June 20, 2011
This debut comedic novel takes on the corporate machine, the literary machine, adultery, family, and dogs with anxiety disorders. Tom Violet is the son of charming literary superstar Curtis Violet, who shows up in the middle of the night to tell Tom that he's divorcing again and moving in with Tom, his wife, and 13-year-old daughter. (It's technically Curtis's house since he paid for it.) Tom has his own problems: "mild" erectile dysfunction (according to the Internet), a crush on a young woman who works with at his company that "helps other companies be better companies," his secret shelved novel, and his neurotic dog. When Curtis wins the Pulitzer Prize, Tom's feelings of inadequacy go into free fall, but the laughs keep coming. Norman controls his complicated story and handles its chaos and plot twists with a steady, funny hand. Despite a heavy reliance on pop-culture references and some stock charactersâthe pompous writer, his tough agent, the trophy wifeâthis is a thoroughly entertaining, light but thoughtful read.
July 1, 2011
Tom Violet has a Pulitzer Prizewinning father, a soulless corporate job, some moderately embarrassing marital issues, an anxiety-ridden dog, and a gorgeous junior copywriter all competing for his attention. Conscious of his waning job security and all too aware of the authorial perks he's seen his father exploit for years, Tom decides that now is the time for action. In Domestic Violets, Norman explores the differences between academic and corporate life, along with the pleasures and disappointments unique to both communities. Tom Violet is a darkly comic protagonist possessed of a drolly morose internal dialogue and a charming disregard for corporate niceties. The supporting characters are remarkably well-drawn for being in such a snappy novel, and anyone who's ever hidden a half-written novel in a desk drawer will relate to Tom's prepublication anxieties. Reminiscent of Richard Russo's earlier work, Norman's refreshingly witty style is perfectly suited to articulating the trials of a middle-aged cynic. Wonderfully fast-paced, hilariously genuine, difficult to put down, Domestic Violets is an ideal first novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)