I confess to initially picking this up because I've always been curious about strippers and strip clubs. But I ended up staying for the story. Poignant and captivating, Real Easy grabbed ahold of me and refused to let go.
Samantha is a dancer at the Lovely Lady strip club, working under the name "Ruby" to make ends meet. She does well for herself, having built up a loyal clientele over the years. When new girl Jolene arrives, bumbling and a bit lost, Samantha keeps her head down, not wanting to get caught up in the drama. But one night, against her better judgement, Samantha offers the girl a ride home. And when they're run off the road, her life is irrevocably changed.
First and foremost, above everything else, this story is a character study. Rutkoski takes her time introducing us to each of the players in here, dancers and investigators alike. And this intricate and honest look at each person is what really sets the tone for the story. We dive deep into the minds and emotions of the characters, really getting to know them as people, with all their complex thoughts and feelings. We find out their history, their motivations, and what makes them tick.
Rutkoski's experience as a former dancer really shows. Her portrayal of the dancers is as compelling as it is honest. She neither attempts to make you pity them, nor does she glamourize the whole thing. Instead, she provides a candid and humanizing look at this little understood but often talked about world, and it just adds to the dark and gritty feel of the story.
Yes, there's a mystery here, but that functions to drive the narrative forward instead of being its primary focus. I know this book is labeled a mystery/thriller, but I think that does it a disservice and may set up the wrong expectations. I found the mystery itself to be its weakest part, but only because the characters in here are so vivid, they really steal the spotlight. To me, this has more the feel of contemporary or historical fiction (depending on where you'd place the late 1990s), with the seedy Lovely Lady as its striking backdrop.
This story really took me by surprise. I didn't expect to connect with the characters so deeply. It was a riveting read from start to finish, and I can't wait to see what else Marie Rutkoski writes.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
My heartfelt thanks for the advance copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.
0 comments:
Post a Comment