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From Amazon
Steve Martin's first foray into fiction is as assured as it is surprising. Set in Los Angeles, its fascination with the surreal body fascism of the upper classes feels like the comedian's familiar territory, but the shopgirl of the book's title may surprise his fans. Mirabelle works in the glove department of Neiman's, "selling things that nobody buys any more." Spending her days waiting for customers to appear, Mirabelle "looks like a puppy standing on its hind legs, and the two brown dots of her eyes, set in the china plate of her face, make her seem very cute and noticeable." Lonely and vulnerable, she passes her evenings taking prescription drugs and drawing "dead things," while pursuing an on-off relationship with the hopeless Jeremy, who possesses "a slouch so extreme that he appears to have left his skeleton at home." Then Mr. Ray Porter steps into Mirabelle's life. He is much older, rich, successful, divorced, and selfish, desiring her "without obligation." Complicating the picture is Mirabelle's voracious rival, her fellow Neiman's employee Lisa, who uses sex "for attracting and discarding men."
The mutual incomprehension, psychological damage, and sheer vacuity practiced by all four of Martin's characters sees Shopgirl veer rather uncomfortably between a comedy of manners and a much darker work. There are some startling passages of description and interior monologue, but the characters are often rather hazy types. Martin tries too hard in his attempt to write a psychologically intense novel about West Coast anomie, but Shopgirl is still an enjoyable, if rather light, read. --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Movie star Martin shone in the comic essays of last year's Pure DrivelAbut can he write serious fiction? His debut novella gives fans a chance to find out. Shy, depressed, young, lonely and usually broke, Vermont-bred Mirabelle Butterfield sells gloves at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus (nobody ever buys); at night, she watches TV with her two cats. Martin's slight plot follows Mirabelle's search for loveAor at least romance and companionshipAwith middle-aged Ray Porter, a womanizing Seattle millionaire who may, or may not, have hidden redeeming qualities. Also in and out of Mirabelle's life are a handful of supporting characters, all of them lonely and alienated, too. There's her father, a dysfunctional Vietnam vet; the laconic, unambitious Jeremy; and Mirabelle's promiscuous, body-obsessed co-worker Lisa. Detractors may call Martin's plot predictable, his characters stereotypes. Admirers may answer thatAas in Douglas CouplandAthese aren't stereotypes but modern archetypes, whose lives must be streamlined if they are to represent ours. Except for its love-hate relations with L.A., little about this book sounds much like Martin; its anxious, sometimes flat prose style can be affecting or disorienting, and belongs somewhere between Coupland and literary chroniclers of depression like Lydia Davis. Martin's first novel is finally neither a triumph nor a disaster: it's yet another of this intelligent performer's attempts to expand his range, and those who will buy it for the name on the cover could do a lot worse. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Steve Martin can act - and he can write, too!,
By the Infinite Shelf (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shopgirl (Paperback)
Steve Martin is best known for his work as a performer, but Shopgirl definitely proved that he can write, too. The story is beautifully told in a narration that is both detailed and close to the feelings of the characters. Despite being a short read - I finished it in a day - it definitely left a huge impression on me. I fell in love with Mirabelle, Ray and Jeremy, enough to make me very curious about the movie version.I am always doubtful when the book's jacket tries to sell me a book with comments such as "'with consequences that are both comic and hearthbreaking"'. This time though, it was true. I laughed, turned a page, felt sad, turned a page, laughed again. The humor is ironic and, at the same time, incredibly true. The narrator never digs really deep in the characters thoughts, but rather use the details of their actions to express who they are. He also underlines how the characters, even when in the wrong, don't necessarily do it to hurt each other; this explores another side of relationships, where even when you think things are clear, misunderstanding may happen. On my next book-shopping trip, I'll certainly look for more of Martin's writing.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Read,
By
This review is from: Shopgirl (Paperback)
Steve Martin is a gifted writer. I saw the DVD first and loved it so much that I read the book. The book was just as great. Steve Martin writes with emotion, quirkiness, and depth. He has great understanding of relationships and what life is about. I highly recommend his other book as well, The Pleasure of My Company.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent,
By
This review is from: Shopgirl (Paperback)
It's a very bitersweet look at broken hearts and modern life. I found it difficult to stop reading though, and was dissapointed it was as short as it was.Still, it's one of my favourite modern novels.
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