Books: “Something Rotten” by Andrew Lipstein
If we leave America, will the grass be greener somewhere else? In “Something Rotten,” Andrew Lipstein’s latest novel, we see that the good life in Denmark may be as realistic as a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale.
Protagonist Reuben and his Danish wife Cecilie, two American journalists, decide to leave New York City to visit her widowed mom and brother in Copenhagen. Reuben has another motivation for getting out of town: he inadvertently left his camera on during a Zoom meeting, and a graphic moment of intimacy between him and Cecilie went viral. Now strangers make sexual gestures at him on the subway, Cecilie’s colleagues at The New York Times can’t meet her eye, and boom he’s out of a job.
Once in Copenhagen, Reuben meets Jonas, Cecilie’s ex-boyfriend who has been diagnosed with a brain affliction. Jonas has selected Mikkel, a mischievous journalist, as his confidant and guardian. But Mikkel’s motivations are suspect. Why has he advised Jonas against lifesaving treatment?
The once-confident, now-humbled Reuben is bowled over by Mikell’s brazenness. He shaves his head, gets a tattoo, and plans to undertake an audio project in which he interviews Mikkel on “cross-cultural ideas of masculinity.” Meanwhile Cecelie gets reacquainted with ex-BF Jonas mostly because she feels sorry for him. But is their romantic relationship heating up again?
I’ve always liked Lipstein’s writing (“The Vegan” and “Last Resort.”) His writing is smart and funny but I found the characters in this novel exhaustingly self-involved. Yes, Denmark has much to admire: free healthcare and Arne Jacobson design and bicycles everywhere. But the backbiting and deceitfulness portrayed here are no different than what you’d find among white privileged New Yorkers.
If you want to experience Denmark’s real treasures, visit Copenhagen’s Museum of Modern Art-Louisiana. Or order a Tuborg in your favorite upscale bar. Either is more satisfying than “Something Rotten.” Sorry/not sorry.
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