Customer Reviews

Jesse's Girl

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I received Jesse's Girl by Gary Morgenstein for review yesterday. While I was intrigued, I wasn't particularly hopeful that it was going to be much of a page-turner. Was I ever wrong. I really got into the story from the very beginning. As I come from a family that has had its own issues with addiction and chemical dependence, it is possible that I was able to better relate to the characters in this novel, thus making it more real to me.

The premise of the book centers on Teddy Mentor and his sixteen year old adopted son, Jesse. Jesse has been sent away to a wilderness program in rural Montana in a last ditch effort to put an end to the drug problems that have plagued him for years. The problems escalated after the death of his adopted mother (and Teddy's soon to be ex wife), and had reached a point where Teddy had to admit he was incapable of controlling or protecting his child. With nowhere else to turn, he entrusts his only child to the professionals at the Mountain Wilderness Center.

Big mistake. Not two weeks later he gets a 1AM phone call. His son is missing. Risking his job, he books a flight away from Brooklyn and towards his son. After a couple days of searching, he gets the break he needs and tracks his son to a bus stop in Illinois, en route to Kentucky to meet his long-lost birth sister (whom Jesse leads Teddy to believe is his long-distance girlfriend). Jesse swears up and down that he is done with the drugs; in that convincing way all users seem to have. However, it isn't long before Teddy notices that he is missing some of his antidepressants and that his son occasionally reeks of beer. Jesse's lies come to a head when he OD's on heroin in the middle of the night while sharing a hotel room with his dad.

Torn between institutionalizing Jesse for his own good and joining him on his trek to meet his `girlfriend', Teddy relents and the two continue on to Kentucky. When they arrive at Theresa's, they are introduced to her `brother' Beau. Beau is actually Theresa's abusive husband, and within a few hours he and Jesse get into a particularly brutal altercation that ends with Jesse stabbing him. This unintentional act of violence spurs a run from the law that leads Teddy and Jesse into the heart of Jesse's birth family. It also forces the two to address the issues that have destroyed their relationship.

Jesse's Girl was a very unexpected read. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Not only was it an emotional family drama, it was also full of action and even (a little) romance. I easily give it five stars.

This book started off good right from the beginning. Teddy Mentor gets a phone call that his son has run away from the wilderness program which deals with substance abuse problems. After getting this call Teddy goes off to look for his son Jesse. They don't have the best relationship after Teddy's wife dies and Teddy deals with the fact that Jesse is adopted and feels he will never get love from him like a real father and son relationship does. He also does with the fear of something terrible happening to his son with all of the drugs and drinking that he does. They just have a real tough relationship with each other.
Then after Teddy finds Jesse, Jesse tells his dad about a girl that he was running away to see. I have to say that after reading the back of the book I was confused on who Theresa was. A little more than half way through the story completely changes and then it started to come together. Teddy and Jesse's relationship gets a little better after they meet up with Theresa. Theresa is fun in the book. Her mouth runs non stop, she has humor, and she is just a fun character in the book. After Teddy finds out who Beau really is, the pieces of why Jesse wanted to see Theresa so bad comes together.
Theresa and Jesse's relationship puzzled me. After reading the back of the book it said that Jesse goes off to meet his sister. But the way they act in the beginning of the book it seemed like they were boyfriend and girlfriend. They had a close relationship, Jesse listened to everything Theresa said and they grew close. Theresa didn't act bad in the beginning of the book. She reminded me of a trailer trash version of the girl next door. But then after Teddy finds out who Theresa really is, Jesse and hers relationship changes, and it seems to do so quickly and Theresa changes in a page it seems. She goes to swearing, you find out she has done some bad thing and it is like her and Jesse's relationship isn't really fun anymore in the book.
The book does get confusing in some parts. To me it seemed like Theresa was such a good liar that it got kind of confusing on what was the truth and what wasn't. You meet some other cool characters in the book, most meet a dead end after Beau caught up with them after Jesse and Theresa leave him for deal, only to find out he is still alive and after them. And the book got really good at the end. Gun fire everywhere, Beau finally got what he deserved and Teddy and Jesse's relationship gets really good!

Can a strong thriller that forces you to put everything on hold and read on, be combined with nonjudgmental sensitivity and understanding toward the parent of a child who is involved with substance abuse and violence? Yes indeed it can - with his usual elegant writing style, Gary Morgenstein continues with his tradition of attaining impossible tasks (you must read Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman as well to see that). I highly recommend this fascinating book.

Let us begin with the firm assertion that this book could be a movie. I've no doubt that this book was written by an author who was watching the movie in the theater of his mind as he typed the words of the plot.

Which is not, I again firmly assert, a bad thing.

And because "Jesse's Girl" is a book and not a movie, the subtle emotional nuances are more effectively presented in the narrative that a book always bests a movie media at.

This and the fact that Gary Morgenstein does dialogue better than most any writer I've ever read.

Jesse is a troubled teen, the adopted son of the book's protagonist, middle-aged Teddy Mentor. Teddy is the troubled father of the troubled teen and the book's plot takes Teddy and his son Jesse on a hardscrabble jaunt from Montana to Kentucky. The father-son meet up with a female, Theresa, who is introduced in the story as having one relationship with Jesse then the tale veers into a different direction when it is revealed that Theresa is not who Teddy thought she was, in terms of her relationship to his son Jesse as well as who she presented herself to be.

The book/movie has it all, a love interest for Teddy, appropriate maudlin moments for the female movie audience, and adventure and action for the restless males in the movie seats. There's lots of plot twists and turns as father/son and in some cases Theresa herself drive across Kentucky trying to avoid both the law and an errant individual who wishes them all great harm.

Protagonist Teddy is a decent fellow. So while he finds his more normal geeky PR executive self in a dangerous situation he'd never have imagined in his former life, Teddy never really causes anyone any great harm. In fact, Teddy's greatest wish is to save his son's life and reach a connection with him that had eluded him until Jesse embarked on a mission to find the blood family he never knew. A Quote:
"Alone. He'd never really been alone with Jesse. He'd hid behind Molly, deferred to her superior parental instincts, and then when she died and Jesse went completely off the rails, he was only too eager to send his son away. Forget the agony, poor Teddy and his guilt, he could've found one last alternative."
This is a riveting book, never boring, always surprising. There's plenty of characters in the mix, some bad, some good, most like the majority of humankind I suspect-good, bad and mostly trying to survive in an often difficult world.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great movie with all the elements to entertain but it's a book. Which makes it all the better.

A great book for our troubled times. Morgenstein's outstanding writing style, and sharp vision of a human drama shattering the fabric of a family, send a strong message. A message that families should listen to and learn from. Although, it is a marvelous piece of fiction, its alarming reality is stronger, and more revealing than any sociological study I have read recently. The author is a brilliant story teller with a vocabulary made from rocks and silk. A great book for our times.

I really enjoyed this book. The storyline was great & the book was very emotional. I really got to care about these people & I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I was quite confused for a long time while reading this book & had to keep reading the description on the back cover over & over thinking that I had misread the relationships of these people or that my book had the wrong description but it all came together eventually. Not only was Teddy confused but I was too. I really liked this book & I would highly recommend it. Beware of cursing though if it offends you because I think this book had more cursing than any other book I've ever read.

Being passionate about reading often results in multiple unfinished books in just about every room of the house, dogeared and spine creased, smudged with guacamole or stained with wine. Jesse's Girl by Gary Morgenstein, however, earned 'book of the week' in my house, following me in to every room, doctor's visits and traffic jams, while all the other books gathered dust.

Gary exquisitely pens a tale about the trials and tribulations of a father and son trying to find their roles in a life that is blurred gray with the loss of a loved one, substance addiction and the pursuit of identity. From the very first sentence to the last, Gary's story evokes the overwhelming despair of a father torn between his loyalty to a dead wife, a drug addicted son, and the manifolds and limitations of the law.

Teddy Mentor is Jesse's adoptive, and recently widowed father. When he receives a call from the Wilderness program in Montana where Jesse has been sent for rehabilitation, and finds out his son is missing, Teddy's life, numb and jejune, suddenly spins in to a maelstrom and forces Teddy to crack open his wounded heart and feel again. A sense of failure drives Teddy to find his son, face the demons, his and Jesse's, and together they embark on a life altering journey to Kentucky, where against all his good judgment, Teddy agrees to take Jesse to find his long lost sister, Theresa.

As Jesse and the ebullient Theresa embrangle Teddy in a tale of murder, Teddy is forced to choose between conventional 'right and wrong' as perceived by the law and parental duty based on instinct, and love alone. His devotion for Teddy, and the desire to rekindle his relationship with his estranged son, takes them him on a harrowing journey that threatens to destroy, rather than heal them.

Jesse's Girl is pulse-pounding and heart-wrenching, forcing the reader to forage within their own soul as they are dragged, with every new sentence, through a story of father-son bonds gone bad, the darkness of addiction and it's personality altering power, the pursuit of redemption and the omnipotent virtue of familial love, blood born or otherwise.

Ever since he'd got the call in the middle of the night the night Molly had died, Teddy Mentor had moved the phone away from the end table by the bed . . . Even across the room, six feet away, the phone still jolted him. On the second ring, he stiffened like some zombie come to life . . .

Jesse was missing again.

So begins the roller coater ride that is Jesse's Girl by Gary Morgenstein. Once close as any father and son could hope to be, Teddy and Jesse were torn apart in Jesse's teen years. The adopted boy chased drugs and booze to find that part of himself he thought was missing. In doing so he created a gulf between himself and his loving parents. The chasm deepened when his mother, Molly died, leaving Teddy to stumble along trying to save Jesse from himself.

But this is not only a story about a distraught father and a rebellious son. Jesse's girl dives into the relationships between parents and children, and the nagging uncertainty, unanswered questions and feelings of abandonment adopted children often feel, the need to make peace with the past and reconnect with life-long friends.

Though distant both in spirit and in fact Teddy jumps a plane from New York and tears off to Montana to find his missing son, jeopardizing his flagging career in the process. What ensures is a wild ride of mystery, growth and discovery for both Jesse and Teddy, as Teddy follows his troubled son toward Kentucky.

When he catches up with the boy, Teddy needles Jesse into revealing he is going to Kentucky to meet a girl. Teddy thinks Jesse's seeking his new love; Jesse thinks he's discovering his long, lost sister. But who is right?

They meet Theresa - and she's a delight to both of them - but was comes next is a mad chase across the state with the trio being pursued by a murderous Beau, Theresa's abusive husband, a some-what sympathetic sheriff and a determined law force. Can they evade Beau? Can they trust any of the lawmen? Is Theresa really Jesse's sister? Will Jesse and Teddy ever reform the bonds that once bound them close as father and son? Is there any way out of the huge mess they find themselves in?

Jesse's girl is peopled by a vivid cast of interesting characters. The reader never knows from page to page and chapter to chapter what quirky personality will pop up next. None of Morgenstein's characters are pat or easy to pigeonhole. Their faults and foibles are laid bare right along side with moments of courage and heartrending emotion, all sprinkled with a strong dose of humor and moments of sheer panic.

Jesse's Girl will make you laugh, let you cry and twist your guts with pure terror. There is never a dull moment. Need a fast-paced romp of a read. Go pick up Jesse's Girl. You'll be glad you did.

As a parent of 3 children (3, 8,9) this book had me thinking about and of course worrying about the things my kids might get into when they get older. I wonder, while I know I would love them without a doubt regardless of their choices in life, how far will I go for them? Teddy, Jesse's adopted father, reminded me of my own dad and step-dad who loved me unconditionally no matter how frustrating I may have been at times growing up. I highly recommend this book filled with raw emotions to any pa...more As a parent of 3 children (3, 8,9) this book had me thinking about and of course worrying about the things my kids might get into when they get older. I wonder, while I know I would love them without a doubt regardless of their choices in life, how far will I go for them? Teddy, Jesse's adopted father, reminded me of my own dad and step-dad who loved me unconditionally no matter how frustrating I may have been at times growing up. I highly recommend this book filled with raw emotions to any parent struggling with doubt of their abilities while loving their older kids. (WARNING...there is foul language in this novel.)

Imagine, if you can, an amusement park thrill ride that manages, along the way, to teach you lessons about the nature of relationships, parental and romantic love, addiction, and even life itself! Make no mistake, "Jesse's Girl," by Gary Morgenstein, is a thrilling, engrossing page-turner from the very beginning right through the end. But along the way, the author shares serious and wise observations concerning the relationships between the very lifelike characters and challenges the reader to come to a deeper understanding of the bonds between people and the bondage of addiction. The drama is real, and the geographic setting is depicted in vivid and accurate detail. The nature of addiction and the power of the parental bond are central issues in the book, but this in no way detracts from the excitement of the plot, which is a non-stop thrill ride all the way through. The language is quite coarse at times, but the characters are people who are, at best, on the edge, and this makes the language quite realistic for the situations. There is nothing gratuitous about the language; nor is there any gratuitous violence. In fact, there is little in this taut drama that is wasted. Mr. Morgenstein obviously has a true talent for realistic dialogue, as well as an economy of prose that makes this book an easy yet very engaging read. This book will be especially appealing to parents and anyone affected by someone's substance abuse issues (and doesn't this include just about everybody?), but this is a book that is very enjoyable on its own merits. This is an important work of fiction, and one that I could easily envision becoming a best seller and being made into a fine film. I emphatically recommend this book, and look forward to reading other works by this author, who may well come to be regarded as one of the keenest voices in contemporary fiction.