Good Material
This was one of those “Recommended by the NY Times” book.
The gist of the book is mostly about relationships, breakups, and how we deal with it, in the story of a couple, who are both so right for each other it hurts, and so right without each other that it aches.
90% of the story is told through the eyes of Andy, a mostly-failed comedian and part time gig worker, who was dropped the bombshell that his long-time girlfriend of 5 or so years is breaking up with him. She’s an insurance exec, successful in most ways, and in Andy’s own admission, probably too good for him.
He then goes through the tailspin of trying to move out from their joint apartment, trying to get his own place, and trying to piece together his emotional life amidst his failing as a successful comedian. His shows gets very little laugh because he’s been recycling his own materials for a while, and he has a hard time recovering from the breakup because he was truly blindsided by the breakup.
Most of the book is written as Andy’s telling of what his support group of friends and family tries to do for him. His own poor showing at his gigs, and how he tries to cope. He goes through self-help books, and therapists all to poor effort, and finally, his mom gives him the final piece of help that allows him to recover fully.
The last 10% of the book is from Jen’s perspective, where you get insights into how she tries to cope with dropping the bombshell on Andy, why she came to the conclusion that she has to break up with him, and why she herself has a hard time recovering from it
Its an expertly done book with all the 5 or 6 phases of a relationship and the breakup that ensues from it. I feel that its a bit of a copout with giving Jen the last 10%, but the ending is satisfactory in that they don’t have a happy ending.
I give it a 4* because it is expertly written and the characters and scenarios are realistic.