Kept: A Comedy of Sex and Manners [Paperback]

Y. Euny Hong (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

Judith Lee, an entitled descendant of the Korean royal family, has grown quite accustomed to the privileges of the aristocracy. When her parents cut off her finances upon graduation from Yale, Jude learns that her fancy upbringing has left her unprepared to deal with her monstrous debts. That is, until she is introduced to Madame Tartakov, a charismatic Russian émigré who has the solution to Jude's financial woes: two years with Tartakov's like-minded high-society girls as one of Manhattan's most coveted courtesans. But Jude's moral fiber is tested when she discovers that not only is she falling in love outside her clientele, but an illegitimate relative is harboring a grotesque secret, and something catastrophic is hidden in the family archives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What's a Yale-educated, "descended from the last Korean royal dynasty" girl who travels in moneyed circles and believes she's not fit for employment do when she's 55-grand in debt and her once-rich family is tapped out? In this satirical debut, Hong answers that question by pairing would-be princess Jude Lee with Madame Tartakov, a shady matron who agrees to pay off Jude's debt if Jude works for her as a courtesan in New York for two years. Hong captures the lure crassly outspoken Jude feels towards the good life when she dines with client Yvengy, an "irresistible" classical violinist who plies her with store credit cards. But Jude's society prospects are hampered when, while at a booze-drenched party, she meets the fortuitously named Joshua Spinoza, a philosophy Ph.D. candidate whose wit and intelligence heighten his allure. As Jude and Joshua court one another, Madame Tartakov fades deep into the background and the story becomes a less titillating one of tumultuous young love and the unearthing of long-buried family secrets. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Clever, smart, and oh so terribly funny, Kept is perfect for the beach tote or for sneaking into your graduate seminar. This is a volume to treasure." -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Absurdistan and The Russian Debutante's Handbook

"A high-spirited, witty and entertaining tale with an unusually audacious heroine and a dazzlingly global frame of reference." -- Margaret Drabble, author of The Red Queen and The Seven Sisters

"Delightful... Not for nothing does Hong begin the book with a quote from Thackeray; this is Vanity Fair's close cousin." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Rich, insightful, and wildly entertaining. A wonderfully assured debut." -- Helen Walsh, author of Brass

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 270 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743286847
• ISBN-13: 978-0743286848
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,193,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an intelligent and light read, with a chuckle the whole way through!, August 4, 2006

By 

YK Hong (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kept: A Comedy of Sex and Manners (Hardcover)

euny has a sense of humor palpable to all. it made me chuckle the whole way through. her intelligence and knowledge of her topics are evident in her literary, cultural and social references. brimming with references to philosophy, literature and mainstream culture, it still carries along light-heartedly.

the scarce portrayal of korean families and culture in current literature are surely made up for in this read. she brings a refreshing insight to the struggles of an ancient tradition adjusting to modern society.

this book certainly captivated me until the end.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly amusing and entertaining!!, July 28, 2006

By 

LG "Lisa" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kept: A Comedy of Sex and Manners (Hardcover)

Reading this book was the one thing I looked forward to every day for a week. I love Judith ("Jude"), the main character, she's hilarious and very real. She is from a family of Korean bluebloods but is deep in credit card debt, so she becomes a prostitute with several other girls for an exclusive and high-class clientele in NYC. The story moves along quickly and keeps you in suspense until the very end. Jude is something of a snob, but weirdly she is also very relatable and endearing. I give the author credit for treating issues of race, sex, religion, family, and class with intelligence and honesty. A great read! I hope she comes out with a sequel.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and well written, December 29, 2006

By 

Yong Jin Lee (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kept: A Comedy of Sex and Manners (Hardcover)

I didn't like the cover design and the subtitle, but the book is great. I read my parent's copy while I was at their house and could not put the book down.

Euny is a very talented author and the storyline is interesting. The writing is eloquent and funny at the same time. The book provides a view of America from the perspective of Judith, a well-educated foreigner with a bit of an attitude. Judith falls into a bit of a financial predicament that leads her to travel through a series of very interesting life experiences. The readers are taken through the world of Korean and Jewish communities in America and through the upper class societies in New York and Seoul.