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The Singular Exploits of Wonder Mom & Party Girl

by Marc Schuster
Permanent. Jun. 2011. c.280p. ISBN 9781579622084. pap. $28. F
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OrangeReviewStarWhat happens when an average suburban mom decides to start a casual cocaine habit? In this debut novel, Audrey Corcoran finds out. A divorced but loving mother and editor of a crummy newspaper, Audrey has always been a good girl. When the charmingly unreliable Owen enters her life, he introduces her to the joys of jazz and cocaine. Schuster builds Audrey's drug habit with humor and authenticity, letting the dark reality of her addiction seep quietly into the story. The end result is a perfect blend of the sweet and the awful, the hilarious and the horrible.
VERDICT This is an amazing read; truly funny, genuine, and compelling. It's gut-wrenchingly intimate, showing the realistic detail of a decaying life as filtered through a likable but unreliable narrator. It is dark without punishing the reader, and the characters, even the gross ones, are fascinating. For a wide variety of readers.
Reviewed by Therese Oneill, Monmouth, OR , Jun 15, 2011
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