I read the reviews before I read this book, contrary to the general opinion, I found this earlier book quite enjoyable. To me, this is a song and Anne Tyler later wrote symphonies.

Evie Decker is an overweight seventeen-year-old. I identified with her shyness and awkwardness at that age. She only had one friend, Violet who outweighed her so much that she almost looked normal sitting beside her. She feels lonely and unnoticed, she lives with her father and they seem to keep to themselves but he cares for her. There is a hired cleaning lady, Clotelia who is quiet until Evie begins to change her life, then we know what Clotelia is thinking.

Evie hears a hapless interview of Bertram Casey, aka Drumstrings, a rock singer without much talent, and goes with her friend, Violet to hear him sing. She is impressed and wants to be noticed by him. She doesn't feel it is possible to get him to be hers but something dramatic and off-putting happens and he slowly notices her.

I love the ending the most of all. Please read this book and see if you agree. ( )

This short book - really a novella - is basically a character study involving a plain, overweight teenager who develops an unlikely interest in rock music, and does something out of character which thrusts her into the spotlight.

I kept reading; I do like Anne Tyler's writing style, and the pace is good. But the plot is quite depressing, and the 'hero' a self-centred and rather demanding rock player who isn't all that talented.

I didn't find this nearly as enjoyable as other books by this author. Re-reading 17 years later did not improve my opinion of it.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-slipping-down-life-by-anne-tyler.... ( )

Evie Decker has largely been invisible at her high school until one night when she happens to hear local musician Drum Casey interviewed on the radio. She goes to see him play over and over again. One night, for reasons no one, including Evie, can figure out, she goes into the bar’s restroom and cuts Casey’s name into her forehead. This brings Drum and Evie together and ultimately kicks both of their lives out of the inertia they’ve been mired in.

This is one of Tyler’s earlier novels, so it’s not as polished as her later ones. It was a relatively quick read, and the characters were interesting to think about. If you’re already a fan of Tyler’s work, I’d recommend this one, but if you’re just getting introduced to her, I’d go with one of her more recent novels instead. ( )

Evie Decker is 17-years-old - a painfully shy, slightly plump teenager whose mother died in childbirth, and she lives with her father. All in all, Evie's life is terribly lonely - until she hears the voice of 'Drumstrings' Casey on the radio. She is completely captivated and is resolute in her desire to eventually meet him. With her only friend, Violet, she discovers where Drumstrings is singing next and goes to see his show.

It is while she is attending Drumstrings' shows, that Evie truly bursts out of her lonely shell - once and for all - and comes under the intense scrutiny of the one man who at first seemed so intangible to her. In the space of time that it takes Evie to commit a single drastic act, her life is irrevocably changed. And she will never be the same again.

In my opinion, this book was really quite good, and I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. It was a fast read for me - and while the plot was certainly quirky - I still found that the characters were well-crafted and extremely likable. Overall, I give A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler a definite A! ( )

While brief, this book is evocative and rich. The story has fantastical moments that seem wholly grounded and real as Tyler introduces the reader to Evie - a lonely 17-year-old - looking for a place to belong in the world. As Evie progresses through the story, her determination becomes more and more evident. This is a novella, I suppose - too long for a short story, too short for a novel. In any case, Tyler is a storytelling genius and has been so from her earliest writing days. This book was originally published in 1970, only Tyler's 3rd published work. Tyler's rhythm and dialogue are pitch-perfect and while a contemporary work at its release (maybe even a book pushing the limits of what would be morally acceptable in society) it still manages to hold onto some of its relevance today. ( )