Customer Reviews

Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

You don't need to be a collector, or even interested in contemporary art, to enjoy the first half of "Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him." Ganek writes entertainingly about a world she knows well, where tycoons spend millions and "art is the new cocaine."

But something happens to the novel around the middle. The story becomes a chiché, and the "surprise" manages to be both predictable and, in the way it is revealed, absurd. It's almost as if a different, and lesser, writer had penned the second half of the novel, or as if Ganek had given up and decided to get it over with quickly. It's a shame, because this could have been a good novel.

What I most liked about this book was how very easily I could relate to Mia. I was initially reluctant to read it after reading many rave reviews that highlighted the novel's peek into the New York art scene. I was afraid of being trapped in yet another pretentious, boring novel about unlikable characters. I was very happy to find that this is not the case with this novel. Mia is refreshingly awkward in the world in which she lives and Ganek vividly portrays her heroine's feelings of being an outside who somehow managed to make it through the door. Mia is self-effacing and honest and doesn't try to gloss over her shortcomings. I especially liked how she never tried to sugar coat her jealousy with respect to Lulu. Who hasn't sometimes felt jealous of the good fortunes of a close friend? Mia harbors Lulu no ill will but she's not above a bought of self pity every now and then when she compares her life to her friend's.

While the insider's perspective of the art world is interesting, it is not the central focus of the novel, as many reviews would lead one to believe. The novel is really about people--Mia especially--and their simple pettiness, their generosity, the goodness, and their regrets. Though some of the characters are flamboyant, they all seem real and approachable. They have conversations that sound genuinely like conversations that real people might have. The absurdities of the super rich are certainly on display in the novel but, unlike similar novels (The Right Address in particular comes to mind), these characters are what they are. Ganek presents them as people rather than as ciphers and that is refreshing.

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of this novel is the pure love for art that Mia possesses. While others snap up paintings to win bragging rights or because it's the trendy thing to do, Mia loves the art for the pure joy of its expression. This is the real irony of the book, that those who actually appreciate the art are the ones who could never hope to own it.

I went through a phase of heavy political novels, and Lulu was a serious breath of fresh air. A big part of the fun is the dish on the gallery world of New York City. Sadly, the protagonist is underdeveloped and plot vapid...but I think that's what I signed up for. If you're looking for a relaxing peek into the gallery world and you're not expecting a literary masterpiece, I think, like me, you will enjoy Lulu.

In Manhattan's Chelsea section Mia McMurray works as a gallery receptionist assisting patrons at Simon Pryce Art Gallery by looking snooty and pretty. However, Mia sees the job as temporary as she dislikes her peers whose self-importance seems ridiculous to her as all they do is act like candy to customers; Mia plans to cross the barrier and have her work hanging at a gallery; albeit a nice one rather than the dump she works in.

When talented artist Jeffrey Finelli is killed by a taxi on his opening night gala, Mia watches the entire accident in slow mo. She also observes the fascinating holy war over his paintings as a battle royal between collectors and his estate explodes. His death leads to a feeding frenzy as everyone wants to own an original Finelli especially his masterpiece "Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him". However, the painting's model, Finelli's niece, Lulu claims ownership.

Lulu and Mia become friends; encouraging each other. The former quits Wall St to paint and takes a chance on love with an artist; while the latter begins to date art dealer Zach Roberts while quitting her candy girl role to become a writer.

In many ways this chick lit tale is a coming of age story as Mia finds her groove when she stops watching and begins doing. The story line is amusing as Finelli stars in the art of death with his posthumous season being like uneaten asparagus quickly over though his masterpiece keeps reselling. This is a fun look at the art world as Lulu and Mia take no prisoners.

Harriet Klausner

Danielle Ganek desperately wanted her novel, Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him, to be a witty, chic, well-written novel. The problem is this becomes painfully obvious after reading only the first page of the book- this is not an effortless work of prose. Mia, the novel's narrator, is a gallery receptionist/undercover aspiring painter who describes the rise of the late-artist Jeffrey Finnelli. Finnelli is killed by a taxi on the opening night of his collection, which then sends the values of his mediocre paintings through the roof. Along the way, Mia makes friends with Jeffrey's muse, contemplates her future and tries to play hard to get with an art adviser (despite her insistence that she will never get involved with someone in her industry again).

The premise for the novel has potential (that's why it gets three starts), but is just so poorly executed. The novel is told in the present tense, even though most of it is technically in the past. Description is used in excess and there is a certain cheesiness factor at times (A checklist quiz of where they should go on their dinner date? White flowers spread throughout a bedroom because that color seems to fit her? Please...) I was disappointed with the "chick-lit" feel of the novel, since I really hadn't anticipated it would turn out that way. Definitely not one I'd recommend.

Who wouldn't like to know what really goes on in the world of art? Is the pile of twigs that sells for a million dollars really a work of genius, or is it a mammoth practical joke that's being foisted on modern day man? Written by an insider in the art world, 'Lulu Finds God and Doubts Him' doesn't so much answer this question as suggest an answer through the shallow portrayals of famous artists, high-powered gallery owners, and rich art collectors who populate the novel.

Here's what I liked about this book: I liked the title - the name of a painting - although the words beyond `Lulu' (the name of the painter's niece whom he hasn't seen since she was a child) seem not to have any wider significance within the novel, so don't get your hopes up. In addition, the dialogue is breezy and, to invoke a word much esteemed in this book, `sassy.'

The plotline is simple: A little-known artist steps out into the street and is run over at his debut show; suddenly, the value of his work skyrockets. It's a clever idea, but after that, nothing much happens. Lulu, his estranged niece, arrives at the show after he's been flattened and various people want desperately to buy the Lulu painting. And that's pretty much the plot.

The story is told (annoyingly in the present tense, with lots of exclamation points!) by Mia, the `gallerina' (lady at the front desk) of the gallery selling the Lulu picture. She longs to become a painter but, inconveniently, has no talent, so that plot thread goes nowhere. The colorless Mia is surrounded by the aforementioned beautiful people of the art world as well as the lovely Lulu herself, all of whom have a depth of about the thickness of a single application of zinc white.

This novel might have made a decent short story. But beyond the death of the painter, the book is made up mostly of snappy chatter in chic locales which take the `plot' nowhere. At the end there's a last-minute introduction of a love interest and other contrivances, but it's too late.

Early in the novel, Mia, the narrator, announces that the story she is telling will contain no murders and no sex. Too bad: it would have given the reader something to hope for.

If you enjoy gallery openings and occasionally buying a local artist's painting for over the sofa, like we do, you'll enjoy this gossipy, witty peek into the serious art world. Welcome to the next level. I bought this book for my wife, but then got hooked in. Nothing complicated here: There's a MacGuffin, and everybody wants it. It's the "everybody"--the colorful characters--that make this worth reading. Take it to the beach, or take it on a plane. Don't take it too seriously.

A trite and altogether shallow piece. Really misses the mark and tries too hard to be clever, allusive (who is THIS?) and glib. A missed opportunity and a forgetable effort. Too bad. Was looking forward.

This book just didn't appeal to me. The characters were well done, but bored me. I was disappointed because the blurb attracted me to it. Someone else may love it, but not I! Genre of art dealing was well done.

My book club discussed this book. I received the book from Amazon in the condition and the time frame promised.