Customer Reviews

Shopgirl (Narrativa Circe) (Spanish Edition)

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Well written, perverse fantasy of an old man, January 9, 2006
Reviewer: W. Seal (Nevada City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Well, the book is a good piece of writing, and I suppose tries to make a contribution to something... but what that something might be escapes the reader. As to the plot- let's see now, young woman suffering from chronic depression stuck in dead-end job at fancy department store tires of insufficent romantic relationships with duds her own age. Suave older -MUCH older- guy who could be her father or grandfather at least picks up on her and cunningly manipulates the vulnerable young woman into having sex with him whenever he wants, and also uses her as a show-off acquisition in social situations by applying faux sincerity, suave restaurant manners, and money. Meanwhile, dud young guy goes on tour with a band, reemerges late in the day as a suave, sophisticated junior version of the old man as young woman's illusory relationship with her sugar daddy crumbles. "Happy" ending for dumb putz young guy and psychologically damaged young woman with sentimental faux tristesse secretly recalled by young woman and old man, now living separate lives.

Of course, this is a "real life" situation commonly found in Steve Martin's world, I suppose, but on a human plane it's abusive and disgusting.

Decently written short piece. Not even on the same planet in terms of quality of writing, pacing, and plot as Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain, which just as realistically portrays the strange vagaries of the human heart, but with real humanity and compassion. Unlike Shopgirl, which can only be reflective of the fevered imagination of some jaded aging roue.