ADVANCES

by Samantha Joseph ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 20, 1983

If you're inclined to sneer at Judith Krantz, this trashy would-be clone will have you appreciating her basic storytelling skill, her fairly sympathetic super-heroines, and her undeniable feel for glamour--none of which are displayed by ""Samantha Joseph."" The opening chapter reads almost like a parody of glitz-garbage: famous novelist Angela Vaccaro, with ""spectacular breasts,"" finishes her second novel, puts on her Maud Frizon sandals, hurries off to Georgette Klinger, shops at Bendel's and Bergdorf Goodman, masturbates, and bas hard-core-porn sex with her editor--all in the first ten pages. Then, for most of the test of the novel, a flashback tells Angela's life-story--with cross-cuts to that of her best friend, agent Elizabeth ""Eli"" Walsh. Married early in working-class Queens, Angela visits relatives in Italy and finds real love/sex for the first time with auto-empire heir Paolo di Fiori; but though they do marry, Paolo is kidnapped and murdered by terrorists. Then, back in the US, urged on by Eli (who has fallen in and out of love with hot writer Larry Gould, author of Levy's Lament), Angela writes Blue Grotto--getting a $100,000 advance from editor/lover Mark Green, who's married to the boss' daughter and also sleeping with subsidiary-rights director Carol. (""Mark was a borderline lay, but he gave good head."") And how does Angela respond to success? With drugs and promiscuity. But her second novel ""had to bring her critical acclaim."" So Angela goes to Northern Ireland, writes the real-serious Emerald Isle, finds True Love/Sex with journalist Mike (a Pete Hamill type), and gets a rave review on the front page of the New York Tribune Book Review--despite the machinations of rival pulp-novelist, Jessica Simon, who seems to be modeled on Helen Lawson from Valley of the Dolls (""I'm the star at Heywood and Home! . . . Me! Jessica Simon is number one!""). . . and is ultimately revealed to be a lesbian plagiarist. Though the pseudonymous authors are ""two New York publishing executives,"" even the book-world scenes ring false here; cardboard heroine Angela seems incapable of reading a serious novel, let alone writing one; and this is fifth-rate junkola for only the most undiscriminating collectors of brand-names, graphic (mechanical) copulations, and roman à clef dribblings.

Pub Date: June 20, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1983

Categories: FICTION