Book Review- Patrick Radden Keefe's Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks

Thank you to LibroFM and Penguin Random House Audio for providing me with an audio copy of Patrick Radden Keefe’s Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks.

Rogues is a collection of Keefe’s prize-winning essays from The New Yorker. As the subtitle indicates, the subjects in the collection vary, but are tied together with the commonality of existing on the fringes of society. All twelve essays are fascinating and worth reading, but personally, I was especially captivated by two of the essays.

The first standout was Keefe’s reporting on a criminal trial in Amsterdam, in which a sister testified against her mobster brother and is now living in hiding. Keefe traveled to Amsterdam and met with the sister, Astrid Holleeder, in a very tense and secretive situation, as although her brother is behind bars, she lives in fear of reprisal from his associates. She explained the fears of growing up with a psychopath brother and of the criminal element in Amsterdam, which is well hidden in the beautiful city that she loves. What struck me most about this article was the way in which Keefe wrote about Holleeder’s strength and defiance. She refuses to leave Amsterdam, even if she must live a secluded life. She stood up to her brother, even when the profits from his criminal enterprise helped fund the family, a situation in which many family members were happy to turn a blind-eye. Holleeder put everything in her life at risk to do the right thing.

The other story involved Anthony Bourdain. I had not previously heard of Holleeder or the situation in Amsterdam, but I was very familiar with Bourdain. The familiarity is what attracted me to Keefe’s thoughts on the deceased chef, writer and travel star. Bourdain’s eclectic career and brash attitude put him in squarely in the rebel category and make his life intriguing to outsiders. Keefe’s article gave me a taste and I wanted more, so I picked up Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential to read following Rogues.

If you love non-fiction that explores dynamic personalities and true crime, you must pick up a copy of Rogues. Keefe is a keen storyteller with a flair for the dramatic. His writing will take you to unexpected places.

Book Review- Sarah Priscus' Groupies

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a copy of Sarah Priscus’ novel, Groupies.

The year is 1977 and Faun Novak needs a change. Her mother has recently passed away and feeling no ties to her midwestern home, Faun heads for Los Angeles, to live with her high school best-friend Josie. Josie has recently dropped out of college to focus her efforts on dating mega rockstar Cal Holiday, frontman for the group Holiday Sun. Josie’s life seems so glamorous and carefree that Faun wants to be a part of her world. Josie coaches Faun in all aspects of what it means to be a groupie, and soon Faun is initiated, finding herself in a small inner circle of woman who give all of their energy to supporting the band that they love.

The lifestyle is intoxicating and Faun quickly gets wrapped up in parties, drugs, and relationships with loose boundaries. As a groupie, her primary job is to keep the men of Holiday Sun happy, running errands and bolstering their egos. However, Faun has her own ambitions. She dreams of being a photographer and carries a Polaroid camera everywhere she goes, casually documenting candid moments with the band. When she begins to realize that Holiday Sun and the associated groupies don’t have her best interests at heart, Faun decides to sell her polaroids to the tabloids, a move that not only threatens her friendship with Josie, but puts Josie’s life in danger.

Oh this book…I finished it last night and I’m left with very mixed feelings. On the positive, it is an easy and compelling read. I loved the seventies Los Angeles setting and the faux glamour of the rock and roll lifestyle. Groupies has many similarities to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six. Priscus does a great job with pacing. The story grows increasingly dark, and just as Faun becomes disenchanted with the parties, so does the reader.

Faun and Josie, along with the other “groupies” ring true as young women figuring out their lives. I do not believe that a main character has to be likable as a requirement, Faun is NOT likable, but she is relatable. I understood her moves and her self-centered world view. The story takes a very unexpected turn in the final third, setting Faun up for a transition out of late adolescence. This story build works well.

My issue with Groupies was the slowness in which the characters change. Faun and the rest of the female characters are fairly vapid throughout and the story ends with many of them still stuck in the groupie lifestyle. Faun’s shift occurs very late in the story, maybe in the final ten percent, and the catalyst is primarily due to a shocking situation that happens to Josie. I guess it just feels like the female characters make the choice to service the men, even when they are treated poorly or see other women being abused. The women rarely make active choices outside of being of service to the band. It’s a depressing situation and I think this vibe, which likely was intentional, made me feel cynical and angry.

Even after writing this review, I don’t feel like I’ve sorted out my emotions regarding Groupies. I didn’t dislike the writing or the general story, so much as I disliked the vibe. I can’t remember the last time I had this situation occur with a book. I would definitely read future works by Priscus, but Groupies left me in a funny state of mind. One additional comment thought, is I’ve engaged in a lively discussion regarding Groupies on Instagram and many people loved it. So while it might not have been exactly my cup of tea, I would not hesitate to recommend it. It’s also awesome to support Priscus as a debut author!

Book Review- Zoe Whittall's The Spectacular

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of Zoe Whittall’s novel, The Spectacular.

Told in a non-linear fashion, The Spectacular, follows three generations of women in the same family who each make difficult decisions regarding motherhood, relationships, and careers. Ruth is in her eighties and she recounts her journey from Turkey to America, a difficult migration made worse by her husband bringing along his mistress to their new country. While Ruth has conservative leanings, her daughter, Carola, forges a different path, including setting up a commune. Carola struggles with her own aspirations versus being a wife and mother, ultimately distancing herself from her family. Her daughter, Missy, becomes a famous rock star who struggles with boundaries and relationships, harboring a deep resentment towards Carola.

The novel starts with Missy’s perspective and her dynamic, intense personality immediately grabbed my attention. I cannot think of a recent read where a character had such a strong personality as Missy. It is so strong that when the chapters shift to Carola or Ruth’s perspectives, it is hard to let go of Missy. She dominates, commanding a readers full attention. I was quite struck by her voice.

Whittall does not shy away from controversial topics. In the first chapter, Missy, in her early 20’s, is seeking a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation surgery. Missy is certain that she will never desire to be a mother, yet no doctor is willing to give her the procedure. Worse than the denial of the operation, is the way Missy is treated, her voice silenced. As a middle-aged reader, I can appreciate the perspective that people can change a lot throughout their lives. I’m certainly not the same person that I was in my early 20’s. We see Missy in middle-age and we can see how she has changed through time and experience. Missy changes and so do her thoughts on becoming a mother, however, I don’t believe that the reader is supposed to conclude that the doctor’s were right to deny Missy her wishes when she was younger. It’s more complex than that; Whittall is writing about societal expectations of women and how these might conflict with individual desires.

I’m forty-five and from my teen years, I knew that I never wanted to be a parent. However, life takes unexpected twists and I married a man with two children and have been a part-time stepmom ( they live in Europe most of the year), and it has been a great joy. I was also raised by a single-mom, having lost my father when I was four. The Spectacular is a story about the unexpected, the seasons of life, and learning to accept your life, including the impact of your decisions and those beyond your control. I related to the over-arching themes and to aspects of each character’s life choices.

I recommend The Spectacular and it would be a great book club pick for lively discussions.