Mister Monkey

Prose's 18th work of fiction (after Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932) introduces a cast of characters who are all, in one way or another, connected to a misbegotten off-off-Broadway production of a children's musical called Mister Monkey. Among others, we meet the horny and depressed adolescent playing the title role; a once promising, now middle-aged, actress stuck in a thankless role and a terrible costume; a young audience member, his grandfather, and his kindergarten teacher; the author of the novel the play is based on; and the waiter to whom he gives a ticket to the show. The characters' lives intersect in both direct and indirect ways, as topics as varied as career disappointment, online dating, evolution, and what it means to be human are explored. Did I mention it's funny? Prose deftly manages the delicate balance of the comic novel, presenting humor and absurdity without sacrificing the humanity of her characters. The book is also something of a love letter to New York, with much time spent in subways and taxis, and the characters crossing paths in unexpected ways, whether or not they are aware of it.