Monica Ferrell

Matt, the main character of this novel, is reminiscent of Holden Caulfield and Charlotte Simmons. He hates what he sees around him, yet longs to fit in. For awhile, Matt does fit in. As a geeky, overweight high school graduate he spends the summer slimming down and getting hip before he moves to NYU for school. The first few months are miserable as he tries to find a way to make "cool" friends. A chance encounter with a high school acquaintance he is trying to impress nets him a job as a "club promoter" at the hot club Cinema in NYC. Matt finally gets to meet the beautiful people he's been longing for, but at great personal cost. The description of the New York club scene in the age of Ecstacy, a time described as "an Atlantis to us" is enlightening. Frequent "interruptions" from the German psychologist who had a close encounter with Matt on the day of his death is a bit confusing and I didn't feel added much to the plot, although it does tie up the story neatly.… (altro)