Judith Krantz is the kind of writer you just don't see anymore. When I first read I'll Take Manhattan in the 80's, I read it as a reader. It took me away to places I'd never been before: Monte Carlo, New York, a drafty castle in Scotland. It immersed me in a life I knew nothing about: publishing, extreme wealth, bitter siblings who would stop at nothing to destroy others. Exciting stuff.This time around, I read ITM as a writer. Judith write with a flair rarely seen in romances anymore. She can, and does, go on for pages and pages about how someone is feeling, in eclectic prose that belie the character's truth. I saw a different Maxi this time around. I saw a different Rocco. Lily was not the woman I remember from 20 years ago. I saw situations that seemed so outrageous that, if written today, would have quite possibly been slashed to bits by any editor with even a fool's concept of what sells. Yet, somehow, Judith Krantz still remains belle of the ball in this genre. Maybe it's because, when all is said and done, we read romance to escape. It doesn't have to be real, doesn't have to ring entirely true to be entertaining. Sometimes real is...well, TOO real, and sometimes we need a break from it. Sometimes reading about the heroine who has been raped and abused and unable to love again, and the hero who follows her around for 365 pages trying to change her mind, can be trying at best--no matter how good the writing, no matter how wonderful the characters. That's when we return to Judith, who takes us on journeys to foreign lands with spoiled, rich women who trudge through their trials, get burned, get up and dust themselves off, and realize in the end what is truly important--love. The alphas, the brutes, the rakes and the swindlers she tosses in just for fun are the icing on an already very rich cake. I'll take Judith Krantz. Any day.
I randomly decided to reread this book after something else reminded me of it. I last read it in my early high school years (one of the many books I borrowed from my grandmother's paperback collection) and fell in love with it. Rereading it close to two decades later, it seems a lot sillier (nearly every single character is the most beautiful striking person and ever and the most amazingingly successful in their chosen field from actress to chef to photographer) and yet I still found the story engaging. Really, both then and now, the romance between the main character, Maxi, and her ex-husband Rocco is my favorite part, but since this was a relatively small part of the overall novel, I did at times find myself getting a little antsy at times. Overall all, though, it was fun to revisit this book and see it through a more mature perspective.
What do You think about I'll Take Manhattan (1987)?
Non posso definirlo brutto, ma è stata una mezza delusione. Judith Krantz mi aveva abituato decisamente bene, con romanzi ricchi di passione, pathos, intrighi e coinvolgimento. Con questo però, fa un mezzo buco nell'acqua: la storia e lo spunto sarebbero interessanti, ma lo sviluppo l'ho trovato un po' superficiale e affrettato, meno approfondito rispetto ad altri suoi romanzi. Qualche decina di pagine in più non avrebbe fatto male, e avrebbe aggiunto qualcosa di più alla storia e alla definizione dei caratteri, anche se, nonostante i difetti, riescono ad emergere personaggi decisamente riusciti, come Maxi, naturalmente, ma anche Justin, Rocco e Angelica. Un passo indietro, per un'autrice che mi piace comunque molto.
—Manuela
In my opinion, this book is a very good one, with realistic enough plot and characters - if you let aside the fact that they are all describe as outrageously beautiful -, but for one single element : the lack of disgust - or, at the very least, disdain - shows by society at the fact that Lily Amberville married her deceased husband's brother, and so soon after his death, at that. I thought for sure one such an act would make of her an outcast in Manhattan's high society, but there is no sign showing, in the book, that her standing change in any way. That's kind of weird.
—Amaryllis DUCIEL
i love this book. i enjoyed reading it. it was recommended by friend laurie. it is also helpful for my project so i was hitting 2 birds with one stone. this is my first time to encounter a character like Maxi Amberville which depicted in the book as stubborn, naughty, fun and a con artist (according to her) all in one. i also like India and Angelica. India being a beautiful and smart while Angelica being the daughter of Maxi is embodied of a high level of maturity. i agree with Rocco, who would have thought Angelica is the daughter of Maxi? haha! i learned the technicalities in a publishing company and creating a magazine. the book also incorporated facts about business law specifically 'corporation' regarding the stocks, circulation etc. all of these are new to me except the adultery and making love part. haha! i find it a little bit irritating when Ms. Krantz did not describe the making love of Rocco and Maxi it was all about Lily and Zach and Lily and Cutter. you are force to imagine, sky is the limit. well, it would be nicer and clear if it was described. and lastly i find it irritating because i was left hanging. i still want more! i hope there will be a part 2.
—shuurei
