Jeremy Thrane

Rating:
Summary: An overall satisfactory read!
Review: Ever since I read In the Drink, I have become a fan of Kate Christensen. In the Drink was filled with the kind of dark humor that I enjoy in fiction. I also enjoyed her realistic view of New York City. She didn't romanticize the city -- she showed it for what it was. It was a very clever satire. So I was eager to pick up her second novel.

Jeremy Thrane is the tale of a gay man in his mid-thirties who's had a secret affair with a famous film star named Ted for ten years. Ted is married to a famous movie actress. Both his wife and the media are unaware of his homosexuality. The novel takes some humorous, poignant and sometimes unexpected turns.

The novel is well written, however, there are some things that were left floating in the story. For instance, Ted seldom appears in the novel. Character and story development were needed throughout the novel. Christensen needed to delve into and explore some of the secondary characters.

All and all, it was a satisfactory read. It is not as dark and sinister as In the Drink, but it's nevertheless a great read. Kate has a way with words, and I recommend her lyrical and witty novels most highly.

Rating:
Summary: Fast read...doesn't live up to In the Drink
Review: I bought this book after reading (and enjoying) Christensen's In the Drink. The reviews assured me that if I liked In the Drink, I would love Jeremy Thrane. Boy, were they wrong! Now, don't get me wrong. I read Jeremy Thrane quickly and enjoyed it. There's nothing "wrong" with this book. It's just very different than In the Drink, and, in my humble opinion, not as "good."

Like In the Drink, Jeremy Thrane is written with a first-person voice, which I enjoy. Unlike, In the Drink, however, I feel, well, very aware of the face that our narrator is, well, narrating. Many of the narrator's comments, thoughts, etc. seemed very contrived, and, overall, detract from the book's "flow."

If you're looking for a book that reads quickly, is written decently, and comments on "celebrity culture," a gay man's life in NYC or... just "hip" life in general, Jeremy Thrane won't disappoint. If, however, like me, you're looking for a follow-up to In the Drink, keep looking.

Rating:
Summary: Fast read...doesn't live up to In the Drink
Review: I bought this book after reading (and enjoying) Christensen's In the Drink. The reviews assured me that if I liked In the Drink, I would love Jeremy Thrane. Boy, were they wrong! Now, don't get me wrong. I read Jeremy Thrane quickly and enjoyed it. There's nothing "wrong" with this book. It's just very different than In the Drink, and, in my humble opinion, not as "good."

Like In the Drink, Jeremy Thrane is written with a first-person voice, which I enjoy. Unlike, In the Drink, however, I feel, well, very aware of the face that our narrator is, well, narrating. Many of the narrator's comments, thoughts, etc. seemed very contrived, and, overall, detract from the book's "flow."

If you're looking for a book that reads quickly, is written decently, and comments on "celebrity culture," a gay man's life in NYC or... just "hip" life in general, Jeremy Thrane won't disappoint. If, however, like me, you're looking for a follow-up to In the Drink, keep looking.

Rating:
Summary: A fun, light read
Review: I enjoyed "Jeremy Thrane" very much, though my enthusiasm waned toward the end, but maybe that was because I lost the discipline to stop myself skipping ahead, which shows I cared what happened to the characters. I especially appreciated the clarity of writing. I'm not as impressed with the NYC sense of place as some reviewers. It's competent, but not even close to Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" or other books where the city is a character. Her development of the title character was excellent & I felt I knew him & that he was a consistent, integrated real person. A light, amusing, quick read with well-developed characters, momentum & interesting--sometimes funny--situations. For another excellent example in the same genre, see Doug Guinan's "California Screaming."

Rating:
Summary: A fun, light read
Review: I enjoyed "Jeremy Thrane" very much, though my enthusiasm waned toward the end, but maybe that was because I lost the discipline to stop myself skipping ahead, which shows I cared what happened to the characters. I especially appreciated the clarity of writing. I'm not as impressed with the NYC sense of place as some reviewers. It's competent, but not even close to Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" or other books where the city is a character. Her development of the title character was excellent & I felt I knew him & that he was a consistent, integrated real person. A light, amusing, quick read with well-developed characters, momentum & interesting--sometimes funny--situations. For another excellent example in the same genre, see Doug Guinan's "California Screaming."

Rating:
Summary: Completely enjoyable
Review: I loved this book... I thought it was amazing how the author spoke through the voice of a character that was obviously totally different than herself... a man for starters. I thought it was hip, fun, imaginitive, and delt with one of the most universl issues in humanity... how our childhoods effect our decisons and our perceptions in our adult life. I loved it.. and thought it was much better that IN THE DRINK.... That was a good book... but it was such a downer... JEREMEY THANE on the other hand was filled with hope. I can't wait for the next one!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Highly enjoyable
Review: I read In the Drink when it first came out and really liked it. I thought the writing was clear and detailed, and the characters were well-developed. Jeremy Thrane was no different. I think it's amazing how a female author can write so well from the point of view of a gay male--amazing! She did such a good job, I was beginning to wonder if she had a gay male ghostwriter! I loved all of the characters and how Jeremy really grew and became stronger over the course of the novel. I was sorry to see it end.

Rating:
Summary: Quirky and charming
Review: Jeremy Thrane is a gay man in his mid-30s living in New York City and posing as the archivist to his sometimes-lover (a closeted, married Hollywood action star). Jeremy is also writing an epic novel about his absentee father and is generally lounging about, until he unintentionally, yet purposefully, outs his married lover to the world. Jeremy escapes before the fallout into his own search for a new start. He finds a real job for the first time in years; he reconnects with and slowly learns to appreciate his oddball family. And through it all he matures and skewers his friends, and ultimately finds love (maybe). "Jeremy Thrane" is quirky and intriguing, and yet midway through reading, I found that it bogged down where Jeremy flits about making a general nuisance of himself. Christensen's writing style, sense of humor, and her characterizations kept me interested, and with perseverance, I found myself compelled to find out how it all ends. While it's not as gorgeous and spectacular as Kranz's "Leaps Of Faith" or Hamilton's "The Short History Of A Prince" or Duncker's "Hallucinating Foucault", "Jeremy Thrane" is a charming and lively story of a gay man growing older and suddenly finding that life isn't so bad after all.

Rating:
Summary: RIGHT ON THE MONEY
Review: Kate Christensen's 'Jeremy Thrane' is crisp, fresh, full of beautiful metaphors and right on the money when depicting the lives and loves of gay men.

It's amazing that (I'm assuming) a straight woman could write so eloquently from a gay man's point of view. As a gay man I found myself laughing aloud at certian situations, identifying wholeheartedly with a lot of Jeremy's viewpoints and gasping at the incredible similarities of Jeremy's friends to some of my own.

I lent a friend my copy when she took a trip to New York City and not only did she love it and was amazed at how right on Christensen is during the Jewish family scene (my friend is Jewish) but also she had the pleasure of meeting an aquaintance of Christensen's at an editors convention who essentially sang the same praises for her novel as I.

I won't go into the particulars of 'Jeremy Thrane' as other reviewers have already done so. However, I highly recommend this novel for anyone in search of a fresh take on gay fiction that goes beyond the nightclub/sex & drugs/kept boy mentality of most gay fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Very Frustrating
Review: Such an intelligent writer, but one who takes 309 pages to tell a story that could have been told in less than 100. If you're into page after page of ruminating, intellectualizing, ego-centric analyzing, you'll love this book. If you prefer a good story where the plot actually moves, then look elsewhere. Maybe I just don't get the whole New York angst thing...