Sweetbitter

Spoiled. Have you ever had high expectations about a meal, and while eating, kept building the impression that those expectations would not be met? That’s how I felt while reading Stephanie Danler’s debut novel, Sweetbitter, set mostly in a New York City high end restaurant. I read some reviews that raised my expectations, but as I read, I found the prose over-seasoned, the characters under-baked, and the action usually unappealing. On one level this is a coming of age story, involving naiveté and the chance to make many mistakes with drugs, drinking and sex. I just never cared enough about the protagonist to enjoy her experiences. Life is often sweet and bitter, but in this novel I kept thinking it was just all spoiled. Rating: Two-star (I didn’t like it) Click here to purchase Sweetbitter from amazon.com.