advertisement

Jami Attenberg takes us into apartments, onto soft butter-leather couches, into sketch books and desperate late night chat rooms. Soft expensive scarves are placed around our cold necks and we seem to be consistently drunk with her first novel, Instant Love. Instant Love is a collection of eleven distinct, yet inter-relating stories of two sisters: Holly, an intelligent scientist, and Maggie, a generous woman who has seemingly given up her own career for spending her husband’s money, and an old high school friend, Sarah Lee, a quiet art student. Each woman is looking for some sort of love, yet it won’t make eyes uncontrollably roll within one’s head because of overly contrived, sweet and heart wrenching scenes. Luckily, Attenberg gives us characters who can find their way underneath any reader’s skin because of their sincere observations and honesty about pretty much everything. Attenberg writes with the ease of a close friend telling a private story. She pays attention to the smallest details, from the fringes of an old wrinkled skirt to the way a woman flips back her curly hair after she’s had a few to drink.

The stories focus on the experiences of the three women in such vivid details and personality that it reads like a collection of vignettes. Simultaneously, the character’s past is revealed, creating a very rich and engaging atmosphere. Instant Love has a strong theme of loneliness but also an equally strong feeling of hope and, most importantly, a sense of humor. Jami Attenberg writes with wit and honesty.

Be forewarned, you won’t be able to put this book down.

JIVE Magazine rating: 5 great indie rock band references out of 5.

About the author: Jami Attenberg has run a blog (www.whatever-whenever.net) for six years. She contributes to mainstream publications as well as hip and cutting-edge sites, ‘zines, and journals. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

http://www.jamiattenberg.com/icecream.htm