A review by moomin333
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
5.0
I loved this book so much. The lyrical prose, the way the words leaped off the page into a motion picture in my mind, the descriptive details of the diving suits... I couldn't help but imagine it as a movie the entire time. It's set in 1943 and the sayings, mannerisms, dress, and food of the time is peppered throughout the entire story.
I admit I had a hard time getting into this book. It was a meandering slow start at first; first focusing on the father’s back story, and then moving years into the future to the daughter, Anna, as she worked in the Naval ship yard during the war. While I enjoyed the writing, I wasn’t sure I cared about the story or the characters (particularly the father), and I almost quit. I’m really glad I held on.
There are a ton of negative reviews, but if you can make it past the first quarter of the book, you may also be sucked in and treasure the read. This isn’t a beach read. It’s a raveling story of interconnections and existential crisis constantly brought back down to earth by mention of the war.
I enjoyed having to look up several dessert items, most notably the “charlotte russe” dessert which I had no idea was a thing before it was a clothing brand. It’s a complicated looking berry flavored mousse set into a cake shape framed by ladyfingers and piled with cream and more berries. One could have a great “Manhattan Beach” themed party with old fashioned egg creams, whiskey sodas, the clam chowder Anna enjoys at the bar, and many more treats.
I admit I had a hard time getting into this book. It was a meandering slow start at first; first focusing on the father’s back story, and then moving years into the future to the daughter, Anna, as she worked in the Naval ship yard during the war. While I enjoyed the writing, I wasn’t sure I cared about the story or the characters (particularly the father), and I almost quit. I’m really glad I held on.
There are a ton of negative reviews, but if you can make it past the first quarter of the book, you may also be sucked in and treasure the read. This isn’t a beach read. It’s a raveling story of interconnections and existential crisis constantly brought back down to earth by mention of the war.
I enjoyed having to look up several dessert items, most notably the “charlotte russe” dessert which I had no idea was a thing before it was a clothing brand. It’s a complicated looking berry flavored mousse set into a cake shape framed by ladyfingers and piled with cream and more berries. One could have a great “Manhattan Beach” themed party with old fashioned egg creams, whiskey sodas, the clam chowder Anna enjoys at the bar, and many more treats.