Claudia Silver to the Rescue
Claudia Silver may receive top billing in Ebel’s crackling debut, but she is surrounded by a cast of terrific supporting players, all of whom could carry a book of their own. The novel’s main thread follows the misadventures of Ebel’s twentysomething hero, whose default setting is a sort of glib meta-awareness. The recent college grad is tap-dancing as fast as she can to avoid the emptiness of her life, making one ill-advised decision after another, which eventually leads to an affair with her best friend’s father, Paul. The ripple effect of Claudia’s actions allows Ebel to detour into side plots involving Paul’s wife, Annie, and Claudia’s younger sister, Phoebe, who’s counting on Claudia to rescue her from their mother’s creepy boyfriend. It’s here that Ebel’s writing really shines. She’s at her best when she slows down and allows her characters room to breathe, particularly in scenes featuring Claudia’s mother, Edith. Claudia may be the shiny penny that draws readers to this book, but it’s the grown-ups who give the work its surprising emotional heft. --Patty Wetli