Kissing in Manhattan by David Schickler Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Kissing in Manhattan
Book Review: meh
Summary: 2 Stars
I hadn't heard anything about this book, but after reading it I decided to look up some reviews here on Amazon. I was surprised by how many people liked it, but to each their own. I enjoy reading short fiction (Thom Jones, Bukowski, Doerr, Dubus) and this collection looked interesting, but each story was rather ho-hum. Some were just silly, and the mix of realism and bizare (phamtom jeweler in the basement of the sex shop) didn't work well. The characters were mostly annoying. Patrick Rigg seemed a little too much like Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) I also found it weak that the author had to make Nicole in "Smoker" a nineteen year old HS senior- to make it "ok" that the teacher could lust after and enter a relationship with her (she's an honor student accepted to Princeton but she had to be held back, we learn later-right). Jacob's Bath was interesting to a point, but went nowhere. Fourth Angry Mouse was not bad.
I got the feeling the author was writing these "connected" stories with the thought of it being turned into some "connected movie", like Chelsea Walls or Love Actually.
Not sure if this is the author's first works, if so, I would say it is an ok start. But hardly worthy of the "National Bestseller" noted on the cover.
Book Review: nicely woven
Summary: 4 Stars
I happened to pick up this small volume while on holiday, and although otherwise I would not have read it, I must say that it was a perfect book for a hot June day.
This is, seemingly, a collection of short stories about the inhabitants of one Manhattan building. They are young, successful, and on the surface look like typical smooth, rich New Yorkers without problems greater than where to go out in the evening. As the book progresses, however, it becomes obvious that they are not so typical (or maybe they are? Because what is typical, in fact?) and all of them have secrets or obsessions, or at least peculiarities, which unassuming neighbors would not think of.
The first few stories introduce the characters more than contribute to the overall plot (and that is why they may seem weaker than the later ones - I was in fact considering putting the book down before I reached half of it, but the farther into it, the more engrossing it became). Because - surprise!- there is a plot and a connection between those stories which makes them more into a novel towards the end. Therefore, it is important to read carefully! The characters make a delightful rainbow of personalities, my favorites being James Branch and Rally (and my favorite story is "The Opals"). I like Thomas Merchant, too. Patrick and his story remind me of "The American Psycho".
The book ends in a powerful climax and it is worth reading, although it is definitely light literature, but very good in its kind. At the beginning it needs some momentum and definitely gets better as it goes, but the colorful characters and magical atmosphere (Jonathan Carroll, obviously, must have been an inspiration!) make it really interesting. I agree, though, with the critical voices that the Creative Writing classes are obviously visible here - it seems to be a problem of most recent debuts, unfortunately. Luckily, this one does not pretend to be more than it is.
Book Review: padib53@verizon.net
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a hard time getting started with this one but once I got going It was a " can't put downer". Very original concept and I had absolutely no idea where this was going,but I loved it
PAB
Book Review: save your money
Summary: 1 Stars
This book was one of the worst I have read in a long time. The mindless prattle of the narrator, going on and on about the obvious quirks of the characters, made me feel as though the author was writing this book for low-IQ readers. Let us infer something!!!! Anything!! Between the totally flat characters and the uninteresting/contrived story lines (talking to an elevator? WHO CARES), I was tearing my hair out with boredom. I purchased this book because I thought it would make me nostalgic for New York, but there is nothing in the book unique to New York aside from the mention of a few popular restaurants and bars. I found this book to be seriously annoying.