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Little Disasters
A gripping novel about two young married couples—expectant parents and new friends—whose lives collide in a pile-up of deceits and indiscretions
It was the exhilaration of new parenthood that first united Michael and Paul, outside the Brooklyn hospital where their wives, Rebecca and Jenny, had exiled them from the delivery room. For Paul, though, tragedy swiftly followed that euphoria. Hoping to speed his and Jenny’s recovery, he turns to Michael for a favor, unwittingly kindling the spark of connection between these couples into the affair that will blow them apart.
One year later, on the same morning that the catastrophes of their personal lives come to an explosive head, a mysterious crisis in Midtown Manhattan all but shuts down the city, leaving both men stranded—Michael at the northernmost tip of the island and Paul in a dark subway tunnel under the East River. Each must make the arduous trek home through record-breaking heat, nervously eyeing the thin plume of smoke above the skyline, though it’s their private turmoils that loom largest. Told in the alternating voices of these charismatic but deeply flawed men, Little Disasters deftly cuts between the suspense of the citywide disaster and the history of secrets, lies, and losses that has brought these four intertwined lives to the brink. Smart, unsparing, and bitingly funny, Randall Klein’s debut is an engrossing story of the bonds of love and family—and our unending urges to test them, even when we need them most.
It was the exhilaration of new parenthood that first united Michael and Paul, outside the Brooklyn hospital where their wives, Rebecca and Jenny, had exiled them from the delivery room. For Paul, though, tragedy swiftly followed that euphoria. Hoping to speed his and Jenny’s recovery, he turns to Michael for a favor, unwittingly kindling the spark of connection between these couples into the affair that will blow them apart.
One year later, on the same morning that the catastrophes of their personal lives come to an explosive head, a mysterious crisis in Midtown Manhattan all but shuts down the city, leaving both men stranded—Michael at the northernmost tip of the island and Paul in a dark subway tunnel under the East River. Each must make the arduous trek home through record-breaking heat, nervously eyeing the thin plume of smoke above the skyline, though it’s their private turmoils that loom largest. Told in the alternating voices of these charismatic but deeply flawed men, Little Disasters deftly cuts between the suspense of the citywide disaster and the history of secrets, lies, and losses that has brought these four intertwined lives to the brink. Smart, unsparing, and bitingly funny, Randall Klein’s debut is an engrossing story of the bonds of love and family—and our unending urges to test them, even when we need them most.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 22, 2018
32 people are currently reading
899 people want to read
About the author
Randall Klein
1Ìýbook19ÌýfollowersRandall Klein is an editor and author living in Charlottesville, Virginia. Little Disasters is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
September 2, 2018
Like a train wreck....it’s hard to look away from “Little Disasters�.
Rather than share specific details about this crazy banana-split- bazooka- story with shady unethical characters ....(the blurb says enough)....
........and I, for one, was pulled into this drama - [I’m not proud] - found it fun entertainment.
But.....
I thought I’d offer a list of questions to think about if considering reading this book.
WHAT IS THE MORAL OF A STORY OF A CHEATING PARTNER?
.....where there is a will there is a way?
.....slow and steady wins the race?
..... The person who wants to cheat others will be cheated and lose everything?
..... intelligence wins over might?
.....One should learn not to judge something until you’ve tried it?
.....partners can change their mis-conduct and behavior over time?
.....partners should learn to ‘accept� cheating disappointments?
.....couples should learn that they shouldn’t let fortunes, predictions, promises, and wishes control their life?
.....everybody needs help and forgiveness sometimes?
.....none of the above?
.....fill in your own questions - thoughts - answers!
I loved the start of this story when two men: Michael and Paul were bonding.....
I knew it wasn’t going to last....but I have a special place in my heart for books where two straight men develop a friendship.
I also enjoyed the naughty relationship between Michael and Jenny. Their dialogue- including their text messages were completely unethical......but their afternoon Rendezvous‘s were the most exciting parts of this book ....fresh exciting sexual fiction energy is just kinda hot!
While cookie making Rachel was in the kitchen baking away .....sexually� she was on the sidelines of focus.
As for that train wreck... I kid you not .... Manhattan had a mysterious train BOO BOO, too. ( not the strongest parts of this novel)....but there really is ‘the wreck� element - for real.
I’m guessing....reviews will be all over the map....
I’m going with 4.5 stars for pure energy enjoyment! I enjoyed the ‘naughty� behavior between the woman with an excellent grammar fetish ....and a guy who builds book shelves.
Rather than share specific details about this crazy banana-split- bazooka- story with shady unethical characters ....(the blurb says enough)....
........and I, for one, was pulled into this drama - [I’m not proud] - found it fun entertainment.
But.....
I thought I’d offer a list of questions to think about if considering reading this book.
WHAT IS THE MORAL OF A STORY OF A CHEATING PARTNER?
.....where there is a will there is a way?
.....slow and steady wins the race?
..... The person who wants to cheat others will be cheated and lose everything?
..... intelligence wins over might?
.....One should learn not to judge something until you’ve tried it?
.....partners can change their mis-conduct and behavior over time?
.....partners should learn to ‘accept� cheating disappointments?
.....couples should learn that they shouldn’t let fortunes, predictions, promises, and wishes control their life?
.....everybody needs help and forgiveness sometimes?
.....none of the above?
.....fill in your own questions - thoughts - answers!
I loved the start of this story when two men: Michael and Paul were bonding.....
I knew it wasn’t going to last....but I have a special place in my heart for books where two straight men develop a friendship.
I also enjoyed the naughty relationship between Michael and Jenny. Their dialogue- including their text messages were completely unethical......but their afternoon Rendezvous‘s were the most exciting parts of this book ....fresh exciting sexual fiction energy is just kinda hot!
While cookie making Rachel was in the kitchen baking away .....sexually� she was on the sidelines of focus.
As for that train wreck... I kid you not .... Manhattan had a mysterious train BOO BOO, too. ( not the strongest parts of this novel)....but there really is ‘the wreck� element - for real.
I’m guessing....reviews will be all over the map....
I’m going with 4.5 stars for pure energy enjoyment! I enjoyed the ‘naughty� behavior between the woman with an excellent grammar fetish ....and a guy who builds book shelves.
October 9, 2018
This is a spectacular debut that seems to be under the radar. An interesting mix of domestic drama, suspense, and straight-up entertaining literary fiction that has the added bonus of excellent writing, stellar insight, and the addition of enough unique elements to make the story feel fresh and unpredictable. There is a dual timeline/dual narrator thing going on that is no longer my favorite literary device, but it works here by unraveling the backstories necessary to understand what has happened, even if the reasons are somewhat left to interpretation. I found the beginning a little challenging to follow and if I’m honest, I didn’t love the present time disaster plot (especially as time went on and it started to feel too long) but it was probably necessary to the storyline and perhaps if it were either shorter or more action-packed I would’ve liked it more. I must admit, though, that part of the reason that I didn’t like it was that it kept me from the present time story, which became an almost addicting force as the end drew near.
It seems many people didn’t enjoy the book because the characters weren’t likeable. I thought the author did an excellent job explaining what was necessary and leaving out pieces. Characters that seemed mysterious or underdeveloped were intentionally drawn that way, leaving the reader to realize slowly the implications of infidelity, the strength of co-dependence, the wisdom of a long undervalued spouse.
This book was enjoyable. My friend Bill adored it. Read his review (/review/show...) and then read this book. It’s fun, a little mindless, and endlessly entertaining.
4.5 stars
It seems many people didn’t enjoy the book because the characters weren’t likeable. I thought the author did an excellent job explaining what was necessary and leaving out pieces. Characters that seemed mysterious or underdeveloped were intentionally drawn that way, leaving the reader to realize slowly the implications of infidelity, the strength of co-dependence, the wisdom of a long undervalued spouse.
This book was enjoyable. My friend Bill adored it. Read his review (/review/show...) and then read this book. It’s fun, a little mindless, and endlessly entertaining.
4.5 stars
June 26, 2018
Wow, this book was one crazy rollercoaster ride. What a talented, brilliant author!
April 10, 2018
Ok, I'm giving this 3 stars for the story, however, I totally did not like Michael's character, Jenny's was sad at the beginning but she is horrible too. Fenn is a walking door mat and ended up rooting for Rebecca hoping she would stick to her guns.
October 10, 2018
5.0 STARS
""Lies within lies - it's exhausting.""
Despite a slow and challenging start, Little Disasters wormed its way deep inside me. While walking on the beaches of southern Maine, strolling through the four floors of galleries at the Portland Museum of Art and trekking the numerous estuary trails of conservation land along the Atlantic, the story of Rebecca, Michael and Jackson Gould, Jennifer Sayles and Paul Fenniger nibbled and gnawed at the edges of my brain, seeped into my soul. It became a compulsion, an addiction � some of the star actors in this tale!
July 19, 2010, the hottest day of the year; high temperature just over one hundred degrees. Relentless sunlight from an endlessly blue sky, combined with the exhaust and grime of the city, made it feel closer to one hundred ten! Twin disasters unfold that day; an attack on a city, a catastrophic collision of deceit and betrayal.
The black plume of smoke rises from somewhere in midtown Manhattan. The trains have stopped running. The power is out. Cell service is down. Evacuations have begun. The murmur is terrorism. No one knows for sure.
Paul and Michael are struggling to make their way back to the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Michael walks the hundreds of blocks from The Cloisters in Upper Manhattan under the blazing sun. His skin burns. His thirst is unquenchable. His feet and legs sear with pain. Paul’s version of the bataan death march began when the trains stopped running and riders trudged through the subway tunnel to escape the heat and gloom. Emerging from the underground blackness into the blazing sunshine, he collapses at an emergency responder tent but quickly recovers to continue his determined trek. Both men are drawn to Jenny. Michael can’t resist her. Paul wants her back! It all began at 7:45am. It all ended at 5:46pm. Neither knew the outcome with any surety when it all began.
The emotional disaster started about a year ago � bad decisions, poor judgements, forbidden desires � at the hospital. Two women are admitted to give birth to their sons. The men begin in the waiting room then step outside for a smoke, share a flask to celebrate their entrance into the new world of fatherhood. The couples emerge with children in very different states. An unusual, awkward friendship is forged.
A friendship of compassion spirals out of control into a year of lies and lust, lots of very bad decisions layered on top of one another like geological sediments of time, since that fateful day at the hospital in Park Slope. Life is created. Lives are ruined. A relationship is shattered. One is made stronger. Different versions of love are exposed for what they truly are!
I loved this story! Each character truly reached me on so many different emotional and molecular levels. Perhaps during my lifetime of experiences, with life's daily firehose of random and disjointed snippets of thoughts always on, I have encountered fragmented bits and pieces of the emotional entanglements in this story that inspired my intense resonation. Perhaps it was the brilliant observations and insights into relationships, passion, desire and complacency that fed my addiction to the tale. At first I struggled with the shifting narrative between now and then, but "then" provided the backstory, and "now" exquisitely brought it all together.
I read this book with my friend Kelli ... check out her review /review/show... for her insightful perspective!
Outstanding debut Randall Klein! I highly recommend this book.
""Lies within lies - it's exhausting.""
Despite a slow and challenging start, Little Disasters wormed its way deep inside me. While walking on the beaches of southern Maine, strolling through the four floors of galleries at the Portland Museum of Art and trekking the numerous estuary trails of conservation land along the Atlantic, the story of Rebecca, Michael and Jackson Gould, Jennifer Sayles and Paul Fenniger nibbled and gnawed at the edges of my brain, seeped into my soul. It became a compulsion, an addiction � some of the star actors in this tale!
July 19, 2010, the hottest day of the year; high temperature just over one hundred degrees. Relentless sunlight from an endlessly blue sky, combined with the exhaust and grime of the city, made it feel closer to one hundred ten! Twin disasters unfold that day; an attack on a city, a catastrophic collision of deceit and betrayal.
The black plume of smoke rises from somewhere in midtown Manhattan. The trains have stopped running. The power is out. Cell service is down. Evacuations have begun. The murmur is terrorism. No one knows for sure.
Paul and Michael are struggling to make their way back to the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Michael walks the hundreds of blocks from The Cloisters in Upper Manhattan under the blazing sun. His skin burns. His thirst is unquenchable. His feet and legs sear with pain. Paul’s version of the bataan death march began when the trains stopped running and riders trudged through the subway tunnel to escape the heat and gloom. Emerging from the underground blackness into the blazing sunshine, he collapses at an emergency responder tent but quickly recovers to continue his determined trek. Both men are drawn to Jenny. Michael can’t resist her. Paul wants her back! It all began at 7:45am. It all ended at 5:46pm. Neither knew the outcome with any surety when it all began.
The emotional disaster started about a year ago � bad decisions, poor judgements, forbidden desires � at the hospital. Two women are admitted to give birth to their sons. The men begin in the waiting room then step outside for a smoke, share a flask to celebrate their entrance into the new world of fatherhood. The couples emerge with children in very different states. An unusual, awkward friendship is forged.
A friendship of compassion spirals out of control into a year of lies and lust, lots of very bad decisions layered on top of one another like geological sediments of time, since that fateful day at the hospital in Park Slope. Life is created. Lives are ruined. A relationship is shattered. One is made stronger. Different versions of love are exposed for what they truly are!
I loved this story! Each character truly reached me on so many different emotional and molecular levels. Perhaps during my lifetime of experiences, with life's daily firehose of random and disjointed snippets of thoughts always on, I have encountered fragmented bits and pieces of the emotional entanglements in this story that inspired my intense resonation. Perhaps it was the brilliant observations and insights into relationships, passion, desire and complacency that fed my addiction to the tale. At first I struggled with the shifting narrative between now and then, but "then" provided the backstory, and "now" exquisitely brought it all together.
I read this book with my friend Kelli ... check out her review /review/show... for her insightful perspective!
Outstanding debut Randall Klein! I highly recommend this book.
July 10, 2018
Well written but I really didn’t like 3 of the main characters and I really hated Jennifer, hated everything about her.
May 22, 2018
Original Source: Novel Visits -
{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
A Story Meeting in the Middle � Randall Klein’s debut novel tells the story of two men who first meet while their wives are in labor at the same hospital. Soon, the two families� lives are hopelessly entangled and a year has passed. Michael is now deep into an affair with Paul’s wife, Jenny. The two are set to have a romantic rendezvous at the Cloisters, only something goes terribly wrong in midtown Manhattan, stopping all forms of travel. Klein alternately shares the individual journeys Michael and Paul take on that long, hot August day with the events of the last year that brought Jenny and Michael together. These alternating narratives came together very nicely.
Grief Done Right � You will find very early on in Little Disasters that Paul and Jenny have lost their baby and that Randall Klein in no way shies away from his characters� grief. The raw emotion felt by both Jenny and Paul was so authentically delivered that it seemed to me the author must have experienced it himself.
“I take a step toward her and she backs away, but I follow through, gathering her into my arms, letting her weep into the spot she just punched. “If you want to move, we can move. We can move anywhere you want.�
This only makes her cry harder. She doesn’t want to leave Greenpoint, or this home on Franklin Street. It took us so long to find it, longer to afford it. So, instead she goes limp in my arms, lowering herself to the floor, taking me with her, until I have her cradled on the kitchen floor, both of us in tears, the oven growing cold.�
As heartbreaking as Jenny’s loss was, Paul’s grief almost felt more devastating. He had to constantly temper his own feelings so as not to further upset Jenny.
What Didn’t
A Crisis That Wasn’t � A major element in Little Disasters was that some “event� had happened in midtown Manhattan during the morning commute time, shutting down almost all transportation. While I can buy this sort of disaster happening, what I found almost impossible to buy was the complete lack of media coverage surrounding this catastrophe. The public had no idea what had happened. No televised reports. No radio coverage. No smart phone or internet information. Nothing. Just the promise of a news conference at 6 p.m. (Somehow that bit of information was widely known.) This was ridiculous. We all know how fast news gets out there and especially in a crisis. I just could not buy Klein’s reasons for why normal channels were ALL failing.
Slow � By the middle of the book it was dragging for me. I didn’t really care about either of the men. Too often, just as I thought one of their stories was about to get interesting, it didn’t.
The “Dates� � A whole section of Little Disasters featured the museum dates Michael and Jenny went on as their affair blossomed. Yawn! I just didn’t care! There was a lot of skimming going on during their dates. To be honest, I wasn’t ever able to connect with Jenny and by the end I actively disliked her. It was hard to fathom why two men were willing to sacrifice so much for this not very nice woman.
{The Final Assessment}
It’s not important for me to like characters in order for me to enjoy a book, but it helps. Unfortunately, Little Disasters was a book where I not only didn’t care much for any of the characters, but I also found the story itself to be so unlikely as to be unbelievable. I did like the ending, though it was not enough to save Little Disasters for me. Grade: C+
Note: I received a copy of this book from Viking (via Edelweiss) in exchange for my honest review.
{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
A Story Meeting in the Middle � Randall Klein’s debut novel tells the story of two men who first meet while their wives are in labor at the same hospital. Soon, the two families� lives are hopelessly entangled and a year has passed. Michael is now deep into an affair with Paul’s wife, Jenny. The two are set to have a romantic rendezvous at the Cloisters, only something goes terribly wrong in midtown Manhattan, stopping all forms of travel. Klein alternately shares the individual journeys Michael and Paul take on that long, hot August day with the events of the last year that brought Jenny and Michael together. These alternating narratives came together very nicely.
Grief Done Right � You will find very early on in Little Disasters that Paul and Jenny have lost their baby and that Randall Klein in no way shies away from his characters� grief. The raw emotion felt by both Jenny and Paul was so authentically delivered that it seemed to me the author must have experienced it himself.
“I take a step toward her and she backs away, but I follow through, gathering her into my arms, letting her weep into the spot she just punched. “If you want to move, we can move. We can move anywhere you want.�
This only makes her cry harder. She doesn’t want to leave Greenpoint, or this home on Franklin Street. It took us so long to find it, longer to afford it. So, instead she goes limp in my arms, lowering herself to the floor, taking me with her, until I have her cradled on the kitchen floor, both of us in tears, the oven growing cold.�
As heartbreaking as Jenny’s loss was, Paul’s grief almost felt more devastating. He had to constantly temper his own feelings so as not to further upset Jenny.
What Didn’t
A Crisis That Wasn’t � A major element in Little Disasters was that some “event� had happened in midtown Manhattan during the morning commute time, shutting down almost all transportation. While I can buy this sort of disaster happening, what I found almost impossible to buy was the complete lack of media coverage surrounding this catastrophe. The public had no idea what had happened. No televised reports. No radio coverage. No smart phone or internet information. Nothing. Just the promise of a news conference at 6 p.m. (Somehow that bit of information was widely known.) This was ridiculous. We all know how fast news gets out there and especially in a crisis. I just could not buy Klein’s reasons for why normal channels were ALL failing.
Slow � By the middle of the book it was dragging for me. I didn’t really care about either of the men. Too often, just as I thought one of their stories was about to get interesting, it didn’t.
The “Dates� � A whole section of Little Disasters featured the museum dates Michael and Jenny went on as their affair blossomed. Yawn! I just didn’t care! There was a lot of skimming going on during their dates. To be honest, I wasn’t ever able to connect with Jenny and by the end I actively disliked her. It was hard to fathom why two men were willing to sacrifice so much for this not very nice woman.
{The Final Assessment}
It’s not important for me to like characters in order for me to enjoy a book, but it helps. Unfortunately, Little Disasters was a book where I not only didn’t care much for any of the characters, but I also found the story itself to be so unlikely as to be unbelievable. I did like the ending, though it was not enough to save Little Disasters for me. Grade: C+
Note: I received a copy of this book from Viking (via Edelweiss) in exchange for my honest review.
August 19, 2018
This novel explores the tragedy that connects two couples and the ultimate implosion of their relationship. Initially, two couples meet at the hospital where they are having their babies. One of them has a healthy little boy but the other baby is stillborn. Told in the voices of the husbands, this book explores the couples' relationships - to each other as couples, and individually.
Michael and Rebecca Gould appear to have a loving marriage. Michael is a fine cabinet maker and Rebecca sells cookies to various restaurants. Their home smells of cookies all the time. Paul and Jennifer appear to be very much in love though there are hints of some darkness in their relationship. Paul worries about how he can share Jennifer with a child because his love for Jennifer is so deep. After they lose their baby, Jennifer is struck by a deep depression. Rebecca, always hopeful and optimistic, decides to invite Paul and Jennifer to dinner. This begins the slippery slope of friendship and betrayal.
From the outset of the novel, the reader is made aware of Michael's affair with Jennifer. He knows it is a bad idea but one he acts on anyway. Ostensibly, he is building shelves in the room Jennifer and Paul had set aside for their baby but he is easily seduced by Jennifer and their affair takes on a life of its own.
In the backdrop of the couples' lives is a catastrophe that is occurring in New York City, something that has brought the subway system and all transportation to a halt. What this catastrophe is, is never made clear though there is smoke and desperation in the city. Both Paul and Michael are struggling to get home in the face of substantial odds. I found this aspect of the book unnecessary and a way to divert the reader's attention from the important themes.
What allows Michael to be so susceptible to Jenny's need for him and why is he willing to risk destroying his new family? How will Paul and Rebecca respond to this betrayal if they find out? The characters are interesting but there are many unanswered questions. Perhaps this is the way it is in many infidelities. There may be no clear reasons for unfaithfulness and a partner's straying may be an act of impulsivity and desire more than a clear rational choice. Certainly, this is the case here. But what of the outcome? How does one prepare for that while in the midst of passion?
Michael and Rebecca Gould appear to have a loving marriage. Michael is a fine cabinet maker and Rebecca sells cookies to various restaurants. Their home smells of cookies all the time. Paul and Jennifer appear to be very much in love though there are hints of some darkness in their relationship. Paul worries about how he can share Jennifer with a child because his love for Jennifer is so deep. After they lose their baby, Jennifer is struck by a deep depression. Rebecca, always hopeful and optimistic, decides to invite Paul and Jennifer to dinner. This begins the slippery slope of friendship and betrayal.
From the outset of the novel, the reader is made aware of Michael's affair with Jennifer. He knows it is a bad idea but one he acts on anyway. Ostensibly, he is building shelves in the room Jennifer and Paul had set aside for their baby but he is easily seduced by Jennifer and their affair takes on a life of its own.
In the backdrop of the couples' lives is a catastrophe that is occurring in New York City, something that has brought the subway system and all transportation to a halt. What this catastrophe is, is never made clear though there is smoke and desperation in the city. Both Paul and Michael are struggling to get home in the face of substantial odds. I found this aspect of the book unnecessary and a way to divert the reader's attention from the important themes.
What allows Michael to be so susceptible to Jenny's need for him and why is he willing to risk destroying his new family? How will Paul and Rebecca respond to this betrayal if they find out? The characters are interesting but there are many unanswered questions. Perhaps this is the way it is in many infidelities. There may be no clear reasons for unfaithfulness and a partner's straying may be an act of impulsivity and desire more than a clear rational choice. Certainly, this is the case here. But what of the outcome? How does one prepare for that while in the midst of passion?
November 19, 2018
I wish I could have the hours back that I put into this book. Both men are idiots. The woman they both want is selfish and has no redeeming qualities. It makes no sense that she even makes the move on the man with whom she starts the affair - or that he responds, other than for sex - nothing until that point has indicated any attraction building between the two of them. They also seem to meet for sex and exploration of all that Manhattan has to offer without his income - working to create things in his studio - taking any kind of noticeable hit. The only likable and decent person in the entire book is the woman who gets cheated on. At least she has some self respect in the end but the rest of these self-centered characters deserve each other.
June 7, 2018
I was curious to know why other reviews weren't at 5 stars, and I've seen a trend... because they don't like the characters. I am here to tell you that I don't give a wit about "liking" the characters, this is some BOSS writing. It is brilliant. Risqué. Bold. And new. And the flawed characters are PERFECT!
BRAVO, @randall klein.
BRAVO, @randall klein.
July 21, 2018
The first line of Randall Klein’s smashing debut novel, “Little Disasters�, is: “Jenny Sayles and I are a terrible idea.� So says Michael Gould, one of our first-person, alternating narrators. The other narrator, Paul Fenniger, is also connected to Jenny. We quickly learn that Michael and Paul also have something else in common, and that’s where I want to leave the plot notes. I intentionally avoided reviews of this novel before I purchased it. I only read enough to know that it was enthusiastically received by reviewers I trust. Far too many reviews (both professional and amateur) reveal spoilers these days, and, like talking during a movie, I find plot spoilers in book reviews to be highly offensive.
Creating unique and authentic voices for two different male narrators is quite a literary challenge, and I’m happy to say Klein nailed it fairly early on. Not only is his writing perfectly paced, completely in tune with the modern zeitgeist, witty as heck, and completely believable, his prose is elegant and accessible. In short, this is a writer to watch!
I always read while on the stationary bike at the gym, pausing only to wipe away the sweat. Normally I ALWAYS know how much time I have left even when reading a really riveting book, but today I zoomed past my 30 minute mark without noticing - I was that engrossed! The suspense ratchets up and up and Klein's structure of alternating narrators and present and past story lines that finally converge, is the perfect way to tell this train wreck story. All the stars!
Creating unique and authentic voices for two different male narrators is quite a literary challenge, and I’m happy to say Klein nailed it fairly early on. Not only is his writing perfectly paced, completely in tune with the modern zeitgeist, witty as heck, and completely believable, his prose is elegant and accessible. In short, this is a writer to watch!
I always read while on the stationary bike at the gym, pausing only to wipe away the sweat. Normally I ALWAYS know how much time I have left even when reading a really riveting book, but today I zoomed past my 30 minute mark without noticing - I was that engrossed! The suspense ratchets up and up and Klein's structure of alternating narrators and present and past story lines that finally converge, is the perfect way to tell this train wreck story. All the stars!
May 18, 2018
I received a digital ARC of this book from Viking and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This book is getting four stars from me because of the suspense created by the phantom disaster shooting a plume of smoke into the sky in Manhattan. I do love a book set in NYC. Our two main characters-- Michael and Paul--find themselves on opposite ends of the borough and it takes each of them hours to get to their chosen destination. We see this story developing on the day of the "disaster", but also see the timeline of the past year (impending disaster, for sure) from the perspective of the two men. Quite frankly I find them both to be unlikeable and unreliable. Of the two women, Rebecca is the most likeable especially for her ninja cookie skills. Jenny is a hot mess.
This book is getting four stars from me because of the suspense created by the phantom disaster shooting a plume of smoke into the sky in Manhattan. I do love a book set in NYC. Our two main characters-- Michael and Paul--find themselves on opposite ends of the borough and it takes each of them hours to get to their chosen destination. We see this story developing on the day of the "disaster", but also see the timeline of the past year (impending disaster, for sure) from the perspective of the two men. Quite frankly I find them both to be unlikeable and unreliable. Of the two women, Rebecca is the most likeable especially for her ninja cookie skills. Jenny is a hot mess.
July 9, 2018
*screeches to the heavens* I'M.... FINALLY... FREE!!!!! I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER END.
Okay. So. Backing up here. I have trouble with books where I don't like any characters. And that was ESPECIALLY true for this book. I didn't like a single character. And honestly that's usually the case, for me, in books about affairs. So I guess I did it to myself with this one. I shouldn't have read it. But it sounded so interesting??
So it ended up taking me several weeks to read this (which is definitely not the norm for me) because I just absolutely didn't want to read it. I would end up doing literally anything else to avoid reading it. If I was enjoying it that little, why would I finish it, you ask? Because the entire city of New York was shut down by some unknown cause. I live in a medium sized city in Missouri. That doesn't happen where I'm from. And that fascinated me. So I kept reading because I wanted to know why that happened. And that has absolutely nothing to do with the story we're reading here. (Yeah and that answer to that question? Massively disappointing. I should've just read the last page of the book, because that's literally where the answer was, and then DNF at 150 pages. Well, you live and learn.)
Anyway. So. This story is about an affair. It's told from the pov of two wildly unlikable men who are both in love with one of the most awful women I have ever encountered in all of literature. Why do they both love her so much??? Am I not thinking with my man brain and just can't see what magic she has over them? Maybe it's because I can't actually ~see her???? I don't know. But the one thing I did take from this book is how fantastically I hated Jennifer Sayles. Because the Jennifer Sayles we see in all of the flashbacks scenes is somehow not the same Jennifer Sayles we end up with in the present day scenes. She seemed like a completely different character. And, honestly, I really need to rant about the ending
Honestly there was only one way this book could've been redeemed for me. If the disaster that shut down New York had somehow been directly tied to this story. And, actually, I thought that might be the direction this was going. When I thought that was the ending we were getting, I was honestly really excited and thought maybe I was right to stick this book out. But I was super wrong.
So I honestly wouldn't recommend this book. I had such a hard time with it that I wouldn't really want to wish that on anyone else. But I also have such trouble enjoying stories about characters I hate. So maybe this book will work better for others but it just wasn't right for me. And I'm honestly kind of mad that I finished it. But I can't tell you how glad I am to be done and on to other things that I'm actually enjoying. #Imadeit
Okay. So. Backing up here. I have trouble with books where I don't like any characters. And that was ESPECIALLY true for this book. I didn't like a single character. And honestly that's usually the case, for me, in books about affairs. So I guess I did it to myself with this one. I shouldn't have read it. But it sounded so interesting??
So it ended up taking me several weeks to read this (which is definitely not the norm for me) because I just absolutely didn't want to read it. I would end up doing literally anything else to avoid reading it. If I was enjoying it that little, why would I finish it, you ask? Because the entire city of New York was shut down by some unknown cause. I live in a medium sized city in Missouri. That doesn't happen where I'm from. And that fascinated me. So I kept reading because I wanted to know why that happened. And that has absolutely nothing to do with the story we're reading here. (Yeah and that answer to that question? Massively disappointing. I should've just read the last page of the book, because that's literally where the answer was, and then DNF at 150 pages. Well, you live and learn.)
Anyway. So. This story is about an affair. It's told from the pov of two wildly unlikable men who are both in love with one of the most awful women I have ever encountered in all of literature. Why do they both love her so much??? Am I not thinking with my man brain and just can't see what magic she has over them? Maybe it's because I can't actually ~see her???? I don't know. But the one thing I did take from this book is how fantastically I hated Jennifer Sayles. Because the Jennifer Sayles we see in all of the flashbacks scenes is somehow not the same Jennifer Sayles we end up with in the present day scenes. She seemed like a completely different character. And, honestly, I really need to rant about the ending
Honestly there was only one way this book could've been redeemed for me. If the disaster that shut down New York had somehow been directly tied to this story. And, actually, I thought that might be the direction this was going. When I thought that was the ending we were getting, I was honestly really excited and thought maybe I was right to stick this book out. But I was super wrong.
So I honestly wouldn't recommend this book. I had such a hard time with it that I wouldn't really want to wish that on anyone else. But I also have such trouble enjoying stories about characters I hate. So maybe this book will work better for others but it just wasn't right for me. And I'm honestly kind of mad that I finished it. But I can't tell you how glad I am to be done and on to other things that I'm actually enjoying. #Imadeit
May 20, 2018
Little Disasters by Randall Klein is a recommended debut novel that follows two couples (via the narration of the men) during one disastrous year.
Two men, Michael and Paul meet in 2009 at the Brooklyn hospital where their partners, Rebecca and Jenny, are in the delivery room. Michael is an artist and furniture maker and his wife Rebecca is a cookie entrepreneur. Paul is an actor and paralegal and his partner Jenny is a writer. Michael and Rebecca take home their son while Paul and Jenny mourn the death of their son. Paul later calls Michael to have him transform the nursery to an office for Jenny. He also invites the two over for dinner, which is a disaster. Michael accepts the job, which also marks the start of his affair with Jenny.
At the same time, chapters cover a year in the future when an unnamed disaster hits NYC. The opening chapter shows Michael is at the Cloisters in the northernmost tip of Manhattan, waiting for Jenny, who stands him up. Paul is trapped in a subway tunnel under the east river. Some disaster happened which has stopped mass transit, traffic, and electricity, leaving many people stranded during their morning commute who now must find a way home during one of the hottest days of the year.
The writing is excellent, perceptive, and observant with an acute eye for detail. The plot has some built in tension because of the way the book is structure covering a year in the lives of these characters. Basically there are two timelines and our two narrators are in both timelines. They meet in 2009. Events during this starting point in the timeline lead up to the current day, July 19, 2010. July 19th marks some unknown disaster in NYC, sending both men on a long, hot trek home. The novel starts on July 19th in 2010, and then jumps back to 2009. At this point, you have to pay attention to the opening dates and who is talking, especially at the beginning, because the chapters alternate between the two first person narrators in both timelines. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear who is narrating and how the two stories are tied together.
Where I found the novel to be lacking is in the characters and the plot. While both male character are developed and clearly are deeply flawed men, the women are not well developed characters at all and come across as caricatures. From all appearances, Michael is a supreme jerk. Jenny comes across as notably unlikable and difficult to sympathize with. Paul has some odd obsessions, but there is also a glimmer of goodness in him. The same could be said for Rebecca, the most likeable character; she has some flaws but nothing abnormal. Basically we have two very disagreeable characters actively seeking an extramarital affair. Then we have both men trying to get home during the unnamed disaster. My final verdict is that Klein's writing is good enough that I will look for future novels by him, but perhaps avoid it if it features an affair.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
Two men, Michael and Paul meet in 2009 at the Brooklyn hospital where their partners, Rebecca and Jenny, are in the delivery room. Michael is an artist and furniture maker and his wife Rebecca is a cookie entrepreneur. Paul is an actor and paralegal and his partner Jenny is a writer. Michael and Rebecca take home their son while Paul and Jenny mourn the death of their son. Paul later calls Michael to have him transform the nursery to an office for Jenny. He also invites the two over for dinner, which is a disaster. Michael accepts the job, which also marks the start of his affair with Jenny.
At the same time, chapters cover a year in the future when an unnamed disaster hits NYC. The opening chapter shows Michael is at the Cloisters in the northernmost tip of Manhattan, waiting for Jenny, who stands him up. Paul is trapped in a subway tunnel under the east river. Some disaster happened which has stopped mass transit, traffic, and electricity, leaving many people stranded during their morning commute who now must find a way home during one of the hottest days of the year.
The writing is excellent, perceptive, and observant with an acute eye for detail. The plot has some built in tension because of the way the book is structure covering a year in the lives of these characters. Basically there are two timelines and our two narrators are in both timelines. They meet in 2009. Events during this starting point in the timeline lead up to the current day, July 19, 2010. July 19th marks some unknown disaster in NYC, sending both men on a long, hot trek home. The novel starts on July 19th in 2010, and then jumps back to 2009. At this point, you have to pay attention to the opening dates and who is talking, especially at the beginning, because the chapters alternate between the two first person narrators in both timelines. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear who is narrating and how the two stories are tied together.
Where I found the novel to be lacking is in the characters and the plot. While both male character are developed and clearly are deeply flawed men, the women are not well developed characters at all and come across as caricatures. From all appearances, Michael is a supreme jerk. Jenny comes across as notably unlikable and difficult to sympathize with. Paul has some odd obsessions, but there is also a glimmer of goodness in him. The same could be said for Rebecca, the most likeable character; she has some flaws but nothing abnormal. Basically we have two very disagreeable characters actively seeking an extramarital affair. Then we have both men trying to get home during the unnamed disaster. My final verdict is that Klein's writing is good enough that I will look for future novels by him, but perhaps avoid it if it features an affair.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
June 13, 2018
He's a good writer but I found Michael and Jenny to be such horrible unappealing characters that it ultimately ended up detracting from the story. I don't need to necessarily like the main characters to enjoy a novel. Characters who have no flaws are not realistic or interesting. However, I do usually need to find something endearing about them in order to root for them. Michael especially is just obnoxious and despicable in every way. I didn't enjoy spending time in his head. The author could have saved him somewhat by at least making his thoughts interesting or funny but they were so typically self centered, entitled 30 something-white-male-hipster who is adjusting to marriage and a new baby and refusing to grow up (wah wah wah, cry me a river). These themes have already been played out, to better effect, in so many prior novels.
I also didn't find it believable that all these men are supposedly madly in love with Jenny, who comes off as superior and smug for seemingly no reason. We don't get any chapters from her perspective but we do hear quite a bit from her in dialogue and none of it was particularly fresh or funny. So I'm not sure what was supposed to be so appealing about her personality. Paul was a boring door mat. Complete nonentity. I didn't really care what happened to him. Rebecca was the most likable but was depicted as being a bit of a Type A prig (her overall portrayal actually had me wondering if Klein might not be a bit of a misogynist. Again, it was just so typical of the usual perspective of a 30 something white male on women who want to get married and have children - that women "rope" men into this and that it's not fair for them). As a consequence of all of this, I found myself not really caring what happened to any of the characters about midway through. I only finished the book because I wanted to find out what happened in Manhattan on July 19. I was happy to see Rebecca kick Michael to the curb though. He deserved that at the very least.
I also didn't find it believable that all these men are supposedly madly in love with Jenny, who comes off as superior and smug for seemingly no reason. We don't get any chapters from her perspective but we do hear quite a bit from her in dialogue and none of it was particularly fresh or funny. So I'm not sure what was supposed to be so appealing about her personality. Paul was a boring door mat. Complete nonentity. I didn't really care what happened to him. Rebecca was the most likable but was depicted as being a bit of a Type A prig (her overall portrayal actually had me wondering if Klein might not be a bit of a misogynist. Again, it was just so typical of the usual perspective of a 30 something white male on women who want to get married and have children - that women "rope" men into this and that it's not fair for them). As a consequence of all of this, I found myself not really caring what happened to any of the characters about midway through. I only finished the book because I wanted to find out what happened in Manhattan on July 19. I was happy to see Rebecca kick Michael to the curb though. He deserved that at the very least.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2018
It's hard to think highly of a book when none of the characters seem particularly likeable. It's sad how pathetic these men are and the wives that are with them. I just wanted to slap them all and tell them how good their lives were! Maybe that was the author's point, but it can be frustrating for the reader when the whole book unfolds that way.
September 12, 2018
I really dig the writing, but to me, the book could have ended sooner. Towards the end it dragged.
December 8, 2020
In that, every little decision made in life has some impact on the consequences of how that life is lead, so do the bigger and more apparent decisions. As such, even a little decision can lead to a little disaster and those add up to just a plain disaster. If you don't believe me, then ask Michael whom I considered being the main character in LITTLE DISASTERS.
LITTLE DISASTERS is unlike most books I have read as it seems to be a male-driven story of marriage, cheating, sex, children, and loss... both through death and as a consequence of the cheating. Male driven because the only points of view are from the two main male characters, Michael and Paul. Neither Jenny nor Rebecca are part of the POV and their actions are generally discussed by one of the males. I thought this was unusual and gave the book a distinctly male feel of emotion as Michael has the first to size Paul's level of being a man because of how he viewed his emotion when the end seemed apparent. Paul neither fought Jenny to remain or Michael to reclaim.
Two couples meet at the hospital when the wives are giving birth to their first children. One couple (Michael and Rebecca) takes a baby home and the other (Paul and Jenny) sadly do not. Thus a year of cheating and intertwining begins and Michael and Jenny seem to fall in love with each other while Paul and Rebecca avert their eyes and do not acknowledge until the very last moment that they have been wronged. Set in New York, the fear of continued terrorism, one day is captured to stand out as the day the affair comes to light and choices have to be made. In the end, all of the little disastrous choices made along the way serve to have a final outcome. Despite being a grubby bunch, I found myself rooting for Jenny as she held strong in her self respect because if you don't love yourself, you can't expect anyone else to love you either.
I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I found the writing style to be crisp and bold with enough drama and suspense to hold the reader's attention. Klein seems to be a brilliant guy and I will watch for his additional work in the future.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
LITTLE DISASTERS is unlike most books I have read as it seems to be a male-driven story of marriage, cheating, sex, children, and loss... both through death and as a consequence of the cheating. Male driven because the only points of view are from the two main male characters, Michael and Paul. Neither Jenny nor Rebecca are part of the POV and their actions are generally discussed by one of the males. I thought this was unusual and gave the book a distinctly male feel of emotion as Michael has the first to size Paul's level of being a man because of how he viewed his emotion when the end seemed apparent. Paul neither fought Jenny to remain or Michael to reclaim.
Two couples meet at the hospital when the wives are giving birth to their first children. One couple (Michael and Rebecca) takes a baby home and the other (Paul and Jenny) sadly do not. Thus a year of cheating and intertwining begins and Michael and Jenny seem to fall in love with each other while Paul and Rebecca avert their eyes and do not acknowledge until the very last moment that they have been wronged. Set in New York, the fear of continued terrorism, one day is captured to stand out as the day the affair comes to light and choices have to be made. In the end, all of the little disastrous choices made along the way serve to have a final outcome. Despite being a grubby bunch, I found myself rooting for Jenny as she held strong in her self respect because if you don't love yourself, you can't expect anyone else to love you either.
I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I found the writing style to be crisp and bold with enough drama and suspense to hold the reader's attention. Klein seems to be a brilliant guy and I will watch for his additional work in the future.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2018
This book was a disappointment to me. Wife jumping into bed with man she did not really know and a torrid affair at expense of both of their spouses. He gets dumped in the end and surprised that his wife doesn't jump at the chance to have him back!!
August 3, 2018
Library Request on Audio.
I have to say the writing was flawless, however I really hated the premise and the characters. What is there to say about Jenny, I felt sorry for Paul and Jenny to go through the unimaginable situation, but Jenny used it as an excuse to do whatever she wants. She not only explodes her relationship with Paul, but Rebecca’s as well.
Please explain what is wrong with Paul Fenn, he’s a human doormat, it’s obvious that he loves Jenny more than she feels for him, and that doesn’t make for a good relationship. But someone please tell me what Jenny has that these two idiots can’t be without. Paul wake up and leave her, you can do so much better.
As for Michael, he show lose his wife and son, he doesn’t deserve them, as a matter of fact I think he and Jenny are more suited for each other seeing how selfish they are their perfect for each other.
I really have to say the emotions emanating from the lose of Paul’s son was well done, but then to use that as an excuse for the terrible behaviour, I really felt it was used as the excuse but the behaviour was truly Jenny.
And what is with this not knowing what’s going on in midtown. In this day and age really no one knows what’s happened.....that should have made me change my rating to two stars alone.
I really can’t tell you how much I hate Jenny and Michael, they truly belong together. To very selfish people.
I have to say the writing was flawless, however I really hated the premise and the characters. What is there to say about Jenny, I felt sorry for Paul and Jenny to go through the unimaginable situation, but Jenny used it as an excuse to do whatever she wants. She not only explodes her relationship with Paul, but Rebecca’s as well.
Please explain what is wrong with Paul Fenn, he’s a human doormat, it’s obvious that he loves Jenny more than she feels for him, and that doesn’t make for a good relationship. But someone please tell me what Jenny has that these two idiots can’t be without. Paul wake up and leave her, you can do so much better.
As for Michael, he show lose his wife and son, he doesn’t deserve them, as a matter of fact I think he and Jenny are more suited for each other seeing how selfish they are their perfect for each other.
I really have to say the emotions emanating from the lose of Paul’s son was well done, but then to use that as an excuse for the terrible behaviour, I really felt it was used as the excuse but the behaviour was truly Jenny.
And what is with this not knowing what’s going on in midtown. In this day and age really no one knows what’s happened.....that should have made me change my rating to two stars alone.
I really can’t tell you how much I hate Jenny and Michael, they truly belong together. To very selfish people.
August 24, 2018
Probably more of a 4.5 although I can't say why. I just liked it and liked that it wasn't predictable. I will probably try to keep up with other stuff he writes, especially since this is his first. I think I liked the story more than the writing itself, but I did really appreciate how well they dealt with the time-shifts.
June 2, 2018
Engaging
This engrossing novel is set in Brooklyn. It was interesting to read of young-marrieds, new baby, adultery, homemaking - told from the male point of view.
This engrossing novel is set in Brooklyn. It was interesting to read of young-marrieds, new baby, adultery, homemaking - told from the male point of view.
June 10, 2018
Definitely worthy of the summer-reading list
I appreciated the two male characters� perspectives along with the NYC element and didn’t want to put it down during the last quarter.
I appreciated the two male characters� perspectives along with the NYC element and didn’t want to put it down during the last quarter.
August 19, 2018
All of the characters were awful. The book was very slow as well and hard to get into.
November 28, 2020
New Yorkers LOVE New York. They love it as the backdrop for stories about cheating spouses and subway disasters and restaurant tours. They love it as a place where actor-law assistants and artist-carpenters can live out their fantasies of being bohemians *and* family men. The plot device—going back and forth in time as these two men move inexorably toward some sort of disaster—keeps this novel chugging forward, allowing you to forget whether you even like any of these four characters or care about their fate. Maybe you care about the fate of New York.
October 6, 2018
I’m so surprised that I liked this book full of unlikable characters, but I did. The pacing and lack of chapter breaks made it hard to put down. The content is pretty intense so I can definitely see it’s not for everyone.
August 9, 2018
Paul and Michael meet at the hospital where their wives are giving birth. Only one baby survives. A favour leads to an affair, which leads to the end of one of the relationships. I liked the two-part structure of the narrative. One part begins in the present when both Paul and Michael are trying to get home after what many suspect to be an act of terrorism causes chaos in New York - public transport all closed, rolling power outages all on a really hot day. The other part of the narrative begins on the day of the babies births and moves - mostly - forward until it connects with the present day, a year later. Sadly, I didn't like most of the main characters- especially Jenny and Michael. Their relationship seemed unhealthy and selfish and I failed to detect any meaningful feelings that justified their actions. I thought Jenny may have simply been trying to cope with her grief but it seemed she frequently cheated on her partner, who seemed to know about her behaviour but have no desire to challenge it. With the exception of Rebecca there was really no-one I could relate to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2018
I'm beginning to think that my liking a book has to do with the mood I'm in. This book shouldn't have been called Little Disasters, it should have been called Terrible People.
I'll start out by saying that the writing itself is lovely. I felt fully immersed in the plot and the setting. You're transported to New York City and taken through the course of a few years in the life of the main four characters. The author has created full and vibrant characters for you to latch onto and relate to.
He did such an excellent job, that I ended up hating two of the characters. As in I wanted to crawl through the pages and just throttle them.
One downside to this entire experience were the flashbacks. I don't mind a decent flashback scene every once in a while, but there were countless ones in this novel. Sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks. It got to be a tad too much.
Spoilery plot points ahead
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The plot follows two couples who have babies on the same day. The fathers meet outside the hospital while awaiting the birth of their children. Both women, for reasons, have decided that the men are not allowed in the birthing room with them; that the births are things they as women should have all to themselves. I could unpack the misogyny of it all, but who has time for that?
We find out later that Paul and Jenny's child has died, while Michael and Rebecca's child has lived. This is told through flashback. During the present day there is some sort of potential terrorist attack on the city and both Michael and Paul are stranded and unable to get home.
But wait! Turns out that Jenny and Michael started an affair. End sympathies here. Jenny and Michael continue to be terrible people throughout the entire book. Carrying on literally in front of their spouses faces at once point. They finally decide to "do the right thing" and leave their spouses for each other. Try not to sprain your eyes with that eye roll. In case you were wondering just how awful they are? Michael feels basically ZERO guilt. Jenny? Well she has it in her head that the first time she cheated on Paul was her fault, but every other time he let her get away with it is somehow his fault.
See? Terrible people.
All in all, I'm going to end up giving this book 4 stars. I didn't care for the flashback aspect of how it was written. But ultimately, the author created vibrant characters for me to love, hate, and sympathize with, so that counts for something.
I'll start out by saying that the writing itself is lovely. I felt fully immersed in the plot and the setting. You're transported to New York City and taken through the course of a few years in the life of the main four characters. The author has created full and vibrant characters for you to latch onto and relate to.
He did such an excellent job, that I ended up hating two of the characters. As in I wanted to crawl through the pages and just throttle them.
One downside to this entire experience were the flashbacks. I don't mind a decent flashback scene every once in a while, but there were countless ones in this novel. Sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks. It got to be a tad too much.
Spoilery plot points ahead
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The plot follows two couples who have babies on the same day. The fathers meet outside the hospital while awaiting the birth of their children. Both women, for reasons, have decided that the men are not allowed in the birthing room with them; that the births are things they as women should have all to themselves. I could unpack the misogyny of it all, but who has time for that?
We find out later that Paul and Jenny's child has died, while Michael and Rebecca's child has lived. This is told through flashback. During the present day there is some sort of potential terrorist attack on the city and both Michael and Paul are stranded and unable to get home.
But wait! Turns out that Jenny and Michael started an affair. End sympathies here. Jenny and Michael continue to be terrible people throughout the entire book. Carrying on literally in front of their spouses faces at once point. They finally decide to "do the right thing" and leave their spouses for each other. Try not to sprain your eyes with that eye roll. In case you were wondering just how awful they are? Michael feels basically ZERO guilt. Jenny? Well she has it in her head that the first time she cheated on Paul was her fault, but every other time he let her get away with it is somehow his fault.
See? Terrible people.
All in all, I'm going to end up giving this book 4 stars. I didn't care for the flashback aspect of how it was written. But ultimately, the author created vibrant characters for me to love, hate, and sympathize with, so that counts for something.
May 30, 2018
Oh man oh man. This was a RIDE. This was GOOD. So good that when I was only a couple of chapters in I spent a good fifteen minutes debating over bring it with me for the long weekend because I wanted to keep reading it so badly but I knew I'd finish it and have to end up lugging it around Vermont--it was a library book, or I'd have forced upon an unsuspecting stranger. So good that even though I decided not to bring it, the characters continued to weigh on my mind.
The alternating times were a complete ride. The present day felt so very dystopian (even as I was simultaneously reading a legitimate dystopian where the internet stops working, for goodness sake) but also quite plausible--and I'm glad I read this after having been in New York City for a year, and I'm glad I read half of this while baking slowly in the early-summer sun, and I'm glad Klein is an excellent writer because it was so easy to be present in the scenes, to feel the desparation of the countless people throughout the city Michael walked by, to feel the relaxed "what-can-you-do" attitudes of bodega owners, to feel how cloying the subway Paul was stuck on felt.
And the way the past unravelled, well. That's some elegant crafting.
Paul and Michael had such very different personalities, but their first person narration felt the same--my one complaint about this book is that both Michael and Paul had very similar voices, and though I normally think two authors writing is gimmicky, I wish it had been done here. Other than voice, I was impressed by how the four of them had their own backgrounds and gimmicks, and I reveled in the way all relationships felt naturally quirky. I was offered very honest snapshots of their lives.
And the ending!!! I am so very rarely, if ever, satisfied with an ending, but on two major accounts I was very impressed with how this ended. Three, really, because there's some gorgeous matter-of-factism. What an amazing ending!
Maybe this hasn't been getting much attention because it hugs the line of commercial and literary quite closely, but it's so worth picking up.
The alternating times were a complete ride. The present day felt so very dystopian (even as I was simultaneously reading a legitimate dystopian where the internet stops working, for goodness sake) but also quite plausible--and I'm glad I read this after having been in New York City for a year, and I'm glad I read half of this while baking slowly in the early-summer sun, and I'm glad Klein is an excellent writer because it was so easy to be present in the scenes, to feel the desparation of the countless people throughout the city Michael walked by, to feel the relaxed "what-can-you-do" attitudes of bodega owners, to feel how cloying the subway Paul was stuck on felt.
And the way the past unravelled, well. That's some elegant crafting.
Paul and Michael had such very different personalities, but their first person narration felt the same--my one complaint about this book is that both Michael and Paul had very similar voices, and though I normally think two authors writing is gimmicky, I wish it had been done here. Other than voice, I was impressed by how the four of them had their own backgrounds and gimmicks, and I reveled in the way all relationships felt naturally quirky. I was offered very honest snapshots of their lives.
And the ending!!! I am so very rarely, if ever, satisfied with an ending, but on two major accounts I was very impressed with how this ended. Three, really, because there's some gorgeous matter-of-factism. What an amazing ending!
Maybe this hasn't been getting much attention because it hugs the line of commercial and literary quite closely, but it's so worth picking up.
August 3, 2018
Couldn’t put it down. Yes, complicated characters. But the best ones are, aren’t they? Hilarious, poignant, excellent writing.
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