Nice to "see" and hear you again, Dorothy Parker.I really enjoyed this novel for many reasons. I wanted to give it 4.5 stars; either the program wouldn't let me, or I'm as lost in the modern world as Parker occasionally gets lost in this book, often with ensuing hilarity. High praise goes to Ellen Meister for masterfully conjuring Dorothy Parker's ghost back to life and have her "live" in the present day; for Meister to pull it off this well, she must have done serious research to get Parker just right.I must admit a bias of mine for this review's purposes: I am a big Dorothy Parker fan. "The diminutive Mrs. Parker," as some referred to her as (hopefully not while she was within earshot), stood less than 5 feet tall, but she was as towering a presence as the city of New York had at that time. People in entertainment feared Parker because she could cut a person, a whole production of a play, or a movie down for good with a sentence from her pen. She was one of the founding members of The New Yorker magazine, a checkered character for sure, but also one who donated her whole estate to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement when she died. A true progressive for her time and an American wit who should be celebrated for all time.Parker's second-coming in this book is a welcome respite and reprieve from the current generation's notion of wit. Unfortunately, now "witty' is too often applied to a vulgar comment on a social media website. In some cases, kids in high schools will vote the classmate who pulled his pants down the most, broke wind the most, or was otherwise vulgar as that class's "Wittiest" person. Vulgarity without purpose or aim is not wit. Was Dorothy Parker vulgar? Oh yes, for sure, another treat in this book. But when she wrote, she honed that vulgarity and spritely spirit into a civilized tone that still would have you laughing on the floor, and if you were her target, would leave you crying on the floor. Wit is civilized incivility with a generous helping of style. Does that mean that vulgarity isn't funny? No, but it's also not wit.Meister uses an ingenious plot device to get Parker to be reborn and aid an intelligent woman (Violet Epps) whose occupation is a movie critic, but the shrinking Violet also suffers from paralyzing social anxiety and other personal doubts about herself. Dorothy turns out to be the perfect cure for those maladies, even if a lot of kicking, drinking, and screaming were needed parts of the process. Parker's presence in the movie critic's life makes her more confident, a person capable of facing down fears- in some cases, very serious fears like the custody battle for her orphaned niece. The themes of women's self-confidence, strength in adversity, and a friendship across the boundaries of time were the highpoints of this novel.Only a few minor quibbles, but ones that are easily passed over. But just as Parker would never pass on a drink, as such, I cannot pass on mentioning the quibbles to report as truthfully as possible for this review. I felt that some of subplots didn't work that well, the ending was a bit predictable, and some of Violet's love interests throughout the book weren't all needed to make the point of her insecurity with men. But they were great occasions for Parker to let loose.These are extremely minor complaints. If you want a really fun read with some soul and Parker's dazzling and unrepentant wit, you should definitely read this book. If you are thinking more of a read that claims to be well-researched, incisive, and important, I understand that Dan Brown has recently published a new book. While Meister has an interesting concept for her novel (summoning the wisdom and expertise of one's favorite author), the writing is predictable and, at times, unbelievable. The "magical elements" of the plot where Dorothy Parker materializes out of thin air and then enters and takes over Violet Epps' body are odd and almost uncomfortable. The plot is jumpy, and I feel that perhaps Meister wrote a plot with too many elements to conquer for Violet Epps. Wouldn't be a book I'd recommend to others, except as an easy read.
What do You think about Farewell, Dorothy Parker (2013)?
Meh! It's fluffy and attempts to have some depth, but really the whole story just becomes silly.
—bhimcoca
The premise and history were very interesting but the character development seemed to plateau.
—livelylinda
Love the clever concept of this book. If you love Dorothy Parker, you'll love this story!
—robby
