Suspension: A Novel (P.S.) [Paperback]

Robert Westfield (Author)

Book Description

Series: P.S. | Publication Date: August 1, 2006

A dazzling, remarkably original dark comedy about a young New Yorker's failed attempts to isolate himself in a city that won't take solitude for an answer

For years it's been Andy Green's job to stump students nationwide by coming up with the wrong answers for their multiple-choice tests. Recently, however, his own life has become overwhelmed by wrong choices. When a love affair is mysteriously ended by a Post-it note and followed up by a random street assault, Andy locks himself in his Hell's Kitchen apartment. In solitude, he thinks, he might be able to get a grip on his life. But when he is forced to reemerge six months after the attacks of September 11, the city awaiting him is more bewildering than ever and all the people in his world seem to be part of a vast conspiracy.

Equal parts noir, French farce, and homage to New York, Suspension is a surprisingly heartfelt novel about learning to live in a world where nearly everything is decided behind our backs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Had it been set anywhere but New York City, Westfield's raucous debut would be viewed as an absurdist tale, but in the shadow of 9/11 and bolstered by Westfield's accessible prose, it's a striking portrait of life in the Big Apple. Andy Green, a Hell's Kitchen denizen, pays the rent by writing tricky multiple-choice questions for an educational testing service and soon finds himself quasi-managing the floundering cabaret career of his Russian émigré friend, Sonia Obolensky. One night, while attending her crummy cabaret show, Andy becomes smitten with Sonia's new mentor, Brad Willet. Young, handsome and independently wealthy, Brad devotes himself to worthy causes, prompting Andy to do the same. But when Brad abruptly cuts Andy off, he dives into a downward spiral that's exacerbated by a hate crime and 9/11. Andy goes off the deep end and doesn't leave his apartment for months. Though the reader will likely be ahead of Andy in figuring out that both Sonia and Brad are not who they appear to be (the answer lies in a surprising backstory set in Michigan a generation ago), Andy's story is a wild one. (Aug.)
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About the Author

Robert Westfield received his degree in theater and English from Columbia University. As a playwright, he was the writer-in-residence for the Working Group. He lives in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060741376
• ISBN-13: 978-0060741372
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,539,086 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 The day after Sept. 11...., September 12, 2006

By 

Joshua G. Kilmer-purcell "I Am Not Myself The... (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Suspension: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

Yesterday, while watching the canned media spectacle of the five year 9/11 anniversary, I kept thinking of Westfield's book.

For most New Yorkers, remembering that day has little to do with flags, weeping eagles, & endtimes.

It was, for many, simply a very very very bad day in the city. It's a personal thing. This is just a tiny part of what I love about Westfield's novel. That such an incomprehensibly large event serves merely as a backdrop to a larger, personalized, comedically suspenseful page turner - with enough twists and turns and back stories to ensure that the book never leaves your hands until they're all resolved. Perfectly.

Suspension is a unique and interesting perspective on the New York City of today. And as far as I'm concerned, the most authentic one i've read to date.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Suspension, August 7, 2006

By 

Tola (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspension: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

Andy Green's job is to create quizzes for educational purposes. As long as he submits his work regularly and shows up in his office occasionally, everyone is happy. Living a simple life, he has a number of good friends, including a rich and exciting boyfriend and seemingly no enemies. One day, however, everything changes and shakes his world up. His sister's fiancée gets badly beaten after a dinner with Andy and ends up in the hospital. Andy is very shaken by this and locks himself in his apartment and refuses to go out. The world does not stop turning though and his family and friends try to help him overcome the fear and convince him to get out. One day he receives a strange package which finally makes him get out and solve a few mysteries.

Suspension is a very strange novel. It's funny in parts but other parts are quite gloomy and dark. The mixture of mystery and comic events makes the book very engrossing and hard to put down. The main character is quite likable but also hard to figure out at times. To sum this up, the book is a very quick and captivating read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling, August 10, 2006

By 

James Laird (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspension: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

In a keenly-crafted first effort seemingly generated by a more seasoned pen, Robert Westfield tells a story of isolation and the repercussions stemming from both the choices we make and those we're unwilling to. It is a story that, although set primarily in New York City, moves easily beyond and applies a hand to us all. There is an immediate sense of familiarity with the characters - an indication the author has succeeded establishing empathy - and then the gaining of an even deeper appreciation and understanding as those comfortable layers that worked to lure us in are stripped away to reveal the foundations and motivations justifying actions most of us consider disagreeable. Also impressive is Westfield's ability to take those delicate social matters we are reluctant to discuss and infuse within a humor that somehow lightens the load without affecting their necessary impact. Suspension is a novel that continues to gain momentum throughout, never letting up, even when we have closed the book and are left with its powerful echoes. It is authors such as this tackling issues such as these that makes for the fascinating, thought-provoking literature I often search for yet seldom find.