A review by bunnieslikediamonds
Lush Life by Richard Price

5.0

Lush Life turned out to be every bit as good as critics say. I was a little put off by the hype when it came out, but humbly admit the praise was justified. The writing, especially the dialogue, is perfect. The cops, thugs and hipsters are carefully drawn, complex and realistic. I suppose you could say this isn't a plot-driven book. It's basically about a robbery gone wrong, and the effect it has on the people directly and indirectly involved. No plot twists, no shiny magic tricks. Yet I stayed up all night to find out in what way Billy Marcus would finally go off the rails, whether Eric would ever stop feeling sorry for himself, if Matty would give his no-good sons, The Big One and The Other One, a good talking to. Too bad there was only one female character with any kind of agency. The others were minor characters whose only purpose was to serve as objects of desire. But it's SO good, I can't get grumpy about that.

I doubt this book will lure any tourists to NYC, but it might get Price some new readers.