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Friday, July 24, 2015

The Writer's Life 7/24 - Coney

The reason I decided to read Dreamland Social Club is its setting: Coney Island. Having been there countless times, taken in its attractions, frolicked in the ocean, dined on its famous foods, I was interested in Tara Altebrando’s vision. The novel is told from the point of view of a 16-year old whose family inherits the run down house of the maternal grandfather, whom she never met. Her mom left Coney Island and embarked on world travels with her husband. She died young, her daughter only six at the time. The house leaves clues to the mother’s life and personality, and the daughter gradually discovers her roots, including the club her mom founded. She attends Coney Island High School, which, as far as I know, does not exist. Most residents attend Lincoln H.S.. Several of my ex-teammates grew up in the enclosed, upper middle class Seagate section. Why they were zoned for Lafayette, no one knows. Does it matter that the school is fictional? It bothered me a little, but I still enjoyed the novel, which is geared to the Young adult market. Contrary to almost all modern works that focus on teens, the kids here are not sex and drug-crazed. Is that realistic? Perhaps not, but it is refreshing. The book features a colorful cast of characters one would expect to be growing up in such an environment. Throughout, there is the age-old conflict of old versus new, what long term residents want versus developers. Of course, modern Coney Island is a shell of what it was in its heyday, although it has been on the upswing the past 20 years. The girl’s active imagination conjures what it was like back in the day. She also deals with first love. The prose is not as polished as I prefer (maybe mine isn’t, either). Still, it is a fast read, although it seems drawn out at 389 pages. The novel, published in 2011, is the second of six the author has written, the last being a co-write. Altebrando grew up on Staten Island but has often visited Coney and she obviously did her research. 15 users at Amazon have rated the book, forging to a consensus of 4.1 of five. Unfortunately, none seems to be a resident of C.I.. I would have liked to have read an insider’s opinion. I rate it 3.2.

I'd just finished setting up the floating book shop when Lev showed. As I hoped, he was interested in the Russian DVDs and bought all 13 plus a book. That made the session immediately worthwhile. My thanks, and to the other kind folks who made purchases. Only one of the wares was in English -- Pet Miracles: Inspirational Stories of Our Beloved Animal Companions by Brad and Sherry Hansen Steiger.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f
  

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