Rachel to the Rescue

I was surprised to learn that Elinor Lipman's latest novel couldn't attract an American publisher. Maybe it was too soon for a still traumatized audience to expect us to laugh at Trump. Or maybe it just wasn't a great book. Rachel to the Rescue's gentle satire of 45's behavior doesn't work because the truth was always stranger (and more disturbing) than any fiction could be. Also at age 71 Lipman is unable to create anything close to realistic late Millennial/early Gen Z characters. The romance is sweet but has nothing to do with the main plot, which starts with some momentum and then just stalls out.

I hope Lipman still has some gas in the tank, but this one feels like she was writing on fumes. Those four years were tough on everybody though, so hopefully she will rebound with a stronger effort.