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The Gramble Chronicles #1
Sophie's Playlist
How does Gramble Thyssen, middle-aged and complacent bureaucrat, transform into an brilliant FBI agent?
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2017
3 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Michael Finocchiaro
3 books6,298 followersHaving grown up in Miami and attended University of Florida (Proud to be a Florida Gator!), Michael moved around the US a bit before settling in Paris, France in 1996 where he has lived ever since. He works in IT but travels as much as he can, knows the Louvre like the back of his hand, attends awesome art classes at the Louvre, and has published one book, Sophie's Playlist.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 19, 2019
Meet Gramble, a mild-mannered employee at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Samuel, a somewhat reclusive IT geek, and throw in a mysterious French woman in sultry Miami and see what happens next. Michael Finocchiaro's first novel is about personal change, dealing with grief, falling in love, and catching bad guys.
I have assembled a playlist on Deezer that goes along with the book: http://www.deezer.com/playlist/2651437224
This is my first novel - I have never been published before. Available on Amazon as a paperback and a Kindle eBook and from my publisher Solstice Publishing. Check regularly or message me here on GR for special offers!
Extract about Samuel:
Samuel got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He had not slept particularly well despite having not really drunk too much the night before. Nerves maybe? Or was he dreaming about his date too much? Perhaps. In any case, that was hours away. In the bathroom mirror, after putting in his contact lenses and taking a Xanax, he stroked his goatee and looked at his face and his blue-grey eyes had half-moon purple rings under them. Should he at least shave his cheeks and neck tonight before his date? He was a healthy 43 years old and at about five-foot-ten, a handsome fellow even if he would be the last to admit it. Still shy to a fault, he was pleasantly surprised at having met Adèle and at the prospect of seeing her for the concert tonight. In the meantime, he had a busy Saturday ahead before that. Well, busy was perhaps a stretch. He closed his eyes again and drifted back to the memory of the lover he had known back sometime after arriving in Paris when he was moving between apartments. He needed something quick as a stopgap because his previous roommate had not paid the rent (despite promises to the contrary) for several months but just pocketed his money and the landlord had come and changed their locks. Anyway, he needed another place quick and found a cheap room in “co-location” as they call it in Paris with an older lady who owned a large apartment and rented out what was essentially a closet for a usurious price. As you walked in the front door, there was a sink immediately to your left inside the entranceway where you hung your overcoat (strange!), a hallway leading to a huge bedroom with walk-in closet towards the right, a dining room/kitchen/living room overlooking rue de Turenne further off to the left. Directly in front of the door as you walked in was the closet-sized room for rent. Despite the underwhelming size of the room, the location in the Marais was great and he was under time-pressure and had found little else, so he signed the lease. The previous occupant was already planning to move out so he – not wanting to deal with boxes and shit – simply had the movers come and box up his furniture (one couch, two IKEA Billy books shelves and one closet) and books (way too many books) and clothes (not too many). When he got to the new apartment at the time set for moving in, the previous occupant (about 32 years old, short-cropped, black hair, slight but sexy figure, pale skin, beautiful green eyes) was still moving out with the help of her brother and father. He told his moving guys to take a long lunch break, went for an espresso, and returned to the apartment with a copy of Le Monde to read on the couch as the girl and her family frantically tried to empty her ex-room of her stuff. When she would occasionally, jealously glance over at the couch, he would pretend to be absorbed in his newspaper column (whatever the hell it was, he could never recall). After about 45 minutes (maybe it was an hour), her brother grabbed the last box and said that he and dad would be down by the truck when she was ready. She looked a little tired and stressed out so he put down his paper and asked her if she wanted a glass of water or something. She was a bit startled that he had addressed her, but she said that she could serve herself one thank you and sauntered off to the kitchen behind him. He heard the tap open, the glass filling up under the faucet and her footsteps as she came back around the couch and sat on the love-seat just across from him.
“So, I am working my ass off trying to let you move in and all you can fucking do is sit on this couch and read the fucking Monde”, she says.
It was his turn to be startled but without raising his voice or demonstrating any annoyance, He retorted, “Well, you are running like an hour late and where’d you learn English, on a shipyard or something?”.
“Well, believe it or not, Mr. Cool, I spent 2 semesters at MIT and picked up ‘les fruits multicouleurs’ of your wonderful language on the streets of Boston”.
“I see, well, my name is Samuel. And yours?”
“Sophie.”
It was curious that his mind drifted to memories of her now, but Adèle looked strikingly like Sophie who had been on his mind a lot these last few years. But, that is impossible because Sophie was dead from cancer so any resemblance would be purely coincidental. He remembered the tumultuous sex that lasted with Sophie for three weeks – sometimes on his couch bed in the apartment that he had inherited from her (and the sound of her washing out her mouth in that strange sink by the front door after she had gone down on him) – sometimes in her microscopic apartment in the Goutte d’Or – just a stone’s throw from the hottest drug dealing corner in Paris where she came to him in garters (he had always fantasized about that) and as they fucked there were gunshots down on the street three blocks below.
“Oh, just ignore that,” she said.
“Are you kidding? No, I guess you are not. I remember this one time I was in New York and went to a Yankees game and was waiting at the 125th St overhead platform for the C-train or whichever one it was, well, my friend and I heard a gunshot underneath the iron bridge. It was then that we were the only white people on the platform and started, however irrationally, shitting bricks. Fortunately, the train arrived just then, so we headed back downtown to our hotel rooms.”
“That is a great story. I have never been to New York, always dreamed of it though. Maybe, I’ll get to go someday.”
“Well, the last time I was there was in ’00 and I went to the top of the Twin Towers…”
“Hey, how about we change subjects and you fuck me some more rather than talking about shootings and 9/11, ok?”
In a lot of ways, her direct manner of speaking and saying what she wanted was similar to Adèle’s. She had this sexy starburst tattoo on the back of her neck that he would caress and kiss while rubbing her back. He remembered smoking Marlboro Reds after sex at the time because her ex- had left her half a carton when he had split two months earlier.
“I don’t really have a preference in what I smoke, well I don’t smoke weed, but basically, whatever my boyfriend is smoking, I start smoking. Can’t really explain it, I guess it is my way of accommodating them. Since my relationships tend to be short, it leaves me a memory of them until the next guy comes around.”
“You are not really big on commitments, then?”
“No, I guess I have never fallen in love. And you?”
“Well, let’s just say I had my heart broken long ago, and have never really been a lady’s man.”
“Hey, I bought a new lacey teddy the other day, want me to put it on?”
She had a way of changing subjects when she felt uncomfortable. He should probably have seen a warning of things to come in that particular conversation, but he preferred to enjoy the moment and not dwell on anything negative. Their conversations carefully avoided the past and family and were typically on literature and music (she was both well-read and eclectic in her musical tastes). He had never listened to Jeff Buckley before, so they would often listen to his music and they both enjoyed making love slowly during “Hallelujah”. And yet, ironically enough, after the third or fourth particularly sweaty afternoon, she closed the door to him forever. Strangely the song, “The Last Goodbye” off the Grace album started playing in his head almost immediately. They never slept together again. He was surprised and saddened, but she would not return his calls for months. Then, maybe a few months later, he saw her in a bar in the 18th arrondissement and they talked a bit, avoiding talking about their brief sexual encounters. They would meet for drinks every couple of months, and he noticed that each time, she had a different brand of cigarettes: Camel Lights, Winstons, Benson and Hedges, whatever. Each time he would notice a new pack, he would ask if she changed boyfriends and she would laugh and say that yes, it was true. The last time he ever saw her was on a cold winter night when he ran into her in a bar. Now she was smoking Marlboro Lights (“New boyfriend?” “Yeah, how’d you guess?”). He so badly wanted to declare his undying love for her but held himself back probably for fear of rejection. Less than 3 months later she was dead of stomach cancer. Boom, just like that. She had sent him a message around New Years Day and complained of a stomach ache. He made some stupid off-hand joke about drinking too much and they promised to see each other after the holidays. Somehow her brother found his name on her Facebook friend’s list and sent him the bad news on Messenger in early March, “I am really sorry to tell you this but Sophie died of stomach cancer in February. It was quite a shock to us as it hit her like a ton of bricks in January and before we knew it, she was gone. The funeral will be held…” He remembered going alone to the funeral on a rainy grey day in the depressing outskirts of Paris. As he was running five minutes late due to traffic, he slipped in the back of the church about ¾ full of red-eyed mourners and when the service was over, stuffed an envelope in the Médecins sans Frontières box (her brother had specified that rather than flowers, Sophie had asked mourners to support this particular charity). Stepping outside, he stood in a daze as the drizzle came down on the worn grass of the church lawn. He looked out into the formless sky gathering his thoughts, thinking of Kierkegaard, and then headed back to his car and back to Paris.
I have assembled a playlist on Deezer that goes along with the book: http://www.deezer.com/playlist/2651437224
This is my first novel - I have never been published before. Available on Amazon as a paperback and a Kindle eBook and from my publisher Solstice Publishing. Check regularly or message me here on GR for special offers!
Extract about Samuel:
Samuel got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He had not slept particularly well despite having not really drunk too much the night before. Nerves maybe? Or was he dreaming about his date too much? Perhaps. In any case, that was hours away. In the bathroom mirror, after putting in his contact lenses and taking a Xanax, he stroked his goatee and looked at his face and his blue-grey eyes had half-moon purple rings under them. Should he at least shave his cheeks and neck tonight before his date? He was a healthy 43 years old and at about five-foot-ten, a handsome fellow even if he would be the last to admit it. Still shy to a fault, he was pleasantly surprised at having met Adèle and at the prospect of seeing her for the concert tonight. In the meantime, he had a busy Saturday ahead before that. Well, busy was perhaps a stretch. He closed his eyes again and drifted back to the memory of the lover he had known back sometime after arriving in Paris when he was moving between apartments. He needed something quick as a stopgap because his previous roommate had not paid the rent (despite promises to the contrary) for several months but just pocketed his money and the landlord had come and changed their locks. Anyway, he needed another place quick and found a cheap room in “co-location” as they call it in Paris with an older lady who owned a large apartment and rented out what was essentially a closet for a usurious price. As you walked in the front door, there was a sink immediately to your left inside the entranceway where you hung your overcoat (strange!), a hallway leading to a huge bedroom with walk-in closet towards the right, a dining room/kitchen/living room overlooking rue de Turenne further off to the left. Directly in front of the door as you walked in was the closet-sized room for rent. Despite the underwhelming size of the room, the location in the Marais was great and he was under time-pressure and had found little else, so he signed the lease. The previous occupant was already planning to move out so he – not wanting to deal with boxes and shit – simply had the movers come and box up his furniture (one couch, two IKEA Billy books shelves and one closet) and books (way too many books) and clothes (not too many). When he got to the new apartment at the time set for moving in, the previous occupant (about 32 years old, short-cropped, black hair, slight but sexy figure, pale skin, beautiful green eyes) was still moving out with the help of her brother and father. He told his moving guys to take a long lunch break, went for an espresso, and returned to the apartment with a copy of Le Monde to read on the couch as the girl and her family frantically tried to empty her ex-room of her stuff. When she would occasionally, jealously glance over at the couch, he would pretend to be absorbed in his newspaper column (whatever the hell it was, he could never recall). After about 45 minutes (maybe it was an hour), her brother grabbed the last box and said that he and dad would be down by the truck when she was ready. She looked a little tired and stressed out so he put down his paper and asked her if she wanted a glass of water or something. She was a bit startled that he had addressed her, but she said that she could serve herself one thank you and sauntered off to the kitchen behind him. He heard the tap open, the glass filling up under the faucet and her footsteps as she came back around the couch and sat on the love-seat just across from him.
“So, I am working my ass off trying to let you move in and all you can fucking do is sit on this couch and read the fucking Monde”, she says.
It was his turn to be startled but without raising his voice or demonstrating any annoyance, He retorted, “Well, you are running like an hour late and where’d you learn English, on a shipyard or something?”.
“Well, believe it or not, Mr. Cool, I spent 2 semesters at MIT and picked up ‘les fruits multicouleurs’ of your wonderful language on the streets of Boston”.
“I see, well, my name is Samuel. And yours?”
“Sophie.”
It was curious that his mind drifted to memories of her now, but Adèle looked strikingly like Sophie who had been on his mind a lot these last few years. But, that is impossible because Sophie was dead from cancer so any resemblance would be purely coincidental. He remembered the tumultuous sex that lasted with Sophie for three weeks – sometimes on his couch bed in the apartment that he had inherited from her (and the sound of her washing out her mouth in that strange sink by the front door after she had gone down on him) – sometimes in her microscopic apartment in the Goutte d’Or – just a stone’s throw from the hottest drug dealing corner in Paris where she came to him in garters (he had always fantasized about that) and as they fucked there were gunshots down on the street three blocks below.
“Oh, just ignore that,” she said.
“Are you kidding? No, I guess you are not. I remember this one time I was in New York and went to a Yankees game and was waiting at the 125th St overhead platform for the C-train or whichever one it was, well, my friend and I heard a gunshot underneath the iron bridge. It was then that we were the only white people on the platform and started, however irrationally, shitting bricks. Fortunately, the train arrived just then, so we headed back downtown to our hotel rooms.”
“That is a great story. I have never been to New York, always dreamed of it though. Maybe, I’ll get to go someday.”
“Well, the last time I was there was in ’00 and I went to the top of the Twin Towers…”
“Hey, how about we change subjects and you fuck me some more rather than talking about shootings and 9/11, ok?”
In a lot of ways, her direct manner of speaking and saying what she wanted was similar to Adèle’s. She had this sexy starburst tattoo on the back of her neck that he would caress and kiss while rubbing her back. He remembered smoking Marlboro Reds after sex at the time because her ex- had left her half a carton when he had split two months earlier.
“I don’t really have a preference in what I smoke, well I don’t smoke weed, but basically, whatever my boyfriend is smoking, I start smoking. Can’t really explain it, I guess it is my way of accommodating them. Since my relationships tend to be short, it leaves me a memory of them until the next guy comes around.”
“You are not really big on commitments, then?”
“No, I guess I have never fallen in love. And you?”
“Well, let’s just say I had my heart broken long ago, and have never really been a lady’s man.”
“Hey, I bought a new lacey teddy the other day, want me to put it on?”
She had a way of changing subjects when she felt uncomfortable. He should probably have seen a warning of things to come in that particular conversation, but he preferred to enjoy the moment and not dwell on anything negative. Their conversations carefully avoided the past and family and were typically on literature and music (she was both well-read and eclectic in her musical tastes). He had never listened to Jeff Buckley before, so they would often listen to his music and they both enjoyed making love slowly during “Hallelujah”. And yet, ironically enough, after the third or fourth particularly sweaty afternoon, she closed the door to him forever. Strangely the song, “The Last Goodbye” off the Grace album started playing in his head almost immediately. They never slept together again. He was surprised and saddened, but she would not return his calls for months. Then, maybe a few months later, he saw her in a bar in the 18th arrondissement and they talked a bit, avoiding talking about their brief sexual encounters. They would meet for drinks every couple of months, and he noticed that each time, she had a different brand of cigarettes: Camel Lights, Winstons, Benson and Hedges, whatever. Each time he would notice a new pack, he would ask if she changed boyfriends and she would laugh and say that yes, it was true. The last time he ever saw her was on a cold winter night when he ran into her in a bar. Now she was smoking Marlboro Lights (“New boyfriend?” “Yeah, how’d you guess?”). He so badly wanted to declare his undying love for her but held himself back probably for fear of rejection. Less than 3 months later she was dead of stomach cancer. Boom, just like that. She had sent him a message around New Years Day and complained of a stomach ache. He made some stupid off-hand joke about drinking too much and they promised to see each other after the holidays. Somehow her brother found his name on her Facebook friend’s list and sent him the bad news on Messenger in early March, “I am really sorry to tell you this but Sophie died of stomach cancer in February. It was quite a shock to us as it hit her like a ton of bricks in January and before we knew it, she was gone. The funeral will be held…” He remembered going alone to the funeral on a rainy grey day in the depressing outskirts of Paris. As he was running five minutes late due to traffic, he slipped in the back of the church about ¾ full of red-eyed mourners and when the service was over, stuffed an envelope in the Médecins sans Frontières box (her brother had specified that rather than flowers, Sophie had asked mourners to support this particular charity). Stepping outside, he stood in a daze as the drizzle came down on the worn grass of the church lawn. He looked out into the formless sky gathering his thoughts, thinking of Kierkegaard, and then headed back to his car and back to Paris.
April 10, 2017
"His mind was trying desperately to connect her to a memory but it was not forthcoming"..........
THIS IS MY PROBLEM..... 14% into this story: TO MANY MEMORIES have ALREADY BEEN SHARED. It's not as if I'm not remembering everything I'm reading. MUCH is interesting IN PARTS .... but ALTOGETHER.....I feel like a stuffed turkey. I'm not crazy about Smorgasbord dinning. I prefer smaller meals. My point is -- there are too 'many' details. The storytelling is overflowing with details. I wish the author would have 'chosen' a 'few' juicy descriptions --and have let go of a 'few'.
Gramble received a message from his hotel telephone ---jolting him from memories about his dad - uncle - and a girl on a boat ....( we got a detailed story).....
Then he tells us the SIZE clothes he was dressing into: XL T-shirt L shorts - size 11 shoes. I thought it was an odd unnecessary description. After Gramble is dressed he takes the elevator to the lobby to get his message.
While Gramble is in the elevator on his way down to the lobby to get his message, we get full details with 'descriptions' about the view of the Bay --looking out the window at a Caribbean cruise line. We get more 'descriptions' about the people in the elevator.
We are not done with elevator descriptions: the sun is beating down on the sparkling water outside the window ...and inside the air-conditioned elevator space he suddenly feels a little claustrophobia.
On the 8th floor a family enters: ( note I'm getting exhausted - more elevator details are coming about a family now). I wish Gamble had taken the stairs.
Gamble tells us the family is probably a European family. We learned about the kids, about what ages they are, their sunglasses, what the husband is wearing, and about the very sexy mother and what 'she' is wearing. Nipples can be seen through her blouse. Finally, we arrive at the hotel lobby..... 'after' he tells us how much he wanted to lust after the mother's ass.
After a couple of pages of more details - we meet the person - in the lobby -who called for Gamble! Hallelujah!!!
BREAK TIME..... Paul and I are going hiking this morning.... I'll be back with my final book report after I've finished reading the entire book.
I've shared problem areas --which I'm guessing I'll run into again....BUT.....I'm 'hooked'. I already want to know more about Samual and Adele.... the couple who had
hot steamy sex one night in Paris.
Flaws and all....I'm still interested. :)
Oh no.... another boo boo....[overkill with descriptions] >
Here is the excerpt: When the novel is 'filled' with this type of descriptive writing - on almost every page - once again, it's too much. Perhaps this one could be edited:
Here it is:
"As he left his building, he noticed that the trash pick up had not occurred and the street was dotted with green trash bin's with green(normal rubbish), yellow (paper recyclables), and white, (glass) lids forced open by about 10 days of trash because the city trash collectors were apparently on strike for higher wages".
Do we really need to know the 'details' of every trash can? What's the purpose? How is this moving the story forward? Is the story moving forward at all--or is this some 'other' type of storytelling in which I need to get on board with and just be patient?
ANOTHER EXCERPT:..... because it's FUNNY!!!!!!! X-rated: For adults only......
"The funniest thing happened the other day in my Biology lecture about human sexual reproduction. The professor was talking about the content of sperm which is primarily glucose. One girl (foolishly in retrospect) raise her hand and asked, "But then, why does it taste so salty?" Without missing a beat, the professor replied,
"Because the sugar receptors are on the tip of the tongue, the salt receptors are on the back of the tongue, closer to the throat". I felt so bad for that dumb girl and I laughed so hard". I LAUGHED HARD TOO!!!
We meet Stephen: Another new character. Right after Stephen tells us about the crazy F#^ked up party where someone must have brought meth the night before and that he must have gotten a concussion by falling into the empty pool while trying to use his skateboard while tweeting......Stephen tells us of a 'memory'. The night reminds him of a time when he was 11 years old working in a vineyard when he fell headfirst into a grape vat. --- He tells us more stories about how his mother tried to instill good values, but there was nothing else to do in Sonoma except getting pleasantly wasted.
I am so so so sorry ----- but reading this book is becoming too much work for me. I
feel like I'm in an editor's position. I 'somewhat' enjoy this book --- I honestly do not hate it....but I'm stumbling. It's draining my energy.
On yesterday's hike I debated whether or not to finish the book. My choices were:
1- I could race through it and finish reading it --stop noticing the flaws... just let them go...keep reading...
2- Continue as I am doing -- read slowly - taking everything in - offering my 'full attention' with my 'most honest thoughts' .... piece by piece ---- as maybe? this review would be useful to the author ...... adding corrective thoughts as I see them?
But why would I do this? Give hours of my time - when it's work. I use to get paychecks for less draining efforts of my time. There 'is' some value for me too: I can see my own learning process involved in reading a book I'm having 'stumbles' with......enjoying PARTS.
3- or ...... just quit reading it : but I 'do' want to know more about Sophie - Adele- any significance to their matching tattoo on their neck? - Stephen- Gramble --and I'd like to know about Gramble's marriage - and kids. Something!
MY FINAL CHOICE WAS TO READ FAST ....... stop correcting in my head.
I liked a quote included by Albert Einstein --- and a few others that were at the start of each chapter.
Readers will be in the 'aura' of music -- a few good books are mentioned.
Gramble who is married with two kids lives in Washington DC. For all the many descriptive details we get about other people, we never learn anything about his wife or his children.
Gramble does say......"dammit, being married with children is a bitch sometimes". He has sex with a woman named Zoe in a hotel room ( so already that tells us a little bit about his integrity).
We get introduced to a mother- Paula - who is one of the narrator's for a short time who has already passed away from cancer. I wasn't crazy about the usage of this character in order to describe Steven's characteristics. - Her son.
We meet Angel Cortida who is trouble.
There is a murder, drinking, drugs, smoking, both cigarettes-Marlboro Reds? -and marijuana, other drugs, sex, Xanax, gambling, music, ( Sophie's playlist), music concerts, many old memories...
Places of visit.... Miami, Paris, California, ( Sonoma, Mendocino, Cupertino, other areas in Northern California), New Orleans, Tokyo, Singapore, and memories of MIT in Massachusetts.
A couple more 'minor notes' ---this 'is' minor --but thought I'd toss it in.
.....For more accurate terminology: a person 'tears' a meniscus - not breaks it.
.... There are more than three synagogues in the Sonoma County. Six I believe.
MINIOR!!!!
My rating is 2.75. There is 'passion' in the storytelling-(which kept my heart engaged)... but overall even with the heart-felt zealous energy - which I did warm to -
I'm personally not passionate 'enough' about the 'overall' book. I'm sorry! The author - though - I 'do' care about.
It's a first book -- Hell, I couldn't do it! Kudos to Michael Finocchiaro!!!
Writing his first book is a success in itself!!!!
THIS IS MY PROBLEM..... 14% into this story: TO MANY MEMORIES have ALREADY BEEN SHARED. It's not as if I'm not remembering everything I'm reading. MUCH is interesting IN PARTS .... but ALTOGETHER.....I feel like a stuffed turkey. I'm not crazy about Smorgasbord dinning. I prefer smaller meals. My point is -- there are too 'many' details. The storytelling is overflowing with details. I wish the author would have 'chosen' a 'few' juicy descriptions --and have let go of a 'few'.
Gramble received a message from his hotel telephone ---jolting him from memories about his dad - uncle - and a girl on a boat ....( we got a detailed story).....
Then he tells us the SIZE clothes he was dressing into: XL T-shirt L shorts - size 11 shoes. I thought it was an odd unnecessary description. After Gramble is dressed he takes the elevator to the lobby to get his message.
While Gramble is in the elevator on his way down to the lobby to get his message, we get full details with 'descriptions' about the view of the Bay --looking out the window at a Caribbean cruise line. We get more 'descriptions' about the people in the elevator.
We are not done with elevator descriptions: the sun is beating down on the sparkling water outside the window ...and inside the air-conditioned elevator space he suddenly feels a little claustrophobia.
On the 8th floor a family enters: ( note I'm getting exhausted - more elevator details are coming about a family now). I wish Gamble had taken the stairs.
Gamble tells us the family is probably a European family. We learned about the kids, about what ages they are, their sunglasses, what the husband is wearing, and about the very sexy mother and what 'she' is wearing. Nipples can be seen through her blouse. Finally, we arrive at the hotel lobby..... 'after' he tells us how much he wanted to lust after the mother's ass.
After a couple of pages of more details - we meet the person - in the lobby -who called for Gamble! Hallelujah!!!
BREAK TIME..... Paul and I are going hiking this morning.... I'll be back with my final book report after I've finished reading the entire book.
I've shared problem areas --which I'm guessing I'll run into again....BUT.....I'm 'hooked'. I already want to know more about Samual and Adele.... the couple who had
hot steamy sex one night in Paris.
Flaws and all....I'm still interested. :)
Oh no.... another boo boo....[overkill with descriptions] >
Here is the excerpt: When the novel is 'filled' with this type of descriptive writing - on almost every page - once again, it's too much. Perhaps this one could be edited:
Here it is:
"As he left his building, he noticed that the trash pick up had not occurred and the street was dotted with green trash bin's with green(normal rubbish), yellow (paper recyclables), and white, (glass) lids forced open by about 10 days of trash because the city trash collectors were apparently on strike for higher wages".
Do we really need to know the 'details' of every trash can? What's the purpose? How is this moving the story forward? Is the story moving forward at all--or is this some 'other' type of storytelling in which I need to get on board with and just be patient?
ANOTHER EXCERPT:..... because it's FUNNY!!!!!!! X-rated: For adults only......
"The funniest thing happened the other day in my Biology lecture about human sexual reproduction. The professor was talking about the content of sperm which is primarily glucose. One girl (foolishly in retrospect) raise her hand and asked, "But then, why does it taste so salty?" Without missing a beat, the professor replied,
"Because the sugar receptors are on the tip of the tongue, the salt receptors are on the back of the tongue, closer to the throat". I felt so bad for that dumb girl and I laughed so hard". I LAUGHED HARD TOO!!!
We meet Stephen: Another new character. Right after Stephen tells us about the crazy F#^ked up party where someone must have brought meth the night before and that he must have gotten a concussion by falling into the empty pool while trying to use his skateboard while tweeting......Stephen tells us of a 'memory'. The night reminds him of a time when he was 11 years old working in a vineyard when he fell headfirst into a grape vat. --- He tells us more stories about how his mother tried to instill good values, but there was nothing else to do in Sonoma except getting pleasantly wasted.
I am so so so sorry ----- but reading this book is becoming too much work for me. I
feel like I'm in an editor's position. I 'somewhat' enjoy this book --- I honestly do not hate it....but I'm stumbling. It's draining my energy.
On yesterday's hike I debated whether or not to finish the book. My choices were:
1- I could race through it and finish reading it --stop noticing the flaws... just let them go...keep reading...
2- Continue as I am doing -- read slowly - taking everything in - offering my 'full attention' with my 'most honest thoughts' .... piece by piece ---- as maybe? this review would be useful to the author ...... adding corrective thoughts as I see them?
But why would I do this? Give hours of my time - when it's work. I use to get paychecks for less draining efforts of my time. There 'is' some value for me too: I can see my own learning process involved in reading a book I'm having 'stumbles' with......enjoying PARTS.
3- or ...... just quit reading it : but I 'do' want to know more about Sophie - Adele- any significance to their matching tattoo on their neck? - Stephen- Gramble --and I'd like to know about Gramble's marriage - and kids. Something!
MY FINAL CHOICE WAS TO READ FAST ....... stop correcting in my head.
I liked a quote included by Albert Einstein --- and a few others that were at the start of each chapter.
Readers will be in the 'aura' of music -- a few good books are mentioned.
Gramble who is married with two kids lives in Washington DC. For all the many descriptive details we get about other people, we never learn anything about his wife or his children.
Gramble does say......"dammit, being married with children is a bitch sometimes". He has sex with a woman named Zoe in a hotel room ( so already that tells us a little bit about his integrity).
We get introduced to a mother- Paula - who is one of the narrator's for a short time who has already passed away from cancer. I wasn't crazy about the usage of this character in order to describe Steven's characteristics. - Her son.
We meet Angel Cortida who is trouble.
There is a murder, drinking, drugs, smoking, both cigarettes-Marlboro Reds? -and marijuana, other drugs, sex, Xanax, gambling, music, ( Sophie's playlist), music concerts, many old memories...
Places of visit.... Miami, Paris, California, ( Sonoma, Mendocino, Cupertino, other areas in Northern California), New Orleans, Tokyo, Singapore, and memories of MIT in Massachusetts.
A couple more 'minor notes' ---this 'is' minor --but thought I'd toss it in.
.....For more accurate terminology: a person 'tears' a meniscus - not breaks it.
.... There are more than three synagogues in the Sonoma County. Six I believe.
MINIOR!!!!
My rating is 2.75. There is 'passion' in the storytelling-(which kept my heart engaged)... but overall even with the heart-felt zealous energy - which I did warm to -
I'm personally not passionate 'enough' about the 'overall' book. I'm sorry! The author - though - I 'do' care about.
It's a first book -- Hell, I couldn't do it! Kudos to Michael Finocchiaro!!!
Writing his first book is a success in itself!!!!
February 15, 2017
Michael Finocchiaro's debut novel is populated with interesting characters & good dialogue. The plot may be a little light for most of the story, but it is an enjoyable read. You also have to admire an author who starts each chapter with song lyrics that are from sources as wide ranging as Metallica & the theme from The Love Boat! By the way, just in case anyone thinks my review may be biased....I bought my copy of the book instead of receiving a free one.
February 22, 2017
Even though this author put this book out there free through Valentine's Day I purchased a copy of it before he did so. I think it's really important to try to support new authors trying to break into a difficult world. It takes a lot of time and courage to put yourself out there and then sit back and patiently see how people are going to judge your work.
Let me start out by saying that this is not a typical choice of reading material for me. Contemporary romance, angsty, smut, I'm all in. This is none of those. I'm not really sure how I'd classify this story.
The book is about Gramble Thyssen, who is a seemingly distracted man working at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Samuel Feinstein, a MIT partially educated nerd who isn't socially graceful. You later find out what they have in common and what brings their lives together.
This isn't a huge plot-driven story. And I struggled through quite a bit of it. There are a lot of classical literary and musical references. There is a lot of description - oftentimes way too much. 80% of this book went over my head and made me feel really dumb. The author tells you things, moreso than letting the characters and plot develop, as if he wants to immerse you in every single one of the things he holds dear to himself as far as literature, music, and places he's either visited or knows intimately. I can see his passion for the things he loves.
The story itself was a 2.5 star read for me. I didn't hate it, but it left me confused and frustrated by all the things that went over my head, and that's totally my issue. All in all, I applaud this author for putting himself out there. He felt he had something to say to the world and that is courageous no matter what. That makes it deserve 3 stars!
Let me start out by saying that this is not a typical choice of reading material for me. Contemporary romance, angsty, smut, I'm all in. This is none of those. I'm not really sure how I'd classify this story.
The book is about Gramble Thyssen, who is a seemingly distracted man working at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Samuel Feinstein, a MIT partially educated nerd who isn't socially graceful. You later find out what they have in common and what brings their lives together.
This isn't a huge plot-driven story. And I struggled through quite a bit of it. There are a lot of classical literary and musical references. There is a lot of description - oftentimes way too much. 80% of this book went over my head and made me feel really dumb. The author tells you things, moreso than letting the characters and plot develop, as if he wants to immerse you in every single one of the things he holds dear to himself as far as literature, music, and places he's either visited or knows intimately. I can see his passion for the things he loves.
The story itself was a 2.5 star read for me. I didn't hate it, but it left me confused and frustrated by all the things that went over my head, and that's totally my issue. All in all, I applaud this author for putting himself out there. He felt he had something to say to the world and that is courageous no matter what. That makes it deserve 3 stars!
February 21, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, though I must (in full disclosure) admit that my GoodReads acquaintance with the author made me a touch more patient than I usually am.
This is the first book by this author and a first installment in a series, a daring move! I don’t often go for reading books in a non-finished series, for fear of getting too involved and then suddenly left out in the cold (it’s not a Game of Thrones trauma rather the Trang series by Mary Sisson which keeps me perpetually dangling in outer space waiting for answers…). But it’s not a problem here, the story wraps itself up nicely. The amount of text, time and chapters taken to establish back stories and backgrounds, hopefully, will pay off in the future.
Regarding the elaborate backgrounds, page 108 "Family history is so damn confusing", YOU DON’T SAY! I did get lost in all the names and places. I would have loved a little more guidance in orientation of place and time for each chapter.
The confusion is relieved by highly comical office scenes, well maybe highly comical to those living them, daily. Page 27: “Death by PowerPoint , a common technique in corporations where they numb the employees’ brains by showing dozens of nearly identical slides that say nearly nothing.” Guilty as charged!
The writing style is flowing, and right up my ally. I love the many different references to art, history, books and places. I do wonder why Paris and Miami, and what’s the writer’s grievance with Europe? 7 euro for some coffee seems like a good deal to me…
There are some questions that I am left with, amongst those:
I started to become very suspicious of Angel, it is really over? Was it all really a coincidence or was he the mastermind behind all the chance meetings?
All in all: a read well worth your time. Smartly written and funny. The pace picks up towards the end and there is a satisfying closure. The provided playlist on Deezer does help you set the mood.
There is nothing for it but waiting for the next book.
This is the first book by this author and a first installment in a series, a daring move! I don’t often go for reading books in a non-finished series, for fear of getting too involved and then suddenly left out in the cold (it’s not a Game of Thrones trauma rather the Trang series by Mary Sisson which keeps me perpetually dangling in outer space waiting for answers…). But it’s not a problem here, the story wraps itself up nicely. The amount of text, time and chapters taken to establish back stories and backgrounds, hopefully, will pay off in the future.
Regarding the elaborate backgrounds, page 108 "Family history is so damn confusing", YOU DON’T SAY! I did get lost in all the names and places. I would have loved a little more guidance in orientation of place and time for each chapter.
The confusion is relieved by highly comical office scenes, well maybe highly comical to those living them, daily. Page 27: “Death by PowerPoint , a common technique in corporations where they numb the employees’ brains by showing dozens of nearly identical slides that say nearly nothing.” Guilty as charged!
The writing style is flowing, and right up my ally. I love the many different references to art, history, books and places. I do wonder why Paris and Miami, and what’s the writer’s grievance with Europe? 7 euro for some coffee seems like a good deal to me…
There are some questions that I am left with, amongst those:
I started to become very suspicious of Angel, it is really over? Was it all really a coincidence or was he the mastermind behind all the chance meetings?
All in all: a read well worth your time. Smartly written and funny. The pace picks up towards the end and there is a satisfying closure. The provided playlist on Deezer does help you set the mood.
There is nothing for it but waiting for the next book.
April 10, 2017
I purchased this book and read it. In story about Gramble Thyssen, the author provides enough detail for each character that you personally know them and their connection with the main character. An interesting and flowing plot. I found myself reading at any given minute.
March 2, 2017
I like supporting new authors. If they ever "make it" I'll be able to say I was there from the beginning. Now, jokes apart, I can only imagine how hard it is to write and successfully publish a book. So I try to be as supportive as I can by reading and giving an honest feedback about it.
That being said I enjoyed Sophie's Playlist. The narrative is fluid, suggesting a flow of thought from each character perspective. At first, I thought this was a relationships' story. As the summary didn't say much in terms of plot, the first chapters led me to believe it was about human beings in the 21st century dealing with the ups and downs of their respective social lives. Later on, it turns out to be a detective story which is fine, but I was a bit thrown off by the apparently sudden change of direction. Or how it seemed sudden to me at least.
In some chapters, the narrative seems to switch from the third person to the first person 'out of the blue'. There are some typos which I understand are being corrected. Also, I've found some unusual phrase construction throughout the book, which is not a problem per se but made me come back and reread them a few times.
Finocchiaro brings to life likable, believable characters. He also seems to be so in command of the places and habits of each character. The attention to details is so much so that, not having been to most of the places where the story happens, I felt like walking down those paths. Here and there, I felt some unnecessary details breaking the flow of some sentences, like "stopped to get a cup of coffee". Some of these remarks seemed out of place to me, or that they didn't add anything to the context. I really enjoyed the currentness of this book, being a fantasy reader, I really enjoyed how fresh the narrative is, in terms of what's going on in the world today.
Well, here are some observations that I hope will help. I'm not a good reviewer, but I did enjoy the overall experience of reading Sophie's Playlist. You can tell the book is written by a well-read person and I could feel glimpses of classic literary work here and there. Didn't fell in love with some of the author's decision, like Paula's chapters, but overall it was a good read. If I were to compare this to a puzzle, I enjoyed most of the pieces, but they way the fit together could use some tweaking.
That being said I enjoyed Sophie's Playlist. The narrative is fluid, suggesting a flow of thought from each character perspective. At first, I thought this was a relationships' story. As the summary didn't say much in terms of plot, the first chapters led me to believe it was about human beings in the 21st century dealing with the ups and downs of their respective social lives. Later on, it turns out to be a detective story which is fine, but I was a bit thrown off by the apparently sudden change of direction. Or how it seemed sudden to me at least.
In some chapters, the narrative seems to switch from the third person to the first person 'out of the blue'. There are some typos which I understand are being corrected. Also, I've found some unusual phrase construction throughout the book, which is not a problem per se but made me come back and reread them a few times.
Finocchiaro brings to life likable, believable characters. He also seems to be so in command of the places and habits of each character. The attention to details is so much so that, not having been to most of the places where the story happens, I felt like walking down those paths. Here and there, I felt some unnecessary details breaking the flow of some sentences, like "stopped to get a cup of coffee". Some of these remarks seemed out of place to me, or that they didn't add anything to the context. I really enjoyed the currentness of this book, being a fantasy reader, I really enjoyed how fresh the narrative is, in terms of what's going on in the world today.
Well, here are some observations that I hope will help. I'm not a good reviewer, but I did enjoy the overall experience of reading Sophie's Playlist. You can tell the book is written by a well-read person and I could feel glimpses of classic literary work here and there. Didn't fell in love with some of the author's decision, like Paula's chapters, but overall it was a good read. If I were to compare this to a puzzle, I enjoyed most of the pieces, but they way the fit together could use some tweaking.
August 9, 2017
Multiple character threads, fragmented timelines, events taken from different perspectives. The narrative weaves between characters and gradually shows various stages of intersection. Running throughout is the question of identity in perception, how the impression and bias of memory creates the through movements and guiding forces that direct and orientate us, feeding into the part we play in the creative momentum of each individual’s separate reality, and how in turn this rubs up against the infinite strands that bombard us in chaos. How chance and will loggerhead repeats frequently, one character’s account of a certain event presenting opposing evidence confirming the alternative take of another’s.
Full weight and attention to detail is given to plot furthering and the minutiae of existence in a happy pomo manner. I stayed with the characters, which are well defined and easy to distinguish with a little attention. I’m glad this wasn’t a long book though - this flipping is demanding in a longer run.
In summary, it did go a bit, build, build, character arc, build, character arc, build build, sudden mental ending. Each chapter is introduced with a song and I believe the playlist is online for added immersion, which is a nice extra.
A mostly gripping experience, kept my attention satisfactorily, and had some interesting dynamics, both characterwise and narratively.
Full weight and attention to detail is given to plot furthering and the minutiae of existence in a happy pomo manner. I stayed with the characters, which are well defined and easy to distinguish with a little attention. I’m glad this wasn’t a long book though - this flipping is demanding in a longer run.
In summary, it did go a bit, build, build, character arc, build, character arc, build build, sudden mental ending. Each chapter is introduced with a song and I believe the playlist is online for added immersion, which is a nice extra.
A mostly gripping experience, kept my attention satisfactorily, and had some interesting dynamics, both characterwise and narratively.
October 5, 2018
The book was sent to me by the author for honest review....
What I liked most...
The cover.
The writing.
The story (although in some chapters were too confusing to read)
The songs-chapters
The characters.
What I didn't like...
Too much details...
In some chapters there are a confussion about Zoe and Sophie...
But it was a good first story.... Mr Finocchiaro knows how this works and I hope his next books wil be better.
3 stars !!!
What I liked most...
The cover.
The writing.
The story (although in some chapters were too confusing to read)
The songs-chapters
The characters.
What I didn't like...
Too much details...
In some chapters there are a confussion about Zoe and Sophie...
But it was a good first story.... Mr Finocchiaro knows how this works and I hope his next books wil be better.
3 stars !!!
July 2, 2017
I like to support new authors. I therefore make a point to seek them out, thus this book. This is the author’s first book. For the first attempt, it is an interesting book. Our protagonist is a midlevel agent at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He travels a great deal inspecting the Indian casinos. Primarily, he is looking for money laundering and other signs of mob inroads into the casino.
The book is well written. The characters are interesting and well developed. The plot is light and at times I felt the author lost track of the plot. The story got bogged down in flashback memoires that slowed down the story. The story idea is good and has potential.
I read this as an e-book on my Kindle app for my iPad. The book is 276 pages long. I bought this book from Amazon.
The book is well written. The characters are interesting and well developed. The plot is light and at times I felt the author lost track of the plot. The story got bogged down in flashback memoires that slowed down the story. The story idea is good and has potential.
I read this as an e-book on my Kindle app for my iPad. The book is 276 pages long. I bought this book from Amazon.
September 20, 2017
I admit to loving books with descriptive scenic places. This author has actually lived/visited these places or has an incredible imagination. Having visited the places he described I felt he was on target for making his story believable. It was an entertaining read!
May 6, 2017
Kudos to Michael Finocchiaro ("Fino" here on Goodreads) on finishing a novel. It's no easy task. That's certainly not something I've been able to achieve (not for lack of trying!).
I found myself alternately becoming engaged in Sophie's Playlist then losing interest as my mind wandered. Also, grammatical (and rarely storyline) mistakes were distracting to me. This book strikes me as a potentially publishable manuscript in need of a good developmental editor and a rewrite.
Also, towards the beginning, the description of a character's feelings towards Sophie were very good. I was curious to learn more about Sophie. I would still like to read more about her. But I also think it was clever to leave a certain aura of mystery about her. She was special. She was one of a kind. But she is gone now and those of us who did not get to know her while she is alive can not now hope to know her. So perhaps it was a good choice not to fully satisfy the reader's curiosity about Sophie. We are left intrigued and Sophie is elevated to the sublime within our imaginations.
As the novel approached the end (maybe the last 20%) I felt more engaged and the writing was cleaner.
I look forward to reading more from this writer in the future... and I do intend to check out the corresponding music playlist which is available online.
I found myself alternately becoming engaged in Sophie's Playlist then losing interest as my mind wandered. Also, grammatical (and rarely storyline) mistakes were distracting to me. This book strikes me as a potentially publishable manuscript in need of a good developmental editor and a rewrite.
Also, towards the beginning, the description of a character's feelings towards Sophie were very good. I was curious to learn more about Sophie. I would still like to read more about her. But I also think it was clever to leave a certain aura of mystery about her. She was special. She was one of a kind. But she is gone now and those of us who did not get to know her while she is alive can not now hope to know her. So perhaps it was a good choice not to fully satisfy the reader's curiosity about Sophie. We are left intrigued and Sophie is elevated to the sublime within our imaginations.
As the novel approached the end (maybe the last 20%) I felt more engaged and the writing was cleaner.
I look forward to reading more from this writer in the future... and I do intend to check out the corresponding music playlist which is available online.
March 1, 2017
Somewhat similar to "A Visit from the Goon Squad" in creativity and narrative structure, Monsieur Fino's debut novel did crack a smile from me on several occasions. Note that three stars is a good rating for me.
Some of the female characters make jokes that are hilarious, but I don't think I would ever hear an actual woman say them. They are too intimately masculine.
Where are the girls like Zoe?
For a first effort it's certainly a swell read!
Some of the female characters make jokes that are hilarious, but I don't think I would ever hear an actual woman say them. They are too intimately masculine.
Where are the girls like Zoe?
For a first effort it's certainly a swell read!
December 7, 2019
Reviewing an Amazing Reviewer:
Over the years, Michael Finocchiaro has graced Goodreads members with hundreds of deeply thoughtful, beautifully crafted book reviews of classics from Moby Dick to Lolita. He reads widely and reviews the many topics that intrigue his inquisitive mind. This includes science, art, music, politics and history as well as books for young readers like his children. He reads what they will read before they read it as the responsible adult he is. As a reviewer he continues to enrich the Goodreads community with high value reviews of valuable books. As a reviewer I give him 5 stars and feel he richly deserves them and more for his writing and for pointing out books he “wants to read”. He is also not a “stuffy” reviewer who avoids erotic subjects, or topics that may make people uncomfortable because of painful social issues that need to be addressed. Literature exists because of people who love it and read it. It is the heritage of the experiences of humanity.
I was unaware that he has written a book too. Sophie’s Playlist is a first work for him, and first works are often awkward because it takes time for a writer to learn his/her craft. In that vein, since Sophie’s Playlist is to be the foundation for a series, I suggest he re-think it carefully with a professional editor and proofreader and look at the book through the eyes of the stellar book reviewer he is.
Five stars to him as a reviewer. This may be an unorthodox review, but I have never been accused of lacking imagination.
Over the years, Michael Finocchiaro has graced Goodreads members with hundreds of deeply thoughtful, beautifully crafted book reviews of classics from Moby Dick to Lolita. He reads widely and reviews the many topics that intrigue his inquisitive mind. This includes science, art, music, politics and history as well as books for young readers like his children. He reads what they will read before they read it as the responsible adult he is. As a reviewer he continues to enrich the Goodreads community with high value reviews of valuable books. As a reviewer I give him 5 stars and feel he richly deserves them and more for his writing and for pointing out books he “wants to read”. He is also not a “stuffy” reviewer who avoids erotic subjects, or topics that may make people uncomfortable because of painful social issues that need to be addressed. Literature exists because of people who love it and read it. It is the heritage of the experiences of humanity.
I was unaware that he has written a book too. Sophie’s Playlist is a first work for him, and first works are often awkward because it takes time for a writer to learn his/her craft. In that vein, since Sophie’s Playlist is to be the foundation for a series, I suggest he re-think it carefully with a professional editor and proofreader and look at the book through the eyes of the stellar book reviewer he is.
Five stars to him as a reviewer. This may be an unorthodox review, but I have never been accused of lacking imagination.
November 19, 2020
Micheal Finocchiaro’s The Gramble Chronicles is a mosaic novel that immerses the reader in the minds of eight alternating characters: Gramble, Samuel, Adèle, Stephen, Paula, Angel, Zoe and Seymour. It’s hard to juggle that many consciousnesses in alternation and still achieve a fine, polished, coherent narrative. The perils of multiply-focused narratives are many, the most insidious of these being that the reader will get attached to one character’s way of seeing the world and thus balk every time he is plunged into the mind of the next character, but Finocchiaro pulls it off expertly: it’s always refreshing to find oneself steeped in the thoughts and experiences of all the other characters, though Gramble and Adèle were my favourites. Each character is distinct and has his or her own identifiable idiolect.
The story roams around the world from America to Paris, Tokyo and Singapore so there’s never a dull moment and you feel at each turn of page that the writer has been to these places and knows them from the inside. I particularly appreciated the semi-satirical humorous passages on the French state of mind. Finocchiaro’s style is always incisive and flowing, packing the page with pure verbal energy.
The story roams around the world from America to Paris, Tokyo and Singapore so there’s never a dull moment and you feel at each turn of page that the writer has been to these places and knows them from the inside. I particularly appreciated the semi-satirical humorous passages on the French state of mind. Finocchiaro’s style is always incisive and flowing, packing the page with pure verbal energy.
October 19, 2017
This is both an interesting and engaging debut, featuring a very ambitious use of multiple view points. It is full of well drawn characters and detail, in a plot that skips back and forth across the seas. There are Crime Fiction elements here, but is is more of a drama about relationships in many ways. There are also many music references for the music aficionado to enjoy!
December 22, 2018
Sophie's Playlist (Gramble Chronicles 1) is an intriguing novel. Gramble Thyssen works for the government and has suspicions about a Miami casino. His investigation takes on a life of its own. The story is populated with interesting and complex characters. Told by the different characters voices, readers get to know the characters quite well. Their back stories add depth to the narrative. Whether by coincidence or fate, their lives intersect.
The story is well crafted. It combines the stories of the main characters and those of the secondary characters seamlessly. Secrets are revealed and there are surprises. This is a book that is well worth reading. Highly recommended.
The story is well crafted. It combines the stories of the main characters and those of the secondary characters seamlessly. Secrets are revealed and there are surprises. This is a book that is well worth reading. Highly recommended.
February 23, 2018
I'm sure it's a wonderful book, but I just found it too confusing. There was too much jumping around with the characters
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