Publisher: HarperCollins
I didn’t think I would like this book, since it’s being touted as
a literary novel and they are usually a bit pretentious for me, but Last Night at the Blue Angel is an
exception. Set in 1960s Chicago, the novel explores the tumultuous relationship
between Naomi Hill, a jazz singer on the brink of stardom, and her ten-year-old
daughter Sophia. Naomi is both irresistible and self-destructive, and Sophia,
who has seen things no ten-year-old should witness, is unsettled by a troubled
home life. The one thing they both seem able to rely on is Jim, their
photographer friend. But Jim is in love with Naomi, a situation that can only
lead to disaster.
The story is told in
alternating chapters between Naomi and Sophia. This works well, and you realise
just how little the two characters know and understand each other. However,
they did have quite similar voices so at times it was difficult remembering who
was telling which bit of the story. Rotert does capture Sophia’s voice
particularly well, the voice of a young girl with the alarming perception of a
child. The descriptions of Naomi and the power she holds over everyone around
her are also brilliant and very effective.
The whole book is very
well-written, impressive for a debut. The sentences and paragraphs flow so well
that, before you know it, you’ve read half the book. Rotert creates a great
sense of tension, all the little unspeakable things beneath the surface, and
you never know when pressures are going to erupt and lead to a fight.
Rotert presents a very
interesting relationship between mother and daughter, one which I think is
quite unique because I haven’t read many other books looking at this kind of
relationship. I found that I did care about the characters and what happened to
them. Rotert does a brilliant job of slowly bringing you into the characters’
world, which seems to come alive on the page with broader issues like racism
and the Cold War also at play. There is a diverse range of characters, all of
whom seem three-dimensional and have more to them than first meets the eye.
The ending was satisfying,
particularly as I wasn’t sure how it was going to end or how Rotert was going
to wind things up. The ending was heart-breaking and poignant, and very
memorable.
Even if you have no
interest in 1960s America or jazz music, I think you would still enjoy this
book.
0 Comments
♥ Hello! Please leave a message if you liked what you have read ♥