djsquared: August 2006

Suspension, by Robert Westfield

I recently seem to be coming across many things that take place in New York or reference it. Maybe it is because I'm suddenly drawn to move there again, but it has seemed a little odd how frequent it has been. Likewise, and this also could be due to the times, I also seem to keep reading about or hearing about different experiences with September 11 in New York. Just today a new friend told me how he was living in New York on 9/11 and his office was in Tower 2. On the morning of the attacks he was running late for work. After stopping by the bank, he began to walk toward the Towers moments before the first plane hit. I can only imagine what it must've been like.

This book isn't solely about 9/11, but it play a very important part in the story. I started it on Thursday and was finished by Saturday night. In the beginning I was expecting a character story, and it is, but less than half way through it almost becomes a mystery. From there I could hardly put it down.

"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."

One readers review.

"By one act of violence, Andy Green's whole life has changed. His future brother-in-law sits in a hospital fighting for his life, and Andy Green is feeling guilty. Now suffering from agoraphobia, Andy finds that he can do almost anything without having to leave his apartment. For anyone who has suffered a critical blow to their security, they can easily relate to Andy's predicament. I'm sure that many New Yorkers felt the same urge of hiding behind their living room doors, but not all of us can do that, as Andy soon finds out. This is a fast & mesmerizing read that I highly recommend to everyone. 9/11 affected more than just New Yorkers. This is a must read!"