I was drawn to the book by its cover. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the sixties-chic man and woman who, although standing close together, seemed to be very distant from each other. Aside from proximity, there is no closeness—no electricity—emitted from the pair. The title seems to be an oxymoron for the cover art.
The story opens with an introduction of six wealthy, artistic, young adults spending a summer in Sag Harbor, NY. The settings are vivid and descriptive. Throughout the novel, readers travel back to the 1960s to an era when, for these young people, almost anything goes. Drug, sex, and alcohol are consumed without much thought of consequences, until it is fatefully too late. While the characters are well-developed and defined, because they come off as self-centered and egocentric, it is difficult to find empathy for any of them.
A love triangle between Andre, Robert, and Maya is one of the strongest story lines in the novel which begins in the opening chapter and does not resolve itself until the end of the novel. The struggle is raw, realistic, and shocking. In fact, all of the characters struggle throughout the novel, whether externally with relationships and careers, or internally with addictions, self-doubt, unrequited love.
I didn’t find the book deeply thought-provoking, but definitely a novel that is a satisfying read for a long car-ride, or one of those wintery days when you are stuck inside the house.
The story opens with an introduction of six wealthy, artistic, young adults spending a summer in Sag Harbor, NY. The settings are vivid and descriptive. Throughout the novel, readers travel back to the 1960s to an era when, for these young people, almost anything goes. Drug, sex, and alcohol are consumed without much thought of consequences, until it is fatefully too late. While the characters are well-developed and defined, because they come off as self-centered and egocentric, it is difficult to find empathy for any of them.
A love triangle between Andre, Robert, and Maya is one of the strongest story lines in the novel which begins in the opening chapter and does not resolve itself until the end of the novel. The struggle is raw, realistic, and shocking. In fact, all of the characters struggle throughout the novel, whether externally with relationships and careers, or internally with addictions, self-doubt, unrequited love.
I didn’t find the book deeply thought-provoking, but definitely a novel that is a satisfying read for a long car-ride, or one of those wintery days when you are stuck inside the house.