Customer Reviews

Playing Botticelli

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Judy Blitch, a/k/a Godiva Blue, is a free-wheeling spirit directly from the 60's. She rebelled against her upbringing, she marched on Washington and had a baby out of wedlock long before it was acceptable in social circles. She and her daughter, Dylan (after Bob, of course) are now living in Esmerelda, Florida, where Godiva works as the elementary school's custodian and makes beautiful boxes that are sold by a local art dealer. Dylan is a bit embarrassed by her eccentric mother, but adjusts to life in a small town.

Godiva's life takes a bizarre turn when she is the first person at an accident involving two local boys and their bicycles. Godiva comforts the boys, rides to the hospital with them and develops an affinity with the one who is seriously hurt. She is also attracted to the father of the second boy -- he's married, but she can't resist the seductive pull of his crooked smile.

Dylan's life makes an abrupt turn of its own when she discovers a photograph -- taken from the WANTED posters at the local post office -- of the man she believes to be her father. Being the resourceful child that she is, she implements an elaborate plan to find him and get some questions answered.

Liza Nelson has written a stellar debut novel about responsibility, family and finding our place in the universe. Her language is crisp, concise and rang true when compared with my own experiences from the '60's and with the puzzles of motherhood. Nelson is an author to watch.

Enjoy!

The Mother/Daughter relationship can be quicksand but Nelson avoids all the cliches. Her characters are fresh and believable. The plot is quick and filled with wonderful twists and surprises. You'll find yourself wanting to turn the pages quickly to see what happens next, but also lingering to savor the richly textured narrative. Beautifully conceived and written, Playing Botticelli challenges the reader think -- and gives you plenty to think about.

Playing Botticelli is one of the most engaging books I've come across in a long while. The characters are drawn with such grace and insight, you will find yourself living among them, as though you have taken up residence in the fictional town of Esmerelda, or as if you are sitting in that bus going cross-country. As in all enduring works of fiction, it is truth that is revealed and illuminated. Long after you have put it down and loaned it out to your friends, Playing Botticelli will stay with you.

Reading this book is an intellectual adventure. Following daughter to one end of the country, tracing mother's fears -- this book is nearly impossible to put down. The characters are deep, and suck you in, and the plot is quick paced and fun.

"Playing Botticelli" was a great read. Dylan is a well-adjusted teenager who lives in Florida with her art-inspired mother, Godiva. Dylan finds a picture of her "missing" father and decides to find him. Godiva, none-the-wiser to Dylan's absence, finally realizes where her daughter went. After a long hard trip, Dylan returns to her mother. This book was wonderful. I wish it was longer and I hope for a sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for Nelson's use of language alone. Her writing style is rich with imagery and rythmn and her 'voice' comes across as frank and genuine. Nelson's wordcraft isn't the only worthwhile aspect of this novel, however. The characters are colorful and exotic while retaining a sense of realism. Plot here really takes a backseat to its heroines, yet even the twists and turns of the story are interesting and dynamic.

As a mother, daughter, teacher and would-be artist, I identified with so many of the situations and people that I was often at odds with myself during conflicts in the story. This book is rife with spiritual introspection and relational expoloration and a worthwhile read for anyone who questions how they became who they are.

Godiva Blue is one of the most successful "unlikeable narrators" in contemporary fiction. She's strong, funny and full of herself, and she knows it and we know it. Her daughter Dylan is the perfect evocation of a teenage girl. I feel like I know these people. Thank you, Ms. Nelson, for writing such a wise book. I enjoyed it as if it were a birthday gift.

i couldn't quite get into the book at first but once i did, i was hooked. it's well-written, as lyrical as a poem in places, and moves at a nice pace. there was one jarring place when the writer switched the point-of-view (from first person narrative to third-person), but otherwise i found the book delightful and have recommended it to my friends. (the reviewer who's never played 'b is for botticelli' must not have come of age in the sixties or seventies!)

Yes, the author writes well, but lots of authors write well. I found the narrator, still traveling under the name Godiva Blue, for pete's sake, to be a tiresome, self-satisfied bore and the only really compelling character is her daughter Dylan. Dylan's quest to find her father that her mother (who can repair anything and is a genuwine Artiste, and don't you forget it) neglected to tell her anything about is the books sole redeeming factor. I've had it up to here, in books and in real life, with whiny boomers who think that their youthful "indiscretions" are chic. Also, I'm a pretty well-educated person and I'd never heard of the word game that comprises the book's title. It only shows up once in the book that I saw--was this just to make the author look more arty? No, just more pretentious. I'm sorry I didn't wait for the used paperback.

Wonderful story about artist/school custodian/aging hippie mom Godiva Blue, her fifteen-year old daughter Dylan, and Dylan's act of mom-defying teenage rebellion, her quest to discover the identity of and meet her father. The mother/daughter relationship themes are well-developed in the text; as much as Godiva wants to be unique and raise her child to be questioning & independent, she learns that she is no different than every other mom out there -- she wants her daughter to accept her values; she wants her daughter to be safe and loved & cared for (rather than striking off on risky adventures.) The book was definitely a page turner, but it left me hanging in the end. I wanted more -- I felt that the issues with Dylan's father were unresolved, and I was disappointed that the book ended when it did. Nonetheless, a very good novel.