Customer Reviews

Don't Make a Scene: A Novel

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3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Diane Kurasik is rapidly approaching her fortieth birthday. She is the director of a Greenwich Village revival house cinema and a single woman who is watching her friends give birth, marry, and divorce - even her niece is entering sixth grade - talk about mortality issues. She wonders if the "life lessons" that she was supposed to have learned by this age have truly eluded her for good. The Bedford Street Cinema, her home away from home, is a fantastic place to spend hours and hours in peace and quiet, reliving the on-screen gems that Hollywood produced once upon a time. The building that sits beside it has been donated to the Theatre so they can restore and add-on another screen to the historic landmark.

In comes...Vladimir Padron, part of a construction/design team that is hired to do the job. Vladimir is strong, intelligent, and beyond interesting. He is a man who fled Cuba a decade earlier, leaving behind an estranged wife in Havana who will not grant him a divorce. In addition, the wife, who he has not seen in twelve years, has moved in with his family who desires and demands Vladimir's return.

There are good characters that pop up in literature once in a while and Diane Kurasik is one of them. Not only is the romance that develops between her and Vladimir compelling, but the token "mysterious stranger" that shows up in this novel is dynamic and passionate. In a nutshell, movies are Diane's life. They show the world what we all want so badly for ourselves; a place where good guys win and every husband looks like Clark Gable, talks like Cary Grant, and waltzes you around the room like Fred Astaire.

There is a "side" avenue in the story about Diane being evicted from her apartment because they are going to turn it into a high-rise. Her search for a good apartment within her price range is hysterical. She bounces from friend to friend and family member to family member. Her parents, who are both loving and supportive, are also constantly trying to see her married, so she leaves her childhood home quickly to "bunk" at her sister's house. I have to tell you the family dynamic is charming.

I understand Diane. This is a hardworking, witty, and intelligent female. There are tidbits of sheer genius in the text like the paragraph where she gets a call from a friend who hasn't called her in months. She wonders to herself...if she just noticed that this person has completely broken off contact with her after six months...does she really care? Another wonderful moment is when Diane tries to remember when she reached the age of No - no smoking, no drinking, no blind dates, no fat - no thank you. (Fabulous lines.) The other star of this book is the unbeatable, fun, bizarre, and charming landscape of New York City. The West Village, the real estate market - every perfect street and imperfect sidewalk makes you want to travel to the East Coast as fast as possible.

Sparkling dialogue, witty conversations, and great characters; there are two other titles by this author, and I suggest checking them out too.

If Valerie Block keeps writing books as good as this one and None of Your Business, a previous novel, someone is going to make a movie based on one of them.

Diane Kurasik, the protagonist of Don't Make a Scene, is a single woman approaching "the rapids of her 40th birthday" when she receives an eviction notice from her landlord. This is a terrible blow to a renter who must compete with other desperate souls for the scarce housing available in Manhattan.

Diane is tossed from pillar to post as one promising housing solution after another falls through for one reason or another. In the meantime, she must continue to fulfill her duties as the manager of a Greenwich Village vintage cinema theatre. That situation is complicated when she falls romantically for the Cuban architect who is designing an addition to the theatre.

Valerie Block is great at describing an interesting setting, populating it with fascinating characters and keeping readers interested. The ending to this offbeat romance is quite unexpected.

Here's a bonus: Before reading this novel, my idea of Cuba was a place where people were reasonably happy with a benevolent dictator who had done great things for them. The Cuban escapees in Don't Make A Scene tell quite a different story! If you're interested in Cuba, the book is worth reading for those viewpoints alone.

As an average single woman-about-town, I enjoy a good romance (read "chick-lit") as much as the next gal. I read BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY and saw the movies (both of them!), and I have worshipped at the shrine of Mr. Darcy (the ultimate chick-lit hero). But as the years roll by (and yes, mother, I still have not met Mr. Right), some of those stories start feeling a little stale. It's one thing to be adorably single and in a dead-end job when you're 29 or 30 --- but the cuteness wears thin when you're beginning to look 40 in the face.

That's the great thing about Valerie Block and her new novel, DON'T MAKE A SCENE. It's a breath of fresh air in the sometimes-stale world of modern women's fiction.

Block's heroine, Diane Kurasik, is no starry-eyed twentysomething with a dead-end job in publishing. She's 39 years old, a passionate film connoisseur with her own classic theater (the Bedford Street Cinema) and a great rent-controlled apartment in the Village. What more could a woman want? Well, true love, for one thing. Like single women everywhere, Diane bemoans the frustrations of Dating Hell:

"A man's complete attention wasn't a realistic possibility at this late stage of the game. All the generalists --- the easygoing, well-adjusted fellows such as her father, her brother-in-law, the husbands of most of her friends --- who were capable of giving their complete attention to a woman, had married before the age of thirty. The remainder tended to be specialists, obsessed with something --- often their work, but not always. In twenty-five years of dating, fifteen of them dedicated exclusively to specialists, she'd met Lactose Intolerant Man, Open Up American Trade with Vietnam Man, Blues Man, Bluegrass Man, Second Amendment Man, and Windsurf Man."

What modern woman over 30 can't relate to this?

As the charm of being single grows increasingly thin, the unthinkable happens --- Diane loses her lease on her apartment and is evicted. She hunts for a new affordable Manhattan apartment (something that, I know firsthand, can only be compared to Dante's Seventh Circle of Hell) while staying on the couches of friends. In the midst of this search, Diane begins some much-needed renovation work on her theater --- and meets the most Special Specialist of them all, Vladimir Hurtado Padrón, a sexy Cuban architect with a handful of issues, complications, a 17-year-old son, and an estranged wife in Cuba who he hasn't seen in 10 years and who refuses to give him a divorce.

Those who have read Block's previous books, WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID? and NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, are already familiar with her impeccable comic timing and well-drawn characters. Diane does not disappoint, as she has the sly wit, warm personality and slightly fractured charm that fans of Block have come to expect in their heroines. As a Cuban-American myself, I was particularly enthralled with Vladimir --- rarely have I come across a Cuban character created by a non-Cuban author who was so realistic. And Block takes a more balanced look at the situation in Cuba than one would expect in this kind of novel.

While New Yorkers will appreciate the reality of the apartment-hunting scenes more than most ("Aren't all New York stories ultimately about real estate?"), and the references to directors, film stars and classic movies of all genres will appeal especially to cinema buffs, anyone looking for an absorbing story a cut above the usual chick-lit fare will find something to love about DON'T MAKE A SCENE.

--- Reviewed by Lourdes Orive

While the plot - middle-aged New York woman looks for love-- may lean toward women's fiction or chick-lit, Don't Make a Scene by Valerie Block deserves far more praise than your run-of-the-mill romantic story.

The novel opens as Diane Kurasik approaches her fortieth birthday. Her family, friends and acquaintances are hitting all their milestones of life, while Diane is still single, dating a long line of losers with parenthetical personality quirks (e.g., specialty: Peanuts memorabilia). She escapes the insanity by hanging out in movie theatres, including the Bedford Street Cinema in Greenwich Village, where she works as the director, planning its schedule by weekly themes, such as "Cynics, Shysters, and Con Men."

Block frequently intertwines Diane's life themes with the those of films, complete with parenthetical director and year identifiers (e.g., Mike Nichols, 1971, when the movie title Carnal Knowledge occurs). This trivial information, while educational, may be more irritating than entertaining by some readers. What feels more engaging and natural to the story is when more descriptive film or celebrity trivia is compared or contrasted with Diane's life, providing more details and emotion than mere name and year dropping. It then becomes not only entertaining and informative, but poignant as well. Clearly, many Hollywood biographies were consulted in the development of this novel.

Block provides a significant amount of information about Cuba. Diane's initial and unlikely Cuban ex-pat love interest, Vladimir Hurtado Padron, enters her life as a contractor who has been hired to redesign the space next door to the Bedford Street Cinema, adding a second screen for the theatre. While they dabble in a romantic interlude, it becomes apparent that what Diane needs is a man who shares her interest in movies and not some hot-headed, death-to-Castro married man who falls asleep during Rear Window, even if he is drop-dead gorgeous.

Diane's life is kept on edge, and therefore moves the story along, by a constant search for a place to live. She's evicted from her apartment, and we are taken into her family's and friend's homes, evoking scenes of judgment, pity, irritation and inconvenience. While Diane seems to be relatively happy, her friends and family insist that she's not and must find a man and get married already.

Block's characters are well-developed regardless of how much time we spend with them. One character, Daniel Dubrovnik, a seemingly bitter C-list Hollywood type, hates just about everyone, referring to one particular nemesis of his as "that cretinous mound of bad taste." That line alone gives us all we need to know about Mr. Dubrovnik.

Block's brilliance especially shines in the agonizing but humorous scenes of chaos. She puts the "fun" back into dysfunction. Is it dark humor, parody, or commentary on New York Society when the reader comes across a beautifully visceral passage of a scene in an apartment for sale by the owner where a fight breaks out between an evil real estate broker and the owner? Diane gets caught up in the crossfire. Broken glass and dishes fall to the floor while people lunge and scream. The police are summoned. Victims pull pottery shards out of themselves. All the while, prospective buyers wandering through the apartment calmly make inquires about the place such as "When did you buy the dishwasher?"

Initially Vladimir Padron is somewhat unlikable, although he gradually earns some sympathy after his son arrives from Cuba and he is forced to become more of a father. And Diane's love life demonstrates that one can find the right person in the most unlikely of places.

Reviewed by Margaret Andrews for Curled Up With A Good Book

In Don't make a scene (Ballantine Books, 2007), the talented Valerie Block combines the exact amounts of humor, social and political subtleties, and zest. It is also a smack in the face of preconceived ideas about love and relationships.

The novel chronicles life in a city where streets are crowded, pedestrians pushy and rents higher than skyscrapers....but people still love it. Diane Kurasik, who has just received an eviction note, yearns to find a New York apartment where she would actually "want to live in." And that is not an easy task.

But Diane is also in need of a husband, at least in her family and friend's opinions. They are constantly trying to hook her up with someone, from investment bankers to nephews of the nosey matchmakers. "I don't do nephews," the protagonist declares. Diane has divided men into two categories--generalists and specialists--but isn't ready for fall for any of them until she meets Vladimir, a married Cuban architect obsessed with Fidel Castro.

Scenes of the hectic Manhattan life are intertwined with episodes in Havana and references to movies (some modern, some long-lost.) As the director of a cinémathèque, movies play a crucial role in Diane's life and dreams. Will her pursuits be crowned with a happy ending? Viewers' discretion advised.

Teresa Dovalpage

At first glance, Diane K., the main character, could be construed as something of a New York cliche -- the unattached woman searching for love, sort of. But what elevates this book -- aside from its witty writing (which is no small thing) -- is that this main character and the story are NOT cliches.

The book takes a sharp and surprising turn when Vladimir, a Cuban ex-pat who absolutely loathes Castro, is introduced. Vladimir is simply a great character and he makes this book different. With Vladimir suddenly the reader is learning loads about Cuba and it's not the Cuba that one normally comes across. Instead, Vladimir talks with virtually everyone about the repression in Cuba and why he hates Castro so. He particularly dislikes the way Americans romanticize the despot. This makes for interesting reading and not something you come across in your typical Chick Lit book.

When Vladimir's 17-year-old son apppears on the scene, the book grows even more and leads to its surprising ending.

Aside from all of this, the novel is a great read for movie fans with its constant references to old films and the fact that the main character manages a film art house.

This book is filled with surprises and well worth the read. The writing is terrific.

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Tacoma Confidential: A True Story of Murder, Suicide, and a Police Chief's Secret Life (48 Hours Mystery)

Diane Kurasik is closing in on forty. A good job as the manager of the Bedford Street Cinema (a film revival house), and a rent-controlled apartment, make life enjoyable-even without the ring on her finger her family has expected before now. She's dated plenty of men, just not the right one.

The cinema is undergoing renovations requiring extensive work, and a wonderful design firm is hired to take care of it. Vladimir, the sexy architect on the job, is a Cuban defector who left not only parents and siblings in Cuba, but also a wife and child he hasn't seen in over a decade. The problem is he can't convince her to divorce him. For years he has used this situation to protect himself from any woman wanting to get too involved. Aware of the circumstances, Diane still falls for him.

Knee deep in renovations, trying to keep the cinema running profitably, and growing more preoccupied with a complicated man, she isn't prepared for eviction from her rent- controlled apartment. Initially Vladimir seems content to have her spend time at his place, but he quickly goes from tense to apathetic about their relationship. Diane tries living with her relatives and friends while she looks for another apartment with her real estate agent/friend. Her search for a place to call her own is both realistic and comedic, as she is set up on blind dates by her hosts.

When she employs Vladimir's son, who has been able to get a visa for a visit with his long estranged father, things get stickier.

This is an entertaining read with side stories everyone should enjoy. Lots of film references (maybe too many for the non-cinemaeste) compare Diane's life to the old movies she books for public viewing. A laughable look at the life of a single woman approaching middle age, and a political look at an abandoned life in Cuba, this book should make its way to an armchair near you.

Armchair Interviews says: Fun read for those important relaxing times.

I just finished this book and I recommend it highly. It's so much fun to read. Block has a great knack for blending information with good storytelling. The use of classic and foreign films as a conceit for the unfolding relationships is delightful. As a Cuban American writer, I found Block's depictions of her Cuban characters (and the island's political situation) among the best I've ever read. Go get it. You'll love it.

Rosa Lowinger, author

Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub

I only got through 130 pgs. because I ended up getting so lost and confused I wanted to throw this book out a very high up window. (though sadly I live on the first floor) This story tries too hard to tackle political Issues. The main character Diane is pretty well thought out, she is the owner of a NYC revival movie house showcasing old movies and some not so old. Each week is dedicated to a different theme, but the constant movie references lost me. I like to watch Gilmore Girls a lot and in that light the references are funny and lighthearted but, in this book you are constantly seeing them.

The other major drawback of the book is that Diane's love interest is a Cuban refugee that is ALWAYS talking about the injustices in Cuba. In saying that I am not trying to be vapid or insinuating that I dint care but it takes away from the story after a while.

So if you haven't caught on in the coarse of this review you should NOT get this book. In part this is chick lit but really the roots are completely covered by shrubbery that is in dire need of being cut away!

It starts out promisingly, but after a hundred or so pages, Don't Make a Scene began to tire me. Diane is a forty-year-old woman who lives in New York, and gets involved with Vladimir, a Cuban architect who pays no attention to her, the teenage son who comes to live with him from Havana, or anyone else in the world. I don't think having likable characters is a requisite for a good novel, but this pair is so terribly unattractive that finishing the novel took some effort on my part.

That a forty-year-old woman puts up with the way Vladimir treats her is simply pathetic, and made me have no sympathy for her plight--if she were twenty (maybe thirty), OK, but if a woman who's lived half her life allows a selfish man to treat her as if she were disposable, then she deserves what she gets. And I saw no reason why she (or anybody else) would be attracted to Vladimir, who's a terrible father, a lousy human being, and who seems to care only about the fate of one person only--Fidel Castro, who by simply refusing to die manages to ruin Vladimir's life. This is not a bad novel, but other than Javier (the son, who's a much-needed breath of fresh air), it lacks a single likeable character--and it's really hard to care about what happens in a world populated by such ugly people. Fortunately, the novel does pick up at the end, which is interesting and unexpected.