One Fifth Avenue by C. Bushnell

One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell  (Racy and Naughty bits in this read)

Okay, I don't mean to be a pill- but I am starting to hate reading anything published within the last few years.  This is not because the quality of the literature is bad (although this particular books was lackluster); but because the quality of editing is horrific!  Granted, I have a degree in English Literature so I may be a little more aware of editing issues; however, it is a self professed fact that spelling and grammar are NOT my strengths.   So when I spend more time trying to figure out what word the author intended to use, instead of thinking about the plot and characters... well- there is a problem.   The editing issues with this book were found in the grammar, word choice, spelling, but most disappointing of all- the content.

Bushnell made a name for herself with Sex in the City and although I have watched to TV show, I never read the books.  If this book is representative of her particular formulaic writing style, I am kind of glad I didn't.  This was like the book that would not end.   A good editor might have been able to salvage this book by breaking out the story lines and creating an inner connected series about the people of this particular building. Instead, Bushnell shoved all of the characters development, story lines (both inner connected and separate) into the book and the result was- well not good.   There was no way for the reader to connect with any of the characters because they all needed just a bit more development.  The plot lines never grab the reader because it is hard to care who ends up with who, who screws who (both metaphorically and physically), and who lives happy ever after when the reader could care less about the character to begin with.  Of course the book does have its racy and very direct intimacy scenes which for some people is enough to suffer through the rest of the book. Wasn't for this reader, just made me irritated and annoyed.

In the rush to get this book published and on shelves, the book publisher, author, and editors, all missed the opportunity to develop a really great read and potential series.  

Personally, I would have focused on the new tenants of the top floors Paul and Annalisa Rice.  By focusing on their plot line in the beginning, you can actually introduce the building's tenants through the eyes of someone just meeting them like the reader.  The author could then focus and develop these two characters and the life they are ambitiously seeking.  The other characters come in but we only know them as the new tenants know them.  Then in each subsequent book you can go back and develop each tenants story, again interlacing the other building residents. The title writes itself- One Fifth Avenue- 4A. But alas, in the haste to get things on the market, they missed the opportunity to actually write a series of books readers might actually get a bit addicted to and instead shoved a bunch of poorly developed characters, lack luster plot lines, into a book with an ending that took far to long to actually get to.

• ISBN-13: 9781401301613
• Publisher: Voice
• Publication date: 9/22/2008
• Pages: 448