White Fur by Jardine Libaire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a journey. The book opens in the first chapter with some nepharious ideas and circumstances that the rest of the book unfolds into. I really really enjoyed this book.

It was sexy yes.... but also truly what every 20 year old feels with that first obsessive love that many experience about that time.  It really rang so very true for me.  I didn't personally go as far as Elise did or even would but I was reading and thought huh... that sounds real.  It was not that far fetched. And the book isn't all sex like some of the reviews I have also read push.  It's a relationship.

When I was given the opportunity to read it (thank you so much Hogarth Publishing) I had an idea of what I thought this book would be. I was wrong. Very very wrong. Ms. Libaire took me on a journey of love, education, auctions, food, and some of the sights and sounds (and smells) of NYC.

Secretly a highlight was the mention of The Holiday.... not sure if she meant the bar that I know of ... but if she did... well played. Thanks for that.

One of the things that I really did truly love was the lush descriptive writing. You can tell by reading this book that the author loves words. Nothing is left to chance, nothing is left out and nothing is used willy nilly. I loved reading her words. That was the surprising joy of this book... the authors love of the words.

Elise and Jamey's journey is one of trials and tribulations but there is great love with the characters.

The journey is definitely worth taking with these too.

A very enjoyable read.

View all my reviews



Adding the following updates:

I am picking a random chapter and I am going to quote a completely randomly picked paragraph below.  I want to show you how lush a scene setter Jardine Libaire is in this book ok... here we go....

From the Chapter titled: February 1987 

"Guys move around, tools clanging from belts, faces smug against the chill under hard hats. The coffee truck is on site, Stan telling Irish jokes and blonde jokes and Jewish jokes, making change from his money apron".  

Doesn't this just set a scene?  You can picture it can't you?

To me honestly this is the magic of this book.

When I read this book it's like taking a trip to NYC that tourists don't see going up 5th Avenue to shop at H&M.  I know the book is set in the mid 80s, but to me at least, it could have been set at any time. The characters could fit into today's culture as easily as they fit into the mid 80s setting of the book.  The places are the same, I mean even the Holiday is back (again I make no claim that this is the intent of the author to name check this place... but it caught my brain/eye... one since it's such an important place to me and Fez and two it's really one of a few places name checked in the book, but I have to think so since it is in the East Village as is most of Elise and Jamey's lives).

I absolutely want to add this to the burgeoning list of books for the Punk Rock Book Club (tm).  I posted about that earlier and honestly.... I want to pick this book up again and really have my mind melted by the chapters of this book.  Not necessarily by the characters of Elise and Jayme and Matt and others.... but but the scenery. Oh my gawd the scene setting.

Edited again to add (6/3/17)
I was sent the trailer for the book today....can I tell you how much I love that there are book trailers now?