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The Comedown
A dazzling epic that follows two very different families in Cleveland across generations, beginning with their patriarchs, who become irrevocably intertwined one fateful night
A blistering dark comedy, Rafael Frumkin's The Comedown is a romp across America, from the Kent State shootings to protest marches in Chicago to the Florida Everglades, that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time.
Scrappy, street smart drug dealer Reggie Marshall has never liked the simpering addict Leland Bloom-Mittwoch, which doesn’t stop Leland from looking up to Reggie with puppy-esque devotion. But when a drug deal goes dramatically, tragically wrong and a suitcase (which may or may not contain a quarter of a million dollars) disappears, the two men and their families become hopelessly entangled. It’s a mistake that sets in motion a series of events that are odd, captivating, suspenseful, and ultimately inevitable.
Both incendiary and earnest, The Comedown steadfastly catalogs the tangled messes the characters make of their lives, never losing sight of the beauty and power of each family member’s capacity for love, be it for money, drugs, or each other.
A blistering dark comedy, Rafael Frumkin's The Comedown is a romp across America, from the Kent State shootings to protest marches in Chicago to the Florida Everglades, that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time.
Scrappy, street smart drug dealer Reggie Marshall has never liked the simpering addict Leland Bloom-Mittwoch, which doesn’t stop Leland from looking up to Reggie with puppy-esque devotion. But when a drug deal goes dramatically, tragically wrong and a suitcase (which may or may not contain a quarter of a million dollars) disappears, the two men and their families become hopelessly entangled. It’s a mistake that sets in motion a series of events that are odd, captivating, suspenseful, and ultimately inevitable.
Both incendiary and earnest, The Comedown steadfastly catalogs the tangled messes the characters make of their lives, never losing sight of the beauty and power of each family member’s capacity for love, be it for money, drugs, or each other.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2018
67 people are currently reading
2734 people want to read
About the author
Rafael Frumkin
6 books133 followersRafael Frumkin is the author of CONFIDENCE (2023), which was a New York Times Editor's Pick and one of the Washington Post's 50 Best Books of 2023. Her debut, THE COMEDOWN (2018), was optioned for TV first by Freddie Highmore and Regina King at Starz, and then by Sony Trident. Her collection, BUGSY AND OTHER STORIES, was longlisted for the 2024 Story Prize.
She has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Paris Review, Granta, Guernica, Hazlitt, Virginia Quarterly Review, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among other places.
She has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Paris Review, Granta, Guernica, Hazlitt, Virginia Quarterly Review, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among other places.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
December 19, 2017
The Comedown is a terrific literary work that takes the classic form of the great sweeping novels that span generations and wars and breathes fresh life into the genre. It's a story told much in the way stories are really told at the holiday table -in bits and pieces with different people remembering different things. It's the story of two families twisted together through a drug deal gone bad and extended versions of those families. Each chapter takes on a successive character and tells their story. Each character has a story to tell, complex, full, wildly amazing, and filled with pain, joy, and wonderment. It takes a little bit of reading to get used to the method of storytelling and the pace, but it's worth persevering because Frumkin delivers a beautiful complex many-faceted story that has drug addicts in Cleveland, broken families, car crashes interrupting young love affairs, jealousy, bitterness, college days, grade school bullies, and do much more. The people in this book are richly drawn and each of them has something agonizing from the father who disappeared to start anew to the missing briefcase to the drug-addled get together to first dates to brain surgery to teenage geniuses. A great piece of work so different from my usual reading fare. Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. for providing a copy for review.
December 29, 2017
This rich novel is structured as linked stories, each featuring a member of one of two Cleveland families forever tied in a somewhat unholy bond. A horrendous drug deal gone wrong on May 8, 1973 is the fulcrum for all that follows, and drugs are at the center of everything, legal and non-. It also happens to be a birthday shared by the patriarchs Reggie Marshall and Leland Bloom Sr., and I was hooked from the prologue. The McGuffin here is a yellow briefcase that may or may not contain life changing money, but since it has taken on mythic quality, it really doesn't matter what it contains. Each person is so vividly drawn, you almost forget this is a novel and are surprised when there is a chapter end and another avenue is opened up. Rebekah Frumkin is an amazingly vivid writer, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
August 16, 2022
Oh, can Frumkin write! I was mesmerized by the prose, which is just so spot on. In truth it was this writing that kept me turning pages more than the plot.
But the plot is definitely notable. A drug deal goes wrong and the addict and dealer's families become strangely intertwined for generations. I'm a sucker for family sagas and thought that's what this novel would be, but it's actually more than that. It's an epic novel (that's not too long) that explores race, religion, and class.
A debut that's certainly worth checking out.
But the plot is definitely notable. A drug deal goes wrong and the addict and dealer's families become strangely intertwined for generations. I'm a sucker for family sagas and thought that's what this novel would be, but it's actually more than that. It's an epic novel (that's not too long) that explores race, religion, and class.
A debut that's certainly worth checking out.
January 19, 2018
The intertwining of separate and disparate lives in Cleveland is beautifully written and Rebekah Frumkin's voice is clear and bold. Her depiction of mental illness, addiction and general human vice and virtue were spot on and powerfully written.
one of the things that has really stuck with me throughout the book is that we all see ourselves as a little less fucked up, a little more put together, and a little more generous and kind-hearted than we are perceived by others. Though, interestingly, the characteristics that the characters were harshest about in themselves were often the parts of them that other characters viewed most positively. The unreliable narration of this book is...well, exactly the unreliable narration that we narrate our own lives with.
I'd recommend this book to those who love character studies, short stories, and gritty novels about city life.
Disclaimer: NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book for free for an honest review, and I am personal friends with the author. Still, my review stands!
one of the things that has really stuck with me throughout the book is that we all see ourselves as a little less fucked up, a little more put together, and a little more generous and kind-hearted than we are perceived by others. Though, interestingly, the characteristics that the characters were harshest about in themselves were often the parts of them that other characters viewed most positively. The unreliable narration of this book is...well, exactly the unreliable narration that we narrate our own lives with.
I'd recommend this book to those who love character studies, short stories, and gritty novels about city life.
Disclaimer: NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book for free for an honest review, and I am personal friends with the author. Still, my review stands!
April 26, 2018
Thanks go to Net Galley and Henry Holt for the review copy. This debut tells me that Frumkin is an author to watch. This book is now available to the public.
The story begins with Leland, an addict with a suitcase, and Reggie, the dealer that hates him. There’s Melinda, the unhappy ex-wife, and a host of other characters, including Melinda’s daughter-in-law Jocelyn. The suitcase is the hook; everyone wants it, and so of course the reader must wonder what is in it and who has it now.
This novel grabbed me at the get-go, darkly funny and brutally frank. It struck me as angry fiction, and the energy behind it was fascinating. But ultimately, there are too many characters and too many social issues wrapped into this one story, and rather than making it complex and tight, it wanders in too many directions. There’s an overly lengthy narrative toward the end, and it’s followed by some regrettable dialogue. And there are too many characters named Leland. The story is an ambitious one, but this should probably have been more than one story, or perhaps a series. The result is a lack of focus.
I would love to see the author write something else using Melinda as the central character, and fewer guys named Leland.
The story begins with Leland, an addict with a suitcase, and Reggie, the dealer that hates him. There’s Melinda, the unhappy ex-wife, and a host of other characters, including Melinda’s daughter-in-law Jocelyn. The suitcase is the hook; everyone wants it, and so of course the reader must wonder what is in it and who has it now.
This novel grabbed me at the get-go, darkly funny and brutally frank. It struck me as angry fiction, and the energy behind it was fascinating. But ultimately, there are too many characters and too many social issues wrapped into this one story, and rather than making it complex and tight, it wanders in too many directions. There’s an overly lengthy narrative toward the end, and it’s followed by some regrettable dialogue. And there are too many characters named Leland. The story is an ambitious one, but this should probably have been more than one story, or perhaps a series. The result is a lack of focus.
I would love to see the author write something else using Melinda as the central character, and fewer guys named Leland.
July 31, 2018
Frumkin's novel consists of connected short stories which tell the story of a family impacted by the drug world. I love the idea of getting more info about specific events through the lens of different characters, but each chapter just left me plain confused. It was hard for me to remember which character was which and how they were all related (although I suppose this could be more my fault than the author's.) Aside from the confusion (there were constant time jumps too!), I was also turned off by the repetitiveness of each story and the overabundance of details about side characters that didn't add anything to the story. This was just really disappointing.
February 19, 2018
Put simply, Rebekah Frumkin is a brilliant writer. Her language is both complex and readable, her characters full of layers and eccentricities yet in some ways familiar. It’s difficult to say exactly what THE COMEDOWN is about, with its story lines that both weave into and diverge from each other, but in every chapter, you’ll find yourself equally pulled in, led down a path you had no idea you’d follow with such interest. It’s a truly unique work with characters who feel as vivid as any person you’ll meet, and I can’t wait for more from this writer.
July 26, 2018
Am I the only one who found it incredibly hard to keep all the characters straight in this intergenerational family saga? Even with the two family trees I was a bit all over the place. Shame because the writing was lovely and the premise clever.
July 22, 2018
Since the complicated storylines of this family saga novel are driven almost entirely by drug use and mental illness, it’s no surprise that it’s often unwieldy, scattered and confusing. It’s also brave, smart and ambitious, especially for a debut.
I give credit to the author for literary courage, for research and for her willingness to go deep into brain chemistry, philosophy, race and religion. This is kind of like 5 books in 1, even at 300 pages.
Ultimately though, it was too ambitious for my reading tastes, too many threads to track, too much context surrounding the storyline(s), and just too much drug-fueled dialogue.
I give credit to the author for literary courage, for research and for her willingness to go deep into brain chemistry, philosophy, race and religion. This is kind of like 5 books in 1, even at 300 pages.
Ultimately though, it was too ambitious for my reading tastes, too many threads to track, too much context surrounding the storyline(s), and just too much drug-fueled dialogue.
dnf
May 26, 2025dnf at 37%
100 pages in and there were about a billion characters to keep track of, none of whom stood out to me or made me want to keep reading
100 pages in and there were about a billion characters to keep track of, none of whom stood out to me or made me want to keep reading
February 14, 2018
A sweeping novel, told over decades, characters, and families, all encompassing one man (who dies at in the prologue.) It is bold, funny, and surprising.
July 19, 2018
1. MY PAL WROTE THIS!
2. It's good!
3. The novel follows the lives of two families in Cleveland and Florida all pulled together by the life of a drug addicted patriarch. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character which proved a bit challenging to me at first but once I grew accustomed to the style, I really really enjoyed it. I found the later chapters to be particularly compelling (aka STICK WITH IT!). I was totally blown away by the confrontation scene involving someone high on mushrooms acting like he was in Victorian England. I am so impressed by Frumkin's character development, her use of details linking her characters together, and the non-linear plot.
2. It's good!
3. The novel follows the lives of two families in Cleveland and Florida all pulled together by the life of a drug addicted patriarch. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character which proved a bit challenging to me at first but once I grew accustomed to the style, I really really enjoyed it. I found the later chapters to be particularly compelling (aka STICK WITH IT!). I was totally blown away by the confrontation scene involving someone high on mushrooms acting like he was in Victorian England. I am so impressed by Frumkin's character development, her use of details linking her characters together, and the non-linear plot.
May 16, 2023
I honestly hate writing bad reviews because I feel like I'm cruelly disrespecting the author's hard work. And there's no doubt a ton of heart and sweat went into The Comedown.
Frumkin has a strong style and good politics but The Comedown gets away from them, with its endless digressions and timey-wimey back and forth which just confuses what is actually a very simple plot. It's so overwrought, you can feel the ghost of past drafts - too many clever bits, no actual emotion. And god forbid there should be any actual action, climax, or catharsis onscreen.
I kind of hated it.
Sorry.
Frumkin has a strong style and good politics but The Comedown gets away from them, with its endless digressions and timey-wimey back and forth which just confuses what is actually a very simple plot. It's so overwrought, you can feel the ghost of past drafts - too many clever bits, no actual emotion. And god forbid there should be any actual action, climax, or catharsis onscreen.
I kind of hated it.
Sorry.
June 30, 2018
since goodreads won't allow 6 stars, i may have go back and lower most of the other books i've read this year by 1 star. this is a phenomenal book.
September 20, 2018
Gorgeous novel exploring destiny, consequences, addiction, family, and mental illness to name a few of themes. It reminded me often of 'The Corrections.'
October 26, 2018
Of the three books on my "set-in-cleveland" shelf, this is the first fictional one where the Cleveland setting matters. I'm always a fan of books set in places I know -- this resulted in great excitement when I lived in San Francisco and read at least 7 fictional books set there -- and that was enough for me to pick this up. While I'm not terribly familiar with all of the details of the neighborhoods mentioned, I at least knew enough to fill in the gaps and understand the sentiment. This book could have been set in Chicago, but I'm glad it wasn't.
Aside from the Cleveland setting, I found the plot and characters also very compelling. The story of these intertwined, drug-wrecked families trying to come together and figure out what they were doing with their lives was affecting, raw, and believable. I enjoyed hearing from so many perspectives, and traced the connections between them with great interest. It was very useful to have the family trees in the front cover, as I consulted them frequently.
Great storyline, great characters, great setting. Recommend.
Aside from the Cleveland setting, I found the plot and characters also very compelling. The story of these intertwined, drug-wrecked families trying to come together and figure out what they were doing with their lives was affecting, raw, and believable. I enjoyed hearing from so many perspectives, and traced the connections between them with great interest. It was very useful to have the family trees in the front cover, as I consulted them frequently.
"Cleveland." Now there was a place nobody talked about anymore. Or had anybody really talked about Cleveland to begin with? What did he know about Cleveland, other than that people called it the Mistake by the Lake?
Great storyline, great characters, great setting. Recommend.
July 27, 2018
A sweeping family epic that covers a lot of ground without turning into a paperweight, Rebekah Frumkin's The Comedown is perfect for readers who enjoy dysfunctional family narratives.
The basic plot: a drug deal goes wrong, thus entangling the dealer's and the addict's families for generations. There's a mysterious yellow suitcase that everyone wants to get their hands on, issues of race and religion, and a whole lot of characters named Leland or Lee. There are a lot of characters, time frames, and multiple family lines to follow - bookmarking the character map at the start of the book is a must.
The first half of this book felt like a 5 star read for me, and then it eventually started to feel like a chore. I could have been the problem - I just isn't care to decipher which Leeland I was reading about in any given moment, and therefore started to fall off track with the book. Sometimes I want my books to feel like work, especially when the payoff is there. This wasn't one of those cases.
Frumkin is clearly a fantastic, clever writer - I initially though this book would be a slam dunk for me. I could very well pick this up for a re-read in a year and absolutely love it from start to finish, but I just wasn't fully jiving with it this go around. It's a good book that lost it's way by becoming unnecessarily complicated.
The basic plot: a drug deal goes wrong, thus entangling the dealer's and the addict's families for generations. There's a mysterious yellow suitcase that everyone wants to get their hands on, issues of race and religion, and a whole lot of characters named Leland or Lee. There are a lot of characters, time frames, and multiple family lines to follow - bookmarking the character map at the start of the book is a must.
The first half of this book felt like a 5 star read for me, and then it eventually started to feel like a chore. I could have been the problem - I just isn't care to decipher which Leeland I was reading about in any given moment, and therefore started to fall off track with the book. Sometimes I want my books to feel like work, especially when the payoff is there. This wasn't one of those cases.
Frumkin is clearly a fantastic, clever writer - I initially though this book would be a slam dunk for me. I could very well pick this up for a re-read in a year and absolutely love it from start to finish, but I just wasn't fully jiving with it this go around. It's a good book that lost it's way by becoming unnecessarily complicated.
April 11, 2018
I grew up in a pretty straight-laced household. We were Catholics, which meant that I felt guilt about, well, anything that might be a sin (stole two dollars from my sister's piggy bank when we were ten, still feeling that guilt). I made it a personal mission of mine to achieve only the highest marks in school, wouldn't dream of being sent to the office, and generally avoided anything that resembled trouble (i.e. drugs, alcohol, careless teenage sex). So, you know, a book that is devoted to the saga of two families entwined by a drug deal gone wrong (& decades & decades of drug abuse and general debauchery) sounds like it would be . . . right in the opposite direction of my alley, right?
Wrong.
The Comedown by debut author Rebekah Frumkin features a cast of debased characters who struggle with addiction and generally make some of the shittiest choices known to mankind, meaning that this isn't a novel I would've picked up if the publisher hadn't sent it to me (& that I initially thought I was probably definitely going to hate it).
I love when authors prove me wrong, y'all.
Read more --> https://goo.gl/m3LZWx
Wrong.
The Comedown by debut author Rebekah Frumkin features a cast of debased characters who struggle with addiction and generally make some of the shittiest choices known to mankind, meaning that this isn't a novel I would've picked up if the publisher hadn't sent it to me (& that I initially thought I was probably definitely going to hate it).
I love when authors prove me wrong, y'all.
Read more --> https://goo.gl/m3LZWx
April 16, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt and Co., and Rebekah Frumkin for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At its heart, this is a story of two families - one black and one white - told by different members of those families and their friends in chapters ranging from the 1970s to 2009. These families are forever linked by one night of violence in Cleveland.
This is less a story of figuring out what happens in the end and more of looking at these two family trees and see how events shape them. The author does a great job of really getting into each character's story. And the drugs, lots of drugs in this story!
It was a tad confusing with all the character switches but so interesting to see how the world views changed in dealing with so many issues (besides all those drugs!) - like race, poverty, weight, homosexuality, religion.
At its heart, this is a story of two families - one black and one white - told by different members of those families and their friends in chapters ranging from the 1970s to 2009. These families are forever linked by one night of violence in Cleveland.
This is less a story of figuring out what happens in the end and more of looking at these two family trees and see how events shape them. The author does a great job of really getting into each character's story. And the drugs, lots of drugs in this story!
It was a tad confusing with all the character switches but so interesting to see how the world views changed in dealing with so many issues (besides all those drugs!) - like race, poverty, weight, homosexuality, religion.
November 3, 2017
Thank you Edelweiss for my review copy of this book. This definitely could have been a 5 star read however, the transition from character to character was way too confusing and it was way too hard to keep track of who was who. With a storyline reminiscent of The Nix and a narration style similar to Homegoing this story has a lot of potential. There just definitely needs to be cleaner transitions in between each character.
January 10, 2018
All fans of THE CORRECTIONS + other family sagas need to read this book! Incredible story, beautifully written - one of the best novels I've read in a long time.
April 21, 2018
This book surprised me. In a good way. In the beginning, I thought it was one type of book, but it ended up being another.
It is a book about family and friends, but in a way you won't expect. It has it all, from the grade school days to adult trials, and wow did they have some, and yet you want to follow and you want to know what comes next. I appreciated the telling from the aspect of various characters as it rounded out the action being addressed as well as filling in some questions.
Great writing, good story. I would recommend this book to those who like honest writing and honest characters. It encompasses coming of age, a few love stories, good guys/bad guys, and more.
It is a book about family and friends, but in a way you won't expect. It has it all, from the grade school days to adult trials, and wow did they have some, and yet you want to follow and you want to know what comes next. I appreciated the telling from the aspect of various characters as it rounded out the action being addressed as well as filling in some questions.
Great writing, good story. I would recommend this book to those who like honest writing and honest characters. It encompasses coming of age, a few love stories, good guys/bad guys, and more.
January 23, 2019
An intricate journey through the lives of characters who won my heart, despite their oddities and questionable life decisions. Keeping track of the many characters (lovers, ex-lovers, sons, and a rabbi) was a bit challenging at first, but by the end, I felt I had earned the satisfaction of picking apart an enormous knot of human relationships. Looking forward to more of Frumkin's work!
July 10, 2018
Incredibly talented writer. Can't wait to see what she does next.
June 2, 2018
Incredible, intelligent, poignant, deeply thoughtful, deeply conscious, engaging, marvelous. Review up at readwildness.com tomorrow.
March 3, 2018
Interesting story and a good read.
November 4, 2017
The Comedown is a story that unfolds when the lives of two different families become entangled after an unexpected, violent event takes place one night in 1973 in Cleveland. The choices made by one man have a profound effect on the future of both of these families.
There is a lot that I really loved about this book. It’s clear that Rebekah Frumkin is a very talented story teller. She was able to create an intricate plot with a large cast of characters and make it all work. It was well organized, never confusing or disjointed and I was fully engaged in the story basically the entire time. This was a book that I hated to set aside to deal with life. All of the characters were very well developed and interesting. She was able to stay on point with the plot even when the character whose point of view I was reading was very tangential to the main storyline (one example being when Melinda calls the hotel room in Tarzan/Tweety’s narrative … this brought the reader right back to the point at hand). In a way this book reminded me of Blackbird House and The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman. Both of these books read like a collection of short stories with one object prominent in every chapter as the years go by therefore tying it all together. In The Comedown the object is the yellow briefcase and the briefcase, along with Leland Bloom-Mittwoch Sr., is what keeps this complicated storyline confined.
There are a lot of issues touched on throughout this novel. Drug abuse is the most prominent issue and Ms. Frumkin writes of every aspect from youthful experimentation to full out junkie, prescription drugs to street drugs. The story also speaks of mental illness, racism, bullying, and sexual assault. This is all worked into the story in a seamless way and never comes off as condescending, obtrusive or parochial. The author has keen insight into all of these issues as well as a broad perspective.
My reason for a 4 star rather than a 5 star rating is that Maria Timpano’s narrative and the epilogue got a little tedious for me. I found my mind wandering and my eyes skimming at some point during both of these sections.
I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys a story that makes them cringe but also makes them laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed The Comedown and look forward to reading more by Rebekah Frumkin.
There is a lot that I really loved about this book. It’s clear that Rebekah Frumkin is a very talented story teller. She was able to create an intricate plot with a large cast of characters and make it all work. It was well organized, never confusing or disjointed and I was fully engaged in the story basically the entire time. This was a book that I hated to set aside to deal with life. All of the characters were very well developed and interesting. She was able to stay on point with the plot even when the character whose point of view I was reading was very tangential to the main storyline (one example being when Melinda calls the hotel room in Tarzan/Tweety’s narrative … this brought the reader right back to the point at hand). In a way this book reminded me of Blackbird House and The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman. Both of these books read like a collection of short stories with one object prominent in every chapter as the years go by therefore tying it all together. In The Comedown the object is the yellow briefcase and the briefcase, along with Leland Bloom-Mittwoch Sr., is what keeps this complicated storyline confined.
There are a lot of issues touched on throughout this novel. Drug abuse is the most prominent issue and Ms. Frumkin writes of every aspect from youthful experimentation to full out junkie, prescription drugs to street drugs. The story also speaks of mental illness, racism, bullying, and sexual assault. This is all worked into the story in a seamless way and never comes off as condescending, obtrusive or parochial. The author has keen insight into all of these issues as well as a broad perspective.
My reason for a 4 star rather than a 5 star rating is that Maria Timpano’s narrative and the epilogue got a little tedious for me. I found my mind wandering and my eyes skimming at some point during both of these sections.
I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys a story that makes them cringe but also makes them laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed The Comedown and look forward to reading more by Rebekah Frumkin.
January 18, 2024
This is a veritable clown car of drug abuse and mental illness that, while beautifully written, ultimately feels narrow and indulgent.
The story is told from the perspective of a dozen or so alternating principal characters whose lives intersect thanks to the machinations of one Leland Sr., the quintessential example of the kind of damaging mental instability and drug addiction that plagues almost every satellite character who inhabits his orbit.
It's kind of interesting to read a book with no straight man, but ultimately, being bombarded with a passel of troubled souls (at least half of whom are mentally ill and almost all of whom have some pretty serious drug issues) becomes tedious and irritating. And while addiction and mental health issues do often run in families, what are the odds that EVERY major character present here in EVERY family involved is this categorically, well, screwed up? The odds say at least one of them would have fared better.
Obviously, some of the characters manage to conquer (or in most cases, simply subdue) their demons enough to be at least somewhat functional. But we're still forced to stumble down the rabbit hole with every one of them in their darkest hour. Such things can obviously be fascinating in small doses or for a controlled segment of a novel's population of characters. But being forced to do this over and over with each character feels repetitive, annoying, and frankly, disingenuous.
What saves the book from being merely an exercise in eye-rolling frustration is that Frumkin wrote the hell out of it. His perfectly executed prose kept me going even when the plot droned badly and the characters grated. I wish he’d tried for broader, more diverse context, and after 400 pages, I really wish he’d given us a better ending, but I truly appreciate his ability to turn a phrase, and that's not nothing.
2.5 stars, rounded up for quality writing and good use of the city of Cleveland as the setting of much of the novel.
The story is told from the perspective of a dozen or so alternating principal characters whose lives intersect thanks to the machinations of one Leland Sr., the quintessential example of the kind of damaging mental instability and drug addiction that plagues almost every satellite character who inhabits his orbit.
It's kind of interesting to read a book with no straight man, but ultimately, being bombarded with a passel of troubled souls (at least half of whom are mentally ill and almost all of whom have some pretty serious drug issues) becomes tedious and irritating. And while addiction and mental health issues do often run in families, what are the odds that EVERY major character present here in EVERY family involved is this categorically, well, screwed up? The odds say at least one of them would have fared better.
Obviously, some of the characters manage to conquer (or in most cases, simply subdue) their demons enough to be at least somewhat functional. But we're still forced to stumble down the rabbit hole with every one of them in their darkest hour. Such things can obviously be fascinating in small doses or for a controlled segment of a novel's population of characters. But being forced to do this over and over with each character feels repetitive, annoying, and frankly, disingenuous.
What saves the book from being merely an exercise in eye-rolling frustration is that Frumkin wrote the hell out of it. His perfectly executed prose kept me going even when the plot droned badly and the characters grated. I wish he’d tried for broader, more diverse context, and after 400 pages, I really wish he’d given us a better ending, but I truly appreciate his ability to turn a phrase, and that's not nothing.
2.5 stars, rounded up for quality writing and good use of the city of Cleveland as the setting of much of the novel.
November 7, 2017
My thanks to Netgalley and to MacMillan USA Publishers for sharing this title with me pre-release.
Publication Date: 17 April 2018
Appealingly written from each characters' point of view, the story of two families and the unlikely manner in which their lives become and remain intertwined plays out through the generations. Set against a backdrop that spans several states and numerous social issues (race, religion and socioeconomic status), Reggie, a practical and hopeful black drug dealer, and Leland, a white middle-aged, somewhat psychotic and religiously challenged drug addict, try to make better for themselves and their families in the only ways that they know how. Written with a light spirit, heavy issues are given a touchingly human turn, allowing us to forgive transgressions that we might not be willing to without getting to know these characters so intimately. This story will draw you into the dark at the same time that it reveals the flames of light and love over time that keep Reggie and Leland's decedents moving forward, sometimes despite their best efforts.
Publication Date: 17 April 2018
Appealingly written from each characters' point of view, the story of two families and the unlikely manner in which their lives become and remain intertwined plays out through the generations. Set against a backdrop that spans several states and numerous social issues (race, religion and socioeconomic status), Reggie, a practical and hopeful black drug dealer, and Leland, a white middle-aged, somewhat psychotic and religiously challenged drug addict, try to make better for themselves and their families in the only ways that they know how. Written with a light spirit, heavy issues are given a touchingly human turn, allowing us to forgive transgressions that we might not be willing to without getting to know these characters so intimately. This story will draw you into the dark at the same time that it reveals the flames of light and love over time that keep Reggie and Leland's decedents moving forward, sometimes despite their best efforts.
March 10, 2018
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
I had read some good reviews of this novel and although I don't disagree that it is a rich story, woven together of bits and pieces... they never come together. Just when one piece of the story, of the character, the time began to become interesting and I could empathize, or hate the character- off we go to another character, setting, time and place.
Too many bits and pieces, not enough time spent on any and what happens... no resolution.
I had read some good reviews of this novel and although I don't disagree that it is a rich story, woven together of bits and pieces... they never come together. Just when one piece of the story, of the character, the time began to become interesting and I could empathize, or hate the character- off we go to another character, setting, time and place.
Too many bits and pieces, not enough time spent on any and what happens... no resolution.
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