Standing Room Only: Two Years in New York City

Standing Room Only: Two Years in New York City by Sarah Protzman

Okay, so lately I’ve been having a mini New York obsession. (Happens to everyone, right?) It all started about a week ago, after getting back to my quiet, rural life from a two-day trip to see How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette on Broadway. Usually, I’m quite happy to live on the outskirts, away from the hustle and bustle of fast-paced city life. However, this time I found myself moping, missing the sights and sounds (but maybe not the smells) of city living. There’s just something about being in the center of all of that energy, surrounded by people with places to go and things to do. Naturally, seeking both comfort and empathy, I turned to books. I came across this title and it immediately caught my eye. How could I say no?

Standing Room Only: Two Years in New York City follows the life of Sarah Protzman, a 24-year-old ambitious blonde, who decides that she’s finally going to make her lifelong dream of living in the Big Apple come true. She sets off from her hometown of Colorado with a firm determination and motivation, despite having no place to live and no job waiting for her there. As she adjusts to big-time city living, big-time city spending and begins to pick up on the dating scene she is bombarded time after time with disheartening obstacles. Between being yelled at by her ill-tempered landlord and her eccentric, rarely-sober roommate rubbing her the wrong way it’s incredible that she can still find New York to be endearing. Nevertheless, even through the embarrassment, pain and heartbreak, she does and she realizes that she’s living her dream despite a few mishaps…and poorly placed banana peels.

This book took about a little over an hour to read but is one of those rare pieces that will stay with me forever. The quotes in this book were so genuine and hit me on such a personal level that I could relate to the entire story despite never having lived in a city nor on my own in my entire life. One of the best things about this book is the layout. What started out as a personal blog was transformed into a diary and then published so the pages flow together with a natural speed. I love that the author doesn’t harp on aimlessly or drag out certain scenarios to the point where you’re no longer interested, there’s something new constantly taking place so there’s no chance of the reader becoming bored or distracted. I also love the level of honesty portrayed throughout the pages. The author isn’t afraid to tell you exactly how she is feeling or admit to the fact that she’s made a mistake or two in the past. I found her incredibly funny, refreshing and easy to relate to especially when she breaks down on the subway whilst carrying her 40lb backpack of possessions. I wouldn’t hesitate to read anything by this author in the future and I may just have to make another trip back to the city that never sleeps through these pages in order to get my city fix. Until I can get back there in person, that is.

The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

The Turn of the Screw follows the life of a young unnamed governess as she makes an exciting journey to Bly House, the dreary property of an attractive yet equally distant and mysterious uncle who has employed her to govern his young niece Flora and nephew Miles. On the massive estate the governess is immediately taken with the uncle’s charm but her infatuation is somewhat crushed when she is informed, by the caretaker Mrs. Grose, that he is frequently away from Bly and that he prefers to handle business that way, in fact, he prefers to take a back-burner approach to anything that has to do with the children. Mrs. Grose also informs her that she’s not the first to fall in love with him, yet the previous governesses who were also so fond of him seem to have all mysteriously disappeared or suffered misfortunate fates. The children are introduced and are just as charming as their uncle but twice as affectionate and present. Yet, just when the governess seems to be enjoying her time at Bly and learning her place on the large estate strange noises and apparitions begin to stalk her. Frantic, she recounts these to Mrs. Grose who reluctantly admits that there were two previous employees, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, who worked on the estate that match the descriptions of the apparitions that have been haunting the governess. The governess begins to calm down, rationalizing that these employees must have come back, only to learn that they had both died years ago. As the loving behavior of the children begins to shift to mischievous and hurtful antics the governess begins to wonder if she’s simply going mad or if the ghosts of Bly house are purposely using everything she loves against her.  

  

I found this book incredibly hard to get into. I really had to focus (as in turn off all electronics, background noise and stare at it until it makes sense). The writing style is aged, old century lingo with the narrator constantly using run on sentences and injecting opposing ideas into the middle of them. There’s also the issue of, at some points, not knowing exactly who it is that is speaking, which made it even more difficult to follow the storyline. When I reached the middle of the story however, (almost 59% through my Kindle says) the plot pace quickened and became increasingly interesting (or perhaps that was just the excitement of being more than half-way done with the book). If you’re into that old century feel and can withstand the somewhat annoying and confusing dialogue then this just might be the book for you.