Starred review from March 6, 2023
Lin-Greenberg’s exceptional debut novel (after the collection Vanished) explores a complex web of relationships at a fading mall in Albany, N.Y. Among the people drawn together by the mall are Tina Huang, the last remaining stylist at a struggling hair salon, and Ro Goodson, an 89-year-old white woman who is Tina’s only regular customer, and who Tina believes comes in because she’s lonely. Ro takes a dim view of her Black neighbor Joan for moving into Ro’s predominantly white neighborhood years earlier. Ro also doesn’t think much of Joan’s daughter, Gwen, an adjunct professor, or Gwen’s white husband, Kevin, manager of the mall’s bookstore, both of whom live in a tiny house on Joan’s property. Maria, a high school senior who hopes to become a professional actor, dons a chicken outfit for her food court job and is upset when she doesn’t get a lead part in her school’s production of West Side Story. The other characters are past worrying their dreams won’t come true; Tina secretly yearns to be an illustrator of children’s books but “knows it’s not a practical thing to pursue,” while Ro plants a lemon tree that she knows won’t bear fruit until after she’s gone. After establishing a quirky tone, the novel’s third act reaches a grand scale as an active shooter prowls the mall, though the real drama rests in the characters’ reckoning with the limits of what is possible. This is a remarkable study of ordinary people’s extraordinary inner lives. Agent: Kathy Schneider, Jane Rotrosen Agency.
November 1, 2023
For residents of Albany, NY, no matter how different they seem, their lives converge at one place: the local mall. From Tina, who works as a stylist at Sunshine Clips while secretly aspiring to be an artist, to Kevin, the failed academic who dresses as a gnome during story time at the book shop, to Ro, an older mall-walker who struggles to make connections since her husband passed. As these people and many others face the mall's impending closure, they must decide what the future holds. Do they take the chance to pursue their real dreams or continue in the ease and comfort of the status quo? Lin-Greenberg (Vanished: Stories) crafts a touching, character-driven novel. Narrator Jennifer Aquino gives an expressive performance, distinctively voicing characters of various ages, races, and genders. Though her presentation skews toward campy at times, the overall effect remains compelling. VERDICT Will appeal to listeners seeking thought-provoking literary fiction about community, connection, and how they can change the course of one's life. Recommended for fans of Celeste Ng, Carolyn Prusa, and Lisa Roe.--Lauren Hackert
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