FICTION

Bertrand Court

by Michelle Brafman
Prospect Park. Sept. 2016. 264p. ISBN 9781938849794. $24.95; ISBN 9781938849800. pap. 16; ebk. ISBN 9781938849817. F
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Brafman offers "the secrets of suburbia" in her newest work, exposing the drama and scandal of interconnected families living in a seemingly cozy Washington, DC, neighborhood. Each of the 17 chapters spotlights a resident of the cul-de-sac. Issues of infertility, sibling rivalry, marital affairs, and the isolating loneliness of parenthood epitomize the angsty lives of these creatures living behind white picket fences. The many narratives follow a noncohesive time line and present no climax or resolution. Pessimistic and moody, Brafman's often nihilistic representation of human relationships adds little depth to the text. Complexities of the Jewish experience are a central theme of the author's work, with many of the narratives focusing on various matriarchs of intertwined families.
VERDICT Too vanilla to be a soap opera but too gloomy to appeal to adult romance fans, Bertrand Court lacks in overall purpose. Though similar in tone, this piece does not match the quality of Brafman's solid debut novel, Washing the Dead.
Reviewed by Marian Mays, Washington Talking Book & Braille Lib., Seattle , Jul 22, 2016
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