I really enjoyed this book. It took me longer to read than my average book, I think because I read so many mystery books that are written for plot development and in which characterization and psychological insight is often sacrificed. I think I had to slow down for these carefully etched portraits of ordinary people. But I found myself sneaking glances at the book at times when I was doing other things, thinking: gee, do I have to do this right now? I wonder what's happening in the story.. It wouldn't hurt anything if I read it right now, would it?
Fassnacht is not shy about dropping brand names: NPR, Chicago magazine, 7-Up, New Balance, TrendStar. I haven't read so many brand names since I read Chilly Scenes of Winter by Ann Beattie.
When Barkley, the main protagonist of the novel, arrives at a school for his first day of work as a teacher, he looks down at his New Balance shoes. I found myself wondering, "Is this significant? Is this cool? (Or does it just mean that real teachers wear real comfortable shoes?)" I looked down at my own New Balance shoes and wondered, very briefly, if they made me cool. I decided that any shoe with a velcro fastener can't be considered cool.
Many places in Chicagoland are mentioned in this novel, like Diversey Harbor. I found myself thinking, if you don't know Diversey Harbor, how will you picture this place?
Fassnacht's portrait of Barkley's transition into a professional as he takes his first teaching job and deals with students, both the challenging and the troubled kind, bosses, and office politics generally, is really quite stirring. He experiments, responds to changing conditions and finds his footing. Teaching is a kind of performance, after all.
Nevertheless, the combination of familiar situations and locations, and yes, brand names, lends the novel a wonderful, intimate air of immediacy. I think that this is one of the many ways to tell a story that will resonate with readers.
Fassnacht is not shy about dropping brand names: NPR, Chicago magazine, 7-Up, New Balance, TrendStar. I haven't read so many brand names since I read Chilly Scenes of Winter by Ann Beattie.
When Barkley, the main protagonist of the novel, arrives at a school for his first day of work as a teacher, he looks down at his New Balance shoes. I found myself wondering, "Is this significant? Is this cool? (Or does it just mean that real teachers wear real comfortable shoes?)" I looked down at my own New Balance shoes and wondered, very briefly, if they made me cool. I decided that any shoe with a velcro fastener can't be considered cool.
Many places in Chicagoland are mentioned in this novel, like Diversey Harbor. I found myself thinking, if you don't know Diversey Harbor, how will you picture this place?
Fassnacht's portrait of Barkley's transition into a professional as he takes his first teaching job and deals with students, both the challenging and the troubled kind, bosses, and office politics generally, is really quite stirring. He experiments, responds to changing conditions and finds his footing. Teaching is a kind of performance, after all.
Nevertheless, the combination of familiar situations and locations, and yes, brand names, lends the novel a wonderful, intimate air of immediacy. I think that this is one of the many ways to tell a story that will resonate with readers.
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