Mood:
luckyTopic: Entertainment
It's all about the Benjamins, right? At least in Candace Bushnell's One Fifth Avenue, the book I finally finished reading. In her fifth book (the 3rd out of six of her's I've read), I'd have to give this one the award for being my favorite, I know, I know Candace has been waiting for that title her entire life. B, you can thank me with a writing gig, I charge per word, and I'm cheap.
Anyway, One Fifth Avenue is like a giant game of Clue—except Colonel Mustard is wearing Marc Jacobs, Professor Plum is a Pulitzer Prize winning author, and Miss Scarlet is a gold digging sex columnist.
The main character of this book is a building, the most prestigious apartment building in all of Manhattan, One Fifth Avenue. The people that live there know they've made it, the people that don't dream of a day when the real estate will lower from its $20 million price tag. Living inside the building are a majority of the cast of characters in this book; the others are merely trying to get in.
Mindy Gooch: President of the Board at One Fifth Avenue; former magazine editor, current marriage blogger, annoying wife.
Sam Gooch: Mindy's son, computer nerd, tennis player, trickster.
James Gooch: Sam's father, Mindy's husband, struggling author, looking to cheat on his wife, wants to be appreciated.
Schiffer Diamond: A-list actress, used to date Philip Oakland, friend of Billy Litchfield.
Philip Oakland: Pulitzer Prize winning author, playwright, used to date Schiffer Diamond, enjoys sex with his employee Lola Fabrikant, possibly still in love with Schiffer.
Enid Merle: The oldest person in One Fifth Avenue, gossip, Philip Oakland's aunt, hates Lola Fabrikant, thinks Schiffer and Philip should rekindle old flames.
Billy Litchfield: Non-resident of One Fifth Avenue, decorator to the wealthy, poser, likes visiting the Hamptons for free, close friend to Schiffer and Louise Houghton, gets possession of rare diamond.
Annalisa Rice: Wife to Paul Rice, recently wealthy, newest resident of One Fifth Avenue, gave up everything to move to the city with her husband.
Paul Rice: Husband to Annalisa, recently wealthy, general douche, only interested in money, hates Mindy Gooch and her family, is obsessed with getting a parking spot and a rare fish tank.
Louise Houghton: Deceased, leaves behind rare jewels, well-liked by all residents of One Fifth Avenue, possible murderer.
Lola Fabrikant: Philip Oakland's assistant and lover, socialite, obsessed with marrying Philip, interested in becoming a reality television star.
The book does an amazing job of interlacing these different personalities into an intricate web of lies amidst sex, cocktails, designer clothes, and multi-million dollar deals. The residents of One Fifth Avenue run into each other, cross paths, fall in love with each other, go behind backs, and even kill others.
Bushnell has nailed it this time—she moved away from her stereotypical "life of women in Manhattan" genre, but didn't jump into the unknown with this diverse cast. There is a character for everyone; I personally loved the writers of the bunch, Mindy Gooch and Philip Oakland. However, there is humor in Lola and Philip's relationship and great mystery surrounding Louise Houghton, Paul Rice, and Enid Merle.
This book is a must for the chick-lit readers out there!
The New York Times did a review on One Fifth Avenue, when it was released in 2008. Read it here.
