Review of "Very Nice: A Novel" by Marcy Dermansky

3.5 stars This droll novel brings to mind the game 'Six Degrees of Separation' - based on the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that number five or fewer. The characters in this story have only one or two degrees of separation so it's easy to get from A to B to C, etc. Okay, pay close attention now. One of the main characters in the book is Rachel, an undergraduate student at a college in New York City. Rachel has crush on her creative writing instructor Zahid Azzam, a handsome, award-winning writer from Pakistan. Summer break is about to start and Rachel, who's going home to Connecticut, has agreed to care for Zahid's standard poodle Princess while the professor goes to Pakistan - to be with his dying grandmother. Zahid has other troubles as well. He's spent the big advance for his second novel and hasn't made much progress on the book. Before Zahid leaves Rachel seduces him, concluding that the mutually enjoyable sex means the professor returns her passion. Lovestruck Rachel takes Princess to her family home in Connecticut - a lovely large house with a swimming pool. As it happens Rachel's mother Becca is living there alone because her beloved standard poodle Posey just died, and her (not so beloved) husband Jonathan recently left her for another woman. Becca immediately becomes enthralled with Princess, who returns her affection. Becca is an elementary school teacher who's off for the summer. So she spends her time painting, shopping at Whole Foods, cooking gourmet meals, musing about Hillary Clinton's sad loss, and caring for the dog. In the meantime, Rachel works as a day camp counselor. One of Rachel's campers, Amelia, comes from a troubled family and Rachel gets more involved with them than she should. Zahid returns from Pakistan after only two weeks because his grandmother died. He has nowhere to live now, however, because he sublet his apartment for the summer. Zahid's tenant is a gorgeous black lesbian named Khloe who works as financial analyst for Rachel's father Jonathan. Khloe is also a twin sister to writer Kristi, the 'burr' who pushes Zahid to get going on his book, advance his career, etc. When Khloe's not at work in Jonathan's firm, she's drinking in upscale bars and making plans to seduce her childhood babysitter Jane, whom she's been in love with since the age of five. As it happens Jane is Zahid's new editor, and - being starstruck by the famous writer - likes to go to Khloe's sublet and snoop through Zahid's clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. Since Zahid has nowhere to lay his head (so to speak) he decides to go to Connecticut to visit his dog Princess. To make a long story short - he stays. Zahid finds he's able to make progress on his new book in this environment, and he and Becca enjoy eating together; walking the dog together; swimming together; and so on. Becca and Zahid embark on a torrid affair, while poor oblivious Rachel waits for the professor to sneak into her bedroom at night. And waits and waits and waits. Meanwhile, Jonathan's relationship with his much younger girlfriend Mandy, who's an airline pilot, isn't going well. Jonathan doesn't like living in Mandy's tiny New York apartment and he misses the comforts of home. In addition, when Jonathan gets sick, Mandy doesn't coddle him like Becca would have. When Jonathan happens to be in Connecticut he spots Becca and Zahid walking Princess on the beach and thinks that's not okay....so he decides to do something about it. The novel is narrated in the rotating voices of Rachel, Becca, Zahid, Khloe, and Jonathan, so we get insight into what each one of them is thinking and doing. The characters' motivations and interactions are, in turn, selfish, funny, sad, disturbing, surprising, quirky, and so on. Rachel is the most likable of the bunch, since she's honest and the others are deluded about how 'decent' they are.

This droll novel brings to mind the game 'Six Degrees of Separation' - based on the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that number five or fewer.



The characters in this story have only one or two degrees of separation so it's easy to get from A to B to C, etc.

Okay, pay close attention now.

One of the main characters in the book is Rachel, an undergraduate student at a college in New York City. 




Rachel has crush on her creative writing instructor Zahid Azzam, a handsome, award-winning writer from Pakistan. 



Summer break is about to start and Rachel, who's going home to Connecticut, has agreed to care for Zahid's standard poodle Princess while the professor goes to Pakistan - to be with his dying grandmother. Zahid has other troubles as well. He's spent the big advance for his second novel and hasn't made much progress on the book.



Before Zahid leaves Rachel seduces him, concluding that the mutually enjoyable sex means the professor returns her passion.

Lovestruck Rachel takes Princess to her family home in Connecticut - a lovely large house with a swimming pool.



As it happens Rachel's mother Becca is living there alone because her beloved standard poodle Posey just died, and her (not so beloved) husband Jonathan recently left her for another woman. Becca immediately becomes enthralled with Princess, who returns her affection.



Becca is an elementary school teacher who's off for the summer. So she spends her time painting, shopping at Whole Foods, cooking gourmet meals, musing about Hillary Clinton's sad loss, and caring for the dog.



In the meantime, Rachel works as a day camp counselor. One of Rachel's campers, Amelia, comes from a troubled family and Rachel gets more involved with them than she should.

Zahid returns from Pakistan after only two weeks because his grandmother died. He has nowhere to live now, however, because he sublet his apartment for the summer. Zahid's tenant is a gorgeous black lesbian named Khloe who works as financial analyst for Rachel's father Jonathan.



Khloe is also a twin sister to writer Kristi, the 'burr' who pushes Zahid to get going on his book, advance his career, etc.

When Khloe's not at work in Jonathan's firm, she's drinking in upscale bars and making plans to seduce her childhood babysitter Jane, whom she's been in love with since the age of five. As it happens Jane is Zahid's new editor, and - being starstruck by the famous writer - likes to go to Khloe's sublet and snoop through Zahid's clothing, shoes, accessories, etc.



Since Zahid has nowhere to lay his head (so to speak) he decides to go to Connecticut to visit his dog Princess. To make a long story short - he stays. Zahid finds he's able to make progress on his new book in this environment, and he and Becca enjoy eating together; walking the dog together; swimming together; and so on.

Becca and Zahid embark on a torrid affair, while poor oblivious Rachel waits for the professor to sneak into her bedroom at night. And waits and waits and waits.

Meanwhile, Jonathan's relationship with his much younger girlfriend Mandy, who's an airline pilot, isn't going well. Jonathan doesn't like living in Mandy's tiny New York apartment and he misses the comforts of home. In addition, when Jonathan gets sick, Mandy doesn't coddle him like Becca would have.



When Jonathan happens to be in Connecticut he spots Becca and Zahid walking Princess on the beach and thinks that's not okay....so he decides to do something about it.



The novel is narrated in the rotating voices of Rachel, Becca, Zahid, Khloe, and Jonathan, so we get insight into what each one of them is thinking and doing. The characters' motivations and interactions are, in turn, selfish, funny, sad, disturbing, surprising, quirky, and so on. Rachel is the most likable of the bunch, since she's honest and the others are deluded about how 'decent' they are.

All in all, an entertaining book with a touch of frivolity.

Rating: 3.5 stars