Author explores complexity of couples’ infidelity
THE shared birthday of their sons initially connects Michael and Rebecca to Paul and Jenny. While the women labor, the husbands introduce themselves, sharing a smoke and shot of bourbon just off hospital grounds in anticipation of becoming fathers. One month later, Michael and Rebecca are juggling jobs and parenthood while Paul and Jenny are grieving over the loss of their baby. Jenny is unhinged; Paul can’t reach her. Michael, while enamored by his child, is bound by routine. Thus marks the beginning of a precarious friendship.
The book opens with present-day Michael on the morning he and Jenny plan to leave their spouses and start a life together. When Jenny fails to show, Michael heads toward home, only to discover subways and cellphone service shut down due to a mysterious event in Manhattan. From here, scenes alternate between present day and the past 12 months, where various shades of disaster creep into the couples’ lives.
Michael trudges through the blistering New York City streets, wildly focused on getting back to Brooklyn. Initially his determination proves perplexing, but events of the previous year slowly emerge, building the case for his intensity.
Klein mixes sharp inner monologue with conflicted action to nudge his narrative along, painting detailed back stories along the way. With refreshingly authentic humor and jagged characters, this debut depicts marriage at its greediest, and by the end, readers may find themselves torn over which relationships to root for.
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