Thursday, January 18, 2018

Young Jane Young, by Gabrielle Zevin. 5 Stars!


January 15

Rima:
I checked this book out on a whim.  It’s about a young woman (Aviva) who interns for a congressman in Florida, a man who was also her neighbor when she was a child.  She ends up having a fling with him, their affair is discovered by the press, and she pays heavily for her indiscretion.  The congressman rides the scandal out with a minimum of inconvenience. 

The story is presented from the point of view of various characters and time periods.  For example, the first person you meet is Aviva’s mother Rachel, well after the events occurred.  Rachel goes on a blind date with a man who ends up referring unwittingly to the old scandal; he blames Aviva while essentially giving the congressman a pass.  Rachel leaves in a huff and the guy has no idea what he’s done wrong.

Here are some elements of this book that I enjoyed: seeing a single set of circumstances through the eyes of different people; a clear and witty exploration of our culture’s double standard for the sexes; and feisty smart characters who often come up with unusual thoughts and remarks.







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