Not great literature. An okay story but nothing that interesting. Certainly not for anyone who is not a fan of Lou Reed; it won't make any sense. ( )

> Par Anne-Sophie Jahn (Lepoint.fr), 24/09/2018 : Michael Imperioli : « Lou Reed a apporté une sensibilité littéraire au rock »
 On se souvient surtout de lui comme Christopher Moltisanti, le neveu alcoolique et drogué du mafieux Tony dans la série Les Soprano (rôle qui lui a même valu un Emmy), mais, à 52 ans, Michael Imperioli, fils d'acteurs amateurs, New-Yorkais immigrés d'Italie, a bien d'autres talents. Acteur (pour Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Abel Ferrara), réalisateur, scénariste, guitariste dans un groupe de rock, directeur artistique de théâtre… Il sort aujourd'hui son premier roman, dans lequel il met en scène un adolescent un peu insipide qui se lie d'amitié avec son voisin du dessus : Lou Reed, charismatique chanteur du Velvet Underground et auteur du tube « Walk on The Wild Side ». À la manière d'un réalisateur de thriller, Imperioli rembobine, accélère, s'adresse au lecteur dans ce récit drôle et attachant qui a « bouleversé » Joyce Carol Oates et nous entraîne dans le Manhattan chaotique des années 1970, ses rues bruyantes, ses diners, ses bars, peuplés de dealers, musiciens, travestis et prostitués.

Michael Imperioli is not only a good actor, but he can also write. His first effort is a coming of age story of a young man who moves from Queens to Manhattan with his mother after she receives an unexpected inheritance from his grandfather.

His mother is largely an absent character and the young man, Matthew is mostly left to his own devices. He gets a job as a delivery boy for a local cafe and in that capacity makes a delivery to the apartment of Lou Reed who lives in a penthouse in his building. The two become friends and Matthew starts serving as Reed's quasi-assistant.

Matthew also finds himself falling in love with proto-goth Veronica, one of his schoolmates. Between Lou Reed and Veronica, Matthew finds himself growing up very soon and very fast. until it all comes crashing down around him. This is an entertaining look into New York at a certain time that has now disappeared as well watching an awkward boy become a man. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. It is a coming of age book of a young man in New York. It was mostly about the relationships that he was involved in. I thought the book was well-written, especially for a first novel. I hope the author continues to write. I would love more! ( )

A restless Queens teenager becomes the protégé of music legend Lou Reed...Matthew's first-person narrative is full of endearing vulnerability, immediacy, and authenticity. This is a sweet and nostalgic coming-of-age novel that many will be able to relate to on some level. ( )