Almost Tall

De: Vestal McIntyre

Narrado por: Jorjeana Marie

In Almost Tall, 14-year-old Dinah finds herself plucked from her provincial midwestern ballet class and dropped in her uncle’s glittering New York penthouse. What starts out as a lonely summer quickly becomes a whirl of cocktails and haute couture under the mercurial attention of her uncle’s bombastic and insecure partner, Eddie. With remarkable poise, she struggles against a city that seems determined to turn innocence into cynicism and the young into “strangers to youth.”

©2013 Vestal McIntyre (P)2013 Audible Inc.

Uncomfortable and Unenjoyable

I’m really sorry if you’re reading this hoping for some insight because I am at an utter loss about how to review Almost Tall.

I just have no idea what the heck I am supposed to take away from this exceedingly brief, albeit well written prose.

Yes, I hesitate to even call Almost Tall a ‘story’. Nothing really seems to happen but I’m certain the author is trying make some kind of point that is just lost.

There is some truly great character set up – I want to give absolute credit to the author for that. In fact, the great character seems tragically wasted.

Finally, I have to address the homosexual content. I cannot be sure, since the authors’ intentions are so muddled on every level, but homosexuality and homosexual relationships seem to be a target for criticism, cynicism and even revulsion in Almost Tall.

The idea that the author would take this view point is utterly offensive.

But did he? Or did he mean to?

Who can tell!?

All I know is that I was left feeling vaguely offended and uncomfortable making Almost Tall an unenjoyable read that I do not recommend.