Disclaimer: I received my copy of this book for review after accepting an offer from publisher’s rep Katie O’Callaghan at Ballantine Books.
This will be a little different than my usual book posts. For Weekly Geeks #16, Dewey gave the assignment to pair up with another participant and interview each other via e-mail about our most recently-read, not-yet-reviewed books. Instead of my usual meandering comments, I’ll be answering questions about this book from Jennifer of Bibliolatrist – and she’ll be responding to my questions about The Rising, by Brian Keene, in her review of that book later in this post.
First Sentence: “Lillian!” Vi caroled from her dressing room. “Can you come in here? We need your opinion.”
Book Description:
At thirty-eight, Lillian Curtis is content with her life. She enjoys her routine as a producer for a talk show in New York City starring showbiz veteran Vi (“short for vibrant”) Barbour, a spirited senior. Lillian’s relationship with her husband is pleasant if no longer exciting. Most nights she is more than happy to come home to her apartment and crawl into her pajamas. Then she’s hit with a piece of shocking news: Her husband wants a divorce.
Blindsided, Lillian takes a leave of absence and moves back to her parents’ home in suburban New Jersey. Nestled in her childhood bedroom, where Duran Duran and Squeeze posters still cover the walls, she finds high school memories a healing salve to her troubles. She hurtles backward into her teen years, driving too fast, digging up mix tapes, and tentatively reconciling with Dawn, a childhood friend she once betrayed. Punctuating her stroll down memory lane is an invitation to the Bethel Memorial High School class of 1988 twenty-year reunion. It just might be Lillian’s chance to reconnect with her long-lost boyfriend, Christian Somers, who is expected to attend. Will it be just like heaven?
Comments: Jancee Dunn’s memoir, But Enough About Me, was one of my most enjoyable reading experiences this year, and I was very excited to be offered a review copy of her first venture into fiction.
Can you summarize the novel in one sentence?
You may be able to go home again, but you can’t go back in time.
How would you rate the plot: predictable, or just right? Fast-paced, or slow?
The last part of the story was a bit predictable, but most of it was just right, and I enjoyed seeing how it unfolded. The pace was just about right too, considering that this is more of a character-driven than plot-oriented book.
Can any lessons be learned from reading Don’t You Forget About Me?
Any lessons from the book are pretty common-sense ones:
- It can be comforting to take refuge in the past when your present life throws you an ugly curveball, but it’s not healthy to try to become the person you were then – or think you were.
- You have to grow up eventually.
- Being voted “least changed” at your 20th high-school class reunion is not necessarily a good thing.
However, I would suggest that this book is better read for entertainment than enlightenment.
How would you describe the main characters? Overall, were they likable and/or sympathetic, or were they difficult to relate to? Which character could you relate to the most, and why?
Lillian, the first-person narrator, is by far the most developed character in the book, and in many ways that’s appropriate; it’s her story, after all. I liked her a lot – she was very real. She had her quirks and flaws, and in some areas she was still falling prey to her adolescent insecurities; and unfortunately, I could relate to that all too well. I found her mostly endearing, and sometimes irritating. She was rather lacking in self-awareness, and seemed to interact more with the people in her life as she perceived them – sometimes based on long-outdated images – rather than with who they really were; I think that’s part of why many of the other characters didn’t seem as dimensional to me. However, even the less likable characters came across as decent, everyday people, and that portrayal is one of Dunn’s strengths as a writer.
I could also relate to Lillian’s circumstances, particularly early in the story – finding herself somewhat adrift in her late 30s, after the unexpected end of a long relationship, and seeking comfort in the old and familiar. I have, unfortunately, been there myself. However, I’ve never been eager to attend one of my high-school reunions; I think I’ve missed four of them so far (10th, 15th, 20th, 25th).
Don’t You Forget About Me is partially set in NYC. Would you say this is a “New York City novel”? (That is, is the city a major character?) How integral is the setting to the storyline?
The setting actually is pretty important to the story, but this is not a “New York City” novel; it’s a “New Jersey suburbs” novel, mostly. Most of the action takes place during Lillian’s sabbatical at her parents’ house during the time period surrounding her reunion, and she’s truly happy to be back in the ‘burbs – running at the school track, visiting the mall, speeding down the Turnpike to the Shore. I was particularly amused when she extolled the virtues of suburban CVS drugstores compared to their city cousins.
The novel is described as being “steeped in ‘80s-era references.” Did you find these references to be overdone and distracting, or just right? What was your favorite 80s reference, and why?
I’m a couple of years older than the author, and Lillian is a few years younger yet, but I pretty much came of age in the ’80’s, and I enjoyed those touches. They easily could have been overdone and taken into “camp” territory, but I feel that Dunn employed them pretty well. My favorite ’80’s-reference scene involved Lillian driving around in her dad’s car, playing an old Rick Springfield tape and remembering watching General Hospital after school, back when he was on the show (the first time – he’s back now, I’ve heard). That was a been-there, done-that moment.
How would you describe the author’s writing style? Overall, is the prose easy to read, or difficult? Can you provide a sentence or two to highlight her style?
Dunn’s writing experience is in journalism and nonfiction, and her first novel is written in a fairly straightforward style in keeping with that background. She writes with heart and humor, and she’s good with dialogue.
From page 58, a passage that illustrates one reason I could identify well with Lillian:
Why was it, I wondered, that when you loved a song, the feelings it evoked were so profoundly personal? Pop music always reached me in such a specific, hidden place, and my reaction to certain songs was so unthinking, so visceral, that it was almost sexual. Linear thoughts vanished completely, replaced by images and moods that I could never rationally discuss even with close friends.
Finally, what would you rate this novel, and why? Would you read more by this author?
Rating: 3.75/5 (objectively, but because I find Jancee Dunn and her writing just so likable, I would give it a subjective 4/5). When I read But Enough About Me earlier this year, I said: “There are some books that make you feel like you’re just hanging out with the writer – laughing, sharing stories, spending an enjoyable afternoon…Dunn is an engaging storyteller.” I would definitely hang out with her again, and look forward to reading whatever she does next.
Via Jancee Dunn’s blog, here’s a recent article about her from the New Jersey-based magazine Prime Woman.
Other bloggers’ reviews:
Everyday I Write the Book Blog
If you have reviewed this book, please leave the link in a comment or e-mail it to me at 3.rsblog AT gmail DOT com, and I’ll edit this review to include it!
I asked Jenn these questions about The Rising:
The book is described as a “post-apocalyptic zombie thriller.” What piqued your interest in reading it?
I always gear up for the fall and Halloween by reading what I call “spooky reads.” I’m not sure how I heard of The Rising, but zombies scare the heck out of me, so I knew I’d have to give it a go.
Please give a spoiler-free plot summary.
The dead have risen, although they’re unlike normal zombies. They walk, they talk, they think. Our main character is trying to stay alive and save his son, who is alive in another state. Along the way, he meets other survivors. Will they make it in time?
Please share a favorite passage or quote from the book.
Honestly, there wasn’t one. The writing was rather poor, and there were several cringe-worthy moments. The dialogue was stale and clichéd, especially when the “gangstas” talked. Cringe-worthy, indeed.
Could you identify a “big idea” or theme running through the book – what was it, and how is it reinforced in the storytelling?
I suppose a theme might be the importance of family and the negative effects of science (don’t worry; that wasn’t a spoiler). The storytelling was pretty simple and ultimately a letdown, so I can’t pretend that these themes were reinforced by anything other than the most obvious of methods.
Did you have a favorite character? What did you like about him/her?
Not really. There was a deaf boy, Worm, who was endearing, but I generally found the characters to be little more than flat, shallow stereotypes.
Have you read any books by this author before? Do you think you would read any more? Why/why not?
No, and I don’t plan to read any more by this author. The poor writing and grammar issues did it for me. In fact, I admit that I skimmed the second half. It was just getting too distressing, and I don’t mean the zombies.
I noticed that you use a 6-star rating scale for the books you review. How many stars will you give this book?
I’ll give this one 1.5 out of 6 stars, but only because of the innovative twist the author added to the zombie genre. I liked that he didn’t rehash the usual zombie story, but found a way to make them different.
I have to be honest – I don’t read a lot of genre fiction, and have never been a big horror fan, so it was a challenge for me to come up with questions about this book, and I’m sure there are things that I didn’t think to ask about! What do you think readers should know about this book that you haven’t already answered?
Readers should know it was dissatisfying. With a better editor, the book might have fared better. As it was, The Rising came across as immature and sophomoric. What could have been an intelligent horror novel was instead a major disappointment.
I don’t think I’ll be putting this one on my wishlist.
Jennifer has posted our interview on Bibliolatrist also. Thanks to Dewey for a great Weekly Geeks assignment, and to Jennifer for being a great interview partner!
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You should tell Jennifer to read “Cell” from Stephen King. It is a better zombie story.
That’s cool idea to ask each other questions. Mixes things up a little.
I really enjoyed your interviews, the quote you provided really got me interested in reading this. There are so many times I will hear a song that evokes an emotion/memory in me that is beyond words.
Mike – I really liked the interview idea too. I kind of get into a routine with the book reviews, so it was nice to tackle it differently.
And I think YOU just told Jennifer to read Cell (assuming she hasn’t already).
BookZombie – Exactly – same here; it’s like time travel or something.
I like the cover of Don’t you forget about me!
WG #16: Interviewing
Gautami – It is a nice design, now that you mention it :-). It’s good to see an old-fashioned cassette tape get put to use.
How fun! I enjoyed reading the two interviews.
Literary Feline – I’ve been a far-from-weekly Weekly Geek lately, since Dewey has had several photo-blogging-type topics recently, and I’m not so into that. This one was fun, though, and gave me the chance to meet a new-to-me book blogger.