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Naema, an elderly princess dedicated to her pet causes, is in a bind: struck by a malady that maroons her in Montreux, she’s unable to host an exclusive gala dinner in Berlin to honor the author Masud al-Huzeil for his lifetime achievement in Arabic literature. Not only is she unable to attend, RSVPs have been slow to materialize, and she’s reduced to begging the ancient award winner to find some attendees at the last minute. Masud invites his old friend Demian, a native Berliner, who in turn invites his two best friends: the troubled innocent Livia and an American publisher, Toto, who will do anything for a free meal.
But Toto doesn’t come alone. In tow are his younger Internet date—she’s stood him up often enough to be nicknamed “the Flake”—and Demian’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Nicole. Not to mention the cop who’s been trailing Nicole since she left the red-light district. Presiding over the affair is Naema’s infinitely rich, endlessly disaffected grandson, Prince Radi, whose pass at Nicole culminates in an epic midnight food run that changes all their lives.
With sophistication and tenderness, Nell Zink weaves a vividly colored tapestry of a milieu at odds with itself, taking her trademark ambiguity, daring, and humor to new heights.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
March 25, 2025 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9798217018604
- File size: 183106 KB
- Duration: 06:21:27
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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January 6, 2025
Zink (Avalon) serves up an intriguing if slight ensemble piece set in upper-crust Berlin over a long evening. At 4:30 p.m. on a Tuesday in February, Demian gets ready for a dinner to celebrate his friend, author Masud al-Huzeil. The party, thrown by Princess Naema, is short on guests, so Demian invites his friends Livia, a restless single woman, and Toto, a publisher who is accompanied by his online date, Avianca (whom Toto secretly calls the Flake because it’s “shorter than ‘Manic Pixie Nightmare Girl’ ”), and Demian's 15-year-old trans daughter, Nicole. This unlikely crew is joined by Naema’s grandson Prince Radi, who flirts with Nicole before eventually turning his attention to another of the main characters. The promised Michelin-starred dinner disappoints (“beet salad with nasturtiums in a wet brioche”), and the group leaves in search of a more satisfying meal, romping through Berlin while discussing the current state of the city and its history. At its best, the novel allows for reflection on world issues through the characters’ perspectives, as when Livia wonders, “Was there life without money, or money unstained by deaths smelling of iron and sulfur?” Ultimately, though, the meandering narrative is more intellectual exercise than story. Agent: Susan Golomb, Writers House. (Mar.)Correction: A previous version of this review incorrectly stated that the novel takes place over 24 hours and confused the details of how the character Nicole gets invited to the party. The review has been further updated for clarity.
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