Bitter Bronx by Jerome Charyn is written in Gothic
Bronx style. I don’t know if there such
a thing.
If not, then give Jerome Charyn
credit for creating a new genre. I call Charyn’s book of short stories,
“Gothic” because his thirteen stories tell of weird, comic characters involved
in melodramatic situations that will raise your eyebrows, or twist your lips
into a smirk. I think I might have even guffawed
at one of the “Silk” stories.
 |
| Look at the tail on Jerome Charyn's cat. Isn't she beautiful? You gotta love a man who loves cats. |
Charyn’s stories bring you to a “mecca of
middle-class Jews,” “Mafioso restaurants”, and up to the Grand Concourse. A grifter gigolo named Howell is surprised to
find love in Lorelei. Another gigolo whose modeling name was Adonis is good at dining widows. The
kids at Music and Art had a cockroach who writes poetry and a companion, alley
cat, who thought she was Cleopatra. They
are named Archy and Mehitabel. Then
there’s the bisexual in The Cat Lady’s
Kiss.
My favorite stories were the three stories about the Silk family: Silk & Silk, Little Sister, and Marla.
The reader gets drawn into this melodramatic soap opera life of the Silks. The characterization must have reminded me of
some people I know because these stories are my favorite.
Then we continue with Dee who tried to help the gentle giant, Eddie. There was a homeless man in love with Princess Hannah. A poetry teacher who made me wonder if the
author was projecting himself in Milo’s Last Chance. An orphan who lucked out in Alice’s Eyes. A New York Yankees’ twenty-fifth man, who
became the secret lover of a hospital administrator, in Major Leaguer. Lastly, a
dangerous female ex-con in White Trash,
who exhibited psychopathic behavior.
These thirteen stories will hold you tight and then
release you to breathe. And think. You’ll be wondering and thinking of the
Silks, and crazy characters, and colorful situations, for quite a while. Jerome Charyn’s Bitter Bronx is quite
a tour. I enjoyed it. I think you will, too. I received a free copy
of Bitter Bronx by Jerome Charyn from Tribute Book, but no other compensation
was received, and my review is my honest evaluation.
About the Author:
Jerome Charyn's
stories have appeared in The Atlantic, The Paris Review, The American
Scholar, Epoch, Narrative, Ellery Queen, and other magazines. His
most recent novel is I Am Abraham. He lived for many years in Paris
and currently resides in Manhattan.
Bitter Bronx can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Prices/Formats: $9.99-$12.49 ebook, $24.95 hardcover
Genre: Short Stories
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780871404893
Publisher: Liveright
Click to add to your Goodreads list.
About the Author
Jerome Charyn's stories have appeared in The Atlantic, The Paris Review, The American Scholar, Epoch, Narrative, Ellery Queen, and other magazines. His most recent novel is I Am Abraham. He lived for many years in Paris and currently resides in Manhattan.
2 comments:
Faith, thanks for the wonderful review! :)
I loved this and more importantly, so did the author. Bronx Gothic, indeed. Thanks. -- Lenore
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