The Vixen by Francine Prose

I have four different Francine Prose books on my bookshelves.  I am going to be 100% transparent... I have mostly only read the first three or four chapters of each.  I don't have a clue why I am never able to get past maybe the first third of any of those books.

When I was starting The Vixen, something clicked with me this time.  Maybe I resonated with the character's returning home from Harvard after graduation (I didn't go to Harvard, but I did move back in with my parents after college) and how the news of the day (in this case it was the Rosenbergs incarceration and execution - particularly Ethel in this case) effects those around us so closely. In my day the big trial was OJ Simpson.  Anyways.... the book caught me. 

As I was reading it, I wondered... is this a book about literary license, publishing, a mystery wrapped in a story about publishing, a mystery wrapped in a torrid but albiet short love affair that is one sided, what the heck is this book about?  

Do not get me wrong here... I really did enjoy the twisty nature of the way the story unfolds and not giving too much away, I was a little surprised by some of the fun and deluted backstory that happens as we merrily go along.  It was a fun ride (like the Cyclone). 

The main character is a young editor who gets handed an assignment that absolutely hands him alot of complications and opportunities. What he learns along the way is super twisty and was really great.  The author leaves a lot of breadcrumbs through out the story which was alot of fun to track and see how these things worked out.   

Chapter 1 of the Vixen is up on the NYT (and for the time being not behind a paywall).  It's a great introduction into the story and how it unfolds before the reader.  It was a fun read, worth sticking with (said by someone, again, who up until this book, has never finished a book by Francine Prose.... and now is going to go back and try and reread for the fourth time Mr. Monkey... maybe I get it now...)

I never star any kind of book but because this is the first time I have finished one by this author... I am giving this the random full star point system on my other blogs like giant star colored in the full way.  It was a complete ride and a super fun read.  Here I am able to give a five star treatment.  Maybe if I was to be cheeky a little peach emoji being it's all vixeny?  But I know there are other people that rate with emojis... can't steal their thunder. Just use your imagination that I did use it.  

It was a quick and easy enough read and fun for a "summer beach book". Do we even do that anymore? Do we say that it is a beach book? I dunno. I read it on my back porch after work so it was my post work decompression book. Beach Read sounds better and less stressy. Call it what you will... this was a fun romp and read.

  Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy... I promise I will get back to the other books by the author now!