie of a post 9/11 world and all that, but wasn't a whole lot of fun.