The Daiquiri Girls [Hardcover]

Toni Graham (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The four female characters featured in Graham's debut story collection have different names. Other than that, however, they're hard to distinguish: they're all approaching middle-age, drink heavily, are divorced (or soon to be) and fail at relationships with depressing regularity. All residents of San Francisco (the setting for most of the stories), they find occasional excitement in new lovers, but it's always short-lived, leaving them in even bleaker situations than before. Graham structures the collection (which won the Associated Writing Program Award for Short Fiction) in four sections, one for each woman, though in truth they're mostly interchangeable. "Kilter" features Jane, who is twice divorced and whose latest lover has just killed himself in a drunk-driving accident. Overwhelmed by the loss and dismissed by her prim daughter, Betsy Jane finds that her world grows ever smaller and lonelier. In "Rapture," recently divorced Magdalena tries to distract herself in Las Vegas, with only limited success. In "Skin and Bone," Zoe, also recently divorced, is trying plastic surgery and a bohemian-style lover named Guy, but neither has quite the effect she desires. Graham brings a refreshingly frank sexuality to these women's lives, but their continual self-abuse (in the form of drinking, bad relationships and a relentless need for male attention) soon exhausts the reader's patience. Though Graham's precise and detailed prose shows promise, the stories fall into a repetitive pattern?leaving each of the women lonely and miserable by the end. After the first few tales, we know where each story is going, and it's nowhere that's very much fun. Editor, Bruce Wilcox.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

...Graham takes characters who could easily become dreary stereotypes ... and fleshes them out beautifully... -- The New York Times Book Review, Stephanie Zacharek

Product Details

• Hardcover: 198 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Massachusetts Pr; First Edition edition (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558491678
• ISBN-13: 978-1558491670
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,773,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humanizing and substantial, an awakening read., May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Daiquiri Girls (Hardcover)

The Daiquiri Girls is an intimate exploration of the lives of four women facing the torrent of fear and self-loathing so prevalent in contemporary society. While the characters themselves represent a somewhat typical mixture of alcoholism and helplessness, Graham's narratives move us into a fresh perspective on the process of empowerment. As the characters awaken to the reality of their surroundings, a similar awakening presents itself to the reader as well.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Daiquiri Girls, April 19, 2008

By 

Anonymous (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Daiquiri Girls (Hardcover)

Readers should be aware that this book was not written by the "other" Toni Graham, the author of a book titled Sleeping with the Pastor. The two writers have nothing in common except the coincidence of their names.