Lauren Kirshner

Kirshner's debut novel is the mostly sparkling coming-of-age story of Lucy Bloom, from early adolescence to young adulthood. Kirshner explores the dynamics of a secular, working-class, 1980s/90s Toronto Jewish family grappling with marital infidelity, alcoholism, and eating disorders, as well as the central character's negotiation of friendship, sexual awakening and identity. The above (dirty) laundry list of "issues" perhaps makes the book sound grim and dark, but the story is leavened by considerable humour, a lively first-person narration, and interesting three-dimensional characters. Kirshner is dextrous with language and the book is grounded in vivid sensory detail and fresh images. Overall, this is an entertaining and engrossing novel that makes the reader care about the central character, Lucy Bloom, and her family and friends.

The first 2/3 of the book are stronger than the latter third, in which Lucy's mother is ailing. I was rather confused by the section in which Lucy tells her incapacitated mother a "fictionally true" story about the brief period they spent away from Lucy's father in a run-down apartment complex. The author seems to be wanting to make a point here about the healing power of stories, but, to my mind at least, it didn't work. It would've been valuable to rethink, rework, and revise this section considerably prior to publication. An additional criticism: the farewell to the childhood home--saying goodbye to where the TV stood and the kitchen cupboards etc.--which concludes WHERE WE HAVE TO GO, is cliche, unlike the balance of the book, which--though it explored some familiar coming-of-age themes--did so with energy.

I look forward to reading Kirshner's future work and highly recommend her first offering. It is a solid book that deserves to be read by both adults and high-school-age young adults.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this text.… (mehr)