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I Make Envy on Your Disco
Winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction
It’s the new millennium and the anxiety of midlife is creeping up on Sam Singer, a thirty-seven-year-old art advisor. Fed up with his partner and his life in New York, Sam flies to Berlin to attend a gallery opening. There he finds a once-divided city facing an identity crisis of its own. In Berlin the past is everywhere: the graffiti-stained streets, the candlelit cafés and techno clubs, the astonishing mash-up of architecture, monuments, and memorials.
A trip that begins in isolation evolves into one of deep connection and possibility. In an intensely concentrated series of days, Sam finds himself awash in the city, stretched in limbo between his own past and future—in nightclubs with Jeremy, a lonely wannabe DJ; navigating a flirtation with Kaspar, an East Berlin artist he meets at a café; and engaged in a budding relationship with Magda, the enigmatic and icy manager of Sam’s hotel, whom Sam finds himself drawn to, and determined to thaw. I Make Envy on Your Disco is at once a tribute to Berlin, a novel of longing and connection, and a coming-of-middle-age story about confronting the person you were and becoming the person you want to be.
It’s the new millennium and the anxiety of midlife is creeping up on Sam Singer, a thirty-seven-year-old art advisor. Fed up with his partner and his life in New York, Sam flies to Berlin to attend a gallery opening. There he finds a once-divided city facing an identity crisis of its own. In Berlin the past is everywhere: the graffiti-stained streets, the candlelit cafés and techno clubs, the astonishing mash-up of architecture, monuments, and memorials.
A trip that begins in isolation evolves into one of deep connection and possibility. In an intensely concentrated series of days, Sam finds himself awash in the city, stretched in limbo between his own past and future—in nightclubs with Jeremy, a lonely wannabe DJ; navigating a flirtation with Kaspar, an East Berlin artist he meets at a café; and engaged in a budding relationship with Magda, the enigmatic and icy manager of Sam’s hotel, whom Sam finds himself drawn to, and determined to thaw. I Make Envy on Your Disco is at once a tribute to Berlin, a novel of longing and connection, and a coming-of-middle-age story about confronting the person you were and becoming the person you want to be.
296 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2024
About the author
Eric Schnall
1 book9 followersEric has worked on and off Broadway as a producer and marketing director for more than twenty-five years. He won a Tony Award for the Broadway revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and a Lucille Lortel Award for Fleabag. He has also written about techno and electronic music for Billboard and Revolution, profiling DJs and musicians from around the world. Eric lives in New York City with his partner and his dog. I MAKE ENVY ON YOUR DISCO—winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction—is his first novel.
Instagram: @ericschnall
Instagram: @ericschnall
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 2, 2024
A fascinating travelogue about a gay man finding himself in Berlin, I really enjoyed the quiet introspection of the protagonist. I expected partying and queer debauchery but instead I got a very adult novel about a man at a crossroads, desperate for connection and yearning for meaning. I love reading about people in their late thirties trying to make sense of the lives they've built for themselves. I also just really want to go to Berlin now.
Dialogue heavy but the last half (once the characters gel) really worked for me. I wish we had gotten more of the mc's mother as well.
Dialogue heavy but the last half (once the characters gel) really worked for me. I wish we had gotten more of the mc's mother as well.
May 6, 2024
This was a wonderful and surprising gem of a novel, and possibly the best book I’ve read this year. Great characters, and a deep sense of place. It’s the kind of book that I’d like to give as a gift to friends. It’s a good choice for anyone who has ever taken their wounded selves to Europe, or dreamed of doing so, and gotten lost or found in the process. I read it very quickly until the last 40 pages, which I then parceled out because I wanted to stay in Berlin longer. Five stars. Loved it.
June 30, 2024
I loved this book! A total delight. Loved the characters and no doubt middle-aged NYer having midlife crisis in Berlin was easy to identify with lol.
May 26, 2024
Quite possibly one of my favourite books of all time. I LOVED IT!! Really didn’t want it to end, I feel like it will stay with me forever. Read on kindle! Purchased physical copy for my library!! I have now also added Berlin to my travel list..
Art dealer and life long New Yorker who can’t figure out his life jumps on a plane to Berlin. The trip begins in isolation but evolves into one of deep connection and possibility.
If it was possible I could give it more stars I would!! A must read!!
Art dealer and life long New Yorker who can’t figure out his life jumps on a plane to Berlin. The trip begins in isolation but evolves into one of deep connection and possibility.
If it was possible I could give it more stars I would!! A must read!!
July 14, 2024
"I Make Envy on Your Disco" is my favorite read of the year. The main character, Sam, in Berlin for the first time alone, is at a crossroads in his life, and his thoughts and actions are highly relatable to anyone (read everyone) whose ever reached a point where they need to decide what road their life will follow. Sam is surrounded by some of my favorite supporting characters in a long time, an unexpected group that quickly create a type of family for Sam. Each character is skillfully drawn and emotionally compelling--I frankly can't pick a favorite. Equally parts funny and touching, this is a book that has stuck with me, the kind of book that makes you think long after you close its pages. Schnall is a deft writer, who brings both his Berlin landscape and his characters alive. I've left wanting to visit Berlin and looking forward to hearing more from this talented debut writer, hopefully about Sam and co.
January 6, 2024
4 stars unique, interesting and kinda weird at points in the best way. Thanks for the ARC and my gosh I would recommend
June 4, 2024
I loved this book! It was such a fun read and I felt really connected to the characters. This is one of my favorite kind of books to read, where you are getting to know a few characters on a deep level by peeking into their lives at a given moment in time. I loved the choices to be in present tense despite it being set in the early 2000s.
June 4, 2024
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: It’s the new millennium and the anxiety of midlife is creeping up on Sam Singer, a thirty-seven-year-old art advisor. Fed up with his partner and his life in New York, Sam flies to Berlin to attend a gallery opening. There he finds a once-divided city facing an identity crisis of its own. In Berlin the past is everywhere: the graffiti-stained streets, the candlelit cafés and techno clubs, the astonishing mash-up of architecture, monuments, and memorials.
A trip that begins in isolation evolves into one of deep connection and possibility. In an intensely concentrated series of days, Sam finds himself awash in the city, stretched in limbo between his own past and future—in nightclubs with Jeremy, a lonely wannabe DJ; navigating a flirtation with Kaspar, an East Berlin artist he meets at a café; and engaged in a budding relationship with Magda, the enigmatic and icy manager of Sam’s hotel, whom Sam finds himself drawn to, and determined to thaw. I Make Envy on Your Disco is at once a tribute to Berlin, a novel of longing and connection, and a coming-of-middle-age story about confronting the person you were and becoming the person you want to be.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Sam's got a problem. He doesn't like his life much, right now at least, in no small part because his husband's got an itchy zipper, his career's reached the same-ol' same-ol' stage, and he's nudging forty...gay man's death. What better idea could a man in these dire straits have than to run away from home?
"Home" in New York City; he runs to Berlin on the rather flimsy pretext of an art opening...has this yutz heard of climate change and carbon footprints?!...in search of a path to the future. This reminded me of a very common trope in fiction, middlescence I call it in tribute to my old friend Juanice. She took the old-fashioned view that her husband was going to stray because he was reliving his adolescent horniness stage one last time, this time knowing what he was doing. Sam's a classic example of that middlescent man.
So was Less in the eponymous novel. I really disliked that novel.
The idea that one should run away from problems that absolutely won't fix themselves is an evergreen for novelists because it makes the narrative structure obvious and the stakes unambiguous. Your fish is out of water, your side characters write themselves. And the metaphorical journey/quest will never run out of steam. Okay, then there's the debut novel bit: Wise novelists spring from the acorns of the successful tropes past topiaried to order for their garden of prose.
This iteration of all the above uses the material to do what we hope for when we buy a relationship novel. It convinces the reader to invest in the characters, it affords us room to look at the ways and means Sam uses to escape as markers of solution, resolution, completion. Interestingly to me, this novel eschews the easy answers and instead makes us live in a real-life space of ambiguity.
Things end. Sometimes cleanly, without edges that could be kintsugi'd together. Mostly not, though. Mostly the Sam Singers and Lesses of the world do not get clean, fresh starts because that is exceedingly rare in life. There's a lot of charm in the kind of ending that spawns new beginnings. This book's stuffed full of those...though in my experience the new beginnings learned from travel are, of themselves, ephemeral. Their main value in my life has been to prove to me that new beginnings are possible. The intensity of Sam's connections to Jeremy the straight poet and Magda the stuck concierge bid fair to be short-lived; Kaspar the love interest, though, might be different. Might be.
The irony of seeking one's way forward in Berlin, that city resolutely planted in its pasts, isn't commented on in some arch or knowing way. That facet of the story's quietly acknowledged by Sam's attendance at the art opening that has as its topic what Germans now call "Östalgie", or nostalgia for the dear, dead days of two Berlins, two Germanys. The switch to capitalism was not smooth, and is not smoother now it seems. Culturally anyway that all collides hardest in the place that was defined by The Wall. My one and only trip to Berlin was pre-Wall fall, so I actually kind of get it. Nostalgia for how things were definitely communicates itself to those who were NOT there. Humans are weird and define "coolness" in very exlusionary ways. Sam, whose career is in the arts, gets this in his bones, since it's part and parcel of that world to exclude all but the wealthiest and most sophisticated. Those are overlapping but not identical groups; they are each quite exclusive, in every sense of the word, though not of each other.
So that's why I don't give the book five stars. I enjoyed the read. I like the characters. I really like the ambiguous ending. I don't care for the run-away-from-home trope. I ended up, mostly, not resonating with the way Sam drifted through Berlin "Östalgie" with what felt to me like very little curiosity. When an adult travels, but doesn't question the place and its history, I don't see why the author set the travel destination where they did. Author Schnall gave me a decent day's reading. That's great.
I would've liked to have been given an awakening of curiosity about Berlin, akin to the effect of The Sheltering Sky or even Death in Venice. Not, I hasten to assure you, a fault of craft on Schnall's part. More a lacuna between my expectation of a novel about a traveler to a place and what I got about the place.
I hope you'll try this debut novel out.
The Publisher Says: It’s the new millennium and the anxiety of midlife is creeping up on Sam Singer, a thirty-seven-year-old art advisor. Fed up with his partner and his life in New York, Sam flies to Berlin to attend a gallery opening. There he finds a once-divided city facing an identity crisis of its own. In Berlin the past is everywhere: the graffiti-stained streets, the candlelit cafés and techno clubs, the astonishing mash-up of architecture, monuments, and memorials.
A trip that begins in isolation evolves into one of deep connection and possibility. In an intensely concentrated series of days, Sam finds himself awash in the city, stretched in limbo between his own past and future—in nightclubs with Jeremy, a lonely wannabe DJ; navigating a flirtation with Kaspar, an East Berlin artist he meets at a café; and engaged in a budding relationship with Magda, the enigmatic and icy manager of Sam’s hotel, whom Sam finds himself drawn to, and determined to thaw. I Make Envy on Your Disco is at once a tribute to Berlin, a novel of longing and connection, and a coming-of-middle-age story about confronting the person you were and becoming the person you want to be.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Sam's got a problem. He doesn't like his life much, right now at least, in no small part because his husband's got an itchy zipper, his career's reached the same-ol' same-ol' stage, and he's nudging forty...gay man's death. What better idea could a man in these dire straits have than to run away from home?
"Home" in New York City; he runs to Berlin on the rather flimsy pretext of an art opening...has this yutz heard of climate change and carbon footprints?!...in search of a path to the future. This reminded me of a very common trope in fiction, middlescence I call it in tribute to my old friend Juanice. She took the old-fashioned view that her husband was going to stray because he was reliving his adolescent horniness stage one last time, this time knowing what he was doing. Sam's a classic example of that middlescent man.
So was Less in the eponymous novel. I really disliked that novel.
The idea that one should run away from problems that absolutely won't fix themselves is an evergreen for novelists because it makes the narrative structure obvious and the stakes unambiguous. Your fish is out of water, your side characters write themselves. And the metaphorical journey/quest will never run out of steam. Okay, then there's the debut novel bit: Wise novelists spring from the acorns of the successful tropes past topiaried to order for their garden of prose.
This iteration of all the above uses the material to do what we hope for when we buy a relationship novel. It convinces the reader to invest in the characters, it affords us room to look at the ways and means Sam uses to escape as markers of solution, resolution, completion. Interestingly to me, this novel eschews the easy answers and instead makes us live in a real-life space of ambiguity.
Things end. Sometimes cleanly, without edges that could be kintsugi'd together. Mostly not, though. Mostly the Sam Singers and Lesses of the world do not get clean, fresh starts because that is exceedingly rare in life. There's a lot of charm in the kind of ending that spawns new beginnings. This book's stuffed full of those...though in my experience the new beginnings learned from travel are, of themselves, ephemeral. Their main value in my life has been to prove to me that new beginnings are possible. The intensity of Sam's connections to Jeremy the straight poet and Magda the stuck concierge bid fair to be short-lived; Kaspar the love interest, though, might be different. Might be.
The irony of seeking one's way forward in Berlin, that city resolutely planted in its pasts, isn't commented on in some arch or knowing way. That facet of the story's quietly acknowledged by Sam's attendance at the art opening that has as its topic what Germans now call "Östalgie", or nostalgia for the dear, dead days of two Berlins, two Germanys. The switch to capitalism was not smooth, and is not smoother now it seems. Culturally anyway that all collides hardest in the place that was defined by The Wall. My one and only trip to Berlin was pre-Wall fall, so I actually kind of get it. Nostalgia for how things were definitely communicates itself to those who were NOT there. Humans are weird and define "coolness" in very exlusionary ways. Sam, whose career is in the arts, gets this in his bones, since it's part and parcel of that world to exclude all but the wealthiest and most sophisticated. Those are overlapping but not identical groups; they are each quite exclusive, in every sense of the word, though not of each other.
So that's why I don't give the book five stars. I enjoyed the read. I like the characters. I really like the ambiguous ending. I don't care for the run-away-from-home trope. I ended up, mostly, not resonating with the way Sam drifted through Berlin "Östalgie" with what felt to me like very little curiosity. When an adult travels, but doesn't question the place and its history, I don't see why the author set the travel destination where they did. Author Schnall gave me a decent day's reading. That's great.
I would've liked to have been given an awakening of curiosity about Berlin, akin to the effect of The Sheltering Sky or even Death in Venice. Not, I hasten to assure you, a fault of craft on Schnall's part. More a lacuna between my expectation of a novel about a traveler to a place and what I got about the place.
I hope you'll try this debut novel out.
July 25, 2024
Do you appreciate stories with a mixture of humor, introspection, and adventure?
Do you enjoy stories that involve travel and new experiences?
Have you ever tried to fo find clarity and perspective by stepping away from familiar surroundings?
Answered yes, read this book.
"I Make Envy of Your Disco" is a wonderful book filled with self-exploration and questions of identity. It captures the resolve, joy, and introspection we find when we travel to another city. Sometimes, in order to gain clarity and perspective on what is right in front of us, we need to step away from our familiar surroundings. This book beautifully illustrates that journey, showing how stepping away can lead to profound realizations and personal growth.
The protagonist's experiences are reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland" adventures (these are, perhaps a bit more grown up...), where each encounter and challenge leads to deeper self-discovery. The narrative is filled with relatable moments that resonated deeply with me - each chapter made me reflect on my own life... sometimes I smiled, sometimes I teared up, nostalgia creeping up my throat. For instance, this line struck me on my time in NYC, when I'd yearn to get away: "I don’t have time to think in New York. I don’t have ten minutes that aren’t interrupted by something. I can’t even walk the dog without having 6 random interactions on the elevator." In a big city, you thrive but you also crave peace and solitude.
The book also explores themes of aging and self-perception, “Every time I look in the mirror, I think I look older.” Not even my husband can convince me otherwise. These moments of introspection are what make the book so relatable and impactful. They invited me to ponder my own reflections on aging and how they perceive themselves over time. The protagonist’s journey of self-exploration is not just about the external adventures but also about the internal battles and realizations that come with growing older.
Despite the protagonist's journey, the ending remains ambiguous, which, frankly, mirrors how life works. Not everything is tied up neatly, and this open-ended conclusion left me wondering what's to come of my journey? Life is continuous filled with uncertainties and that finding all the answers is not always possible - what's possible is going out searching from them; find comfort in the journey itself. Buy the ticket, get out there and explore, and bring this book along for the ride.
Do you enjoy stories that involve travel and new experiences?
Have you ever tried to fo find clarity and perspective by stepping away from familiar surroundings?
Answered yes, read this book.
"I Make Envy of Your Disco" is a wonderful book filled with self-exploration and questions of identity. It captures the resolve, joy, and introspection we find when we travel to another city. Sometimes, in order to gain clarity and perspective on what is right in front of us, we need to step away from our familiar surroundings. This book beautifully illustrates that journey, showing how stepping away can lead to profound realizations and personal growth.
The protagonist's experiences are reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland" adventures (these are, perhaps a bit more grown up...), where each encounter and challenge leads to deeper self-discovery. The narrative is filled with relatable moments that resonated deeply with me - each chapter made me reflect on my own life... sometimes I smiled, sometimes I teared up, nostalgia creeping up my throat. For instance, this line struck me on my time in NYC, when I'd yearn to get away: "I don’t have time to think in New York. I don’t have ten minutes that aren’t interrupted by something. I can’t even walk the dog without having 6 random interactions on the elevator." In a big city, you thrive but you also crave peace and solitude.
The book also explores themes of aging and self-perception, “Every time I look in the mirror, I think I look older.” Not even my husband can convince me otherwise. These moments of introspection are what make the book so relatable and impactful. They invited me to ponder my own reflections on aging and how they perceive themselves over time. The protagonist’s journey of self-exploration is not just about the external adventures but also about the internal battles and realizations that come with growing older.
Despite the protagonist's journey, the ending remains ambiguous, which, frankly, mirrors how life works. Not everything is tied up neatly, and this open-ended conclusion left me wondering what's to come of my journey? Life is continuous filled with uncertainties and that finding all the answers is not always possible - what's possible is going out searching from them; find comfort in the journey itself. Buy the ticket, get out there and explore, and bring this book along for the ride.
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July 26, 2024Eric Schnall’s debut novel, “I Make Envy on Your Disco,” invites readers into the vibrant heart of Berlin — a city pulsating with history, art, and possibility. The book follows Sam Singer, a mid-30s art advisor who flees the monotony of his New York City life to attend a gallery opening in Berlin. What unfolds is a captivating exploration of identity, connection, and the transformative power of place.
Schnall creates a tapestry of emotions that envelop the reader, masterfully weaving together past and present. As Sam immerses himself in Berlin’s graffiti-stained streets, candlelit cafés, and techno clubs, we witness his personal evolution. The plot unfolds with deliberate pacing, allowing us to savor each moment — the flirtation with an East Berlin artist, the budding relationship with the enigmatic hotel manager, and the introspective moments that bridge Sam’s past and future. Schnall’s ability to balance tension and reflection keeps the reader engaged and eager to see what happens next.
The city of Berlin itself becomes a character. Schnall’s prose is evocative, painting vivid scenes that transport us to the city’s heart. Whether it’s the pulsing beat of a nightclub or quiet contemplation by the Spree River, the narrative style captures Berlin’s essence. The city’s dichotomy mirrors Sam’s own journey. The writing is both poetic and grounded, inviting readers to feel as if they have been physically transported to Berlin.
Sam Singer is a relatable protagonist. This is a man at the crossroads of midlife, seeking meaning and connection. His interactions with the other characters reveal layers of vulnerability, desire, and self-discovery. As relationships unfold, we feel Sam's aching and yearning. Schnall’s characters resonate long after the final page, leaving us pondering our own paths and the transformative encounters that shape us.
“I Make Envy on Your Disco” invites readers to face their own desires, embrace the unexpected, and find beauty in the spaces between. This novel is a celebration of Berlin’s soul and a testament to the power of storytelling.
Schnall creates a tapestry of emotions that envelop the reader, masterfully weaving together past and present. As Sam immerses himself in Berlin’s graffiti-stained streets, candlelit cafés, and techno clubs, we witness his personal evolution. The plot unfolds with deliberate pacing, allowing us to savor each moment — the flirtation with an East Berlin artist, the budding relationship with the enigmatic hotel manager, and the introspective moments that bridge Sam’s past and future. Schnall’s ability to balance tension and reflection keeps the reader engaged and eager to see what happens next.
The city of Berlin itself becomes a character. Schnall’s prose is evocative, painting vivid scenes that transport us to the city’s heart. Whether it’s the pulsing beat of a nightclub or quiet contemplation by the Spree River, the narrative style captures Berlin’s essence. The city’s dichotomy mirrors Sam’s own journey. The writing is both poetic and grounded, inviting readers to feel as if they have been physically transported to Berlin.
Sam Singer is a relatable protagonist. This is a man at the crossroads of midlife, seeking meaning and connection. His interactions with the other characters reveal layers of vulnerability, desire, and self-discovery. As relationships unfold, we feel Sam's aching and yearning. Schnall’s characters resonate long after the final page, leaving us pondering our own paths and the transformative encounters that shape us.
“I Make Envy on Your Disco” invites readers to face their own desires, embrace the unexpected, and find beauty in the spaces between. This novel is a celebration of Berlin’s soul and a testament to the power of storytelling.
April 25, 2024
Where does the time go? This is the question Sam Singer, 37, finds himself asking over and over when he steps out of his life into Berlin, the city perhaps best known for monumentalizing its past. Stationed in the arts district of Mitte, in the former East Berlin, Sam is headed to a show, aptly titled Immediate/Present, but known locally as “Ostalgie” —a neologism that means nostalgia for the East. Where will Sam wind up, in the present or forever looking back? Luckily for us, Sam’s colorful adventures in Berlin keep him (mostly) rooted in the present, eyes open, and we very happily get to go along for the ride. While the novel is, indeed, a love letter to Berlin, the city comes most alive in Sam’s encounters with the people he meets there, including Magda, a quirky and enigmatic hotel clerk who reminds Sam of how little he knows; Kaspar, a love interest and counterpoint to the husband with a wandering eye whom Sam left back home; and Jeremy, a quickly loveable, lonely young American expat, who challenges Sam to open himself to his adventure. The bromance between these two, gay and straight, is one of the highlights of the novel. The past may not be dead, and it may not even be the past. But in this charming, big-hearted novel, the demarcation line between past and present —like the scarred line left by the Berlin Wall— is a door to walk through to discover who Sam is and who he wants to be.
July 9, 2024
This is perhaps in the top 3 books I’ve read this year. I finished it stuck in Montreal airport for seven hours, crying as I read with an over-priced beer.
I think this book hits for me because I can see myself in our hero, Sam, and equally as much in his young counterpart, Jeremy. New York is fucking hard and, at this moment in time, I’m ready to run away from it. I have also been fortunate enough to have a love affair with Berlin, a city that feels alive in my memory and the pages of this book.
I think about my future all the time; the specters of marriage, kids, and life beyond my twenties as a gay man. This book offered very little answers to those questions. That’s probably why I liked it so much.
I think this book hits for me because I can see myself in our hero, Sam, and equally as much in his young counterpart, Jeremy. New York is fucking hard and, at this moment in time, I’m ready to run away from it. I have also been fortunate enough to have a love affair with Berlin, a city that feels alive in my memory and the pages of this book.
I think about my future all the time; the specters of marriage, kids, and life beyond my twenties as a gay man. This book offered very little answers to those questions. That’s probably why I liked it so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
A stunning ode to Berlin, to travel, to the intricacies and difficulties of long term relationships, and to the revelations found in new friends made while abroad. Sam experiences what a lot of us have experienced — that, when in a new, foreign place, you find your defenses down a bit and you’re able to forge incredibly strong bonds with virtual strangers in a matter of hours or days. Berlin gives Sam the chance to breathe, to grieve, to lash out and to reflect, and in many ways is as important a character in this story as is Magda, Kaspar, or Jeremy. I devoured this book in a single sitting, and I have no doubt that it will easily rank amongst my top reads of the year.
May 4, 2024
I loved this novel. It’s smart, funny, moving, quick, hopeful… The best word I have for it is delightful. I don’t know when I’ve used that word describing a novel, let alone one that would be considered literary. But I fell in love with each of Schnall’s characters, one after the next, as well as his fascinating Berlin. Honestly, I don’t quite know how he pulled off such a book, but he did, almost like a magic act. I also don’t know when I’ve had so much fun reading a novel. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
May 12, 2024
This is a really fantastic debut novel. I’ve never been to Berlin (other than in Bowie songs LOL) but now I feel as if I not only have a sense of having walked its streets but also understand its unique character, its weird mix of an insistent history coupled with an urge to be constantly new. And the story is told with such tenderness and insight. It’s hard to imagine one wouldn’t meet these people if you happened to stay in that hotel, or hang out in those clubs! Such a rich, deep, lovingly observed narrative. Couldn’t put it down because I came to care about the characters that much.
March 25, 2024
Nope! I ended up DNF’ing this after only 30 pages in. I was not engaged with the characters, I found the story to be very dry, and nothing turns me off more than when a writer puts in a smattering of foreign language without translation. I felt that the book was going to continue down this road without much of a payoff and wanted to save myself from the misery of it all.
I want to thank NetGalley for offering to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
I want to thank NetGalley for offering to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 18, 2024
My best guess at the translation of "I Make Envy on Your Disco" is "I'm jealous of your party"... but it took a long time to get there. The title intrigued me enough to read it though.
I found this book engaging at times but overall the plot dragged and Sam is a bit melancholy throughout. An art dealer and lifelong New Yorker who can't figure out his life and goes to Berlin for a gallery/exhibition opening. He mostly blows off work, which is where it gets interesting. Three stars for the lack of resolution on anything by the end.
Thank you to University of Nebraska Press for the ARC.
I found this book engaging at times but overall the plot dragged and Sam is a bit melancholy throughout. An art dealer and lifelong New Yorker who can't figure out his life and goes to Berlin for a gallery/exhibition opening. He mostly blows off work, which is where it gets interesting. Three stars for the lack of resolution on anything by the end.
Thank you to University of Nebraska Press for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
You'll wish you could go to Berlin and hang out with the smart, witty crew of this debut novel!
Schnall creates a wonderful ensemble to support protagonist Sam Singer's adventures in Berlin as he tries to make sense of his current travails back in New York. Sam's journey takes some unexpected turns as he makes friends with an eclectic cast of characters, including falling in love with Berlin itself. A fun, sharp, witty read!
Schnall creates a wonderful ensemble to support protagonist Sam Singer's adventures in Berlin as he tries to make sense of his current travails back in New York. Sam's journey takes some unexpected turns as he makes friends with an eclectic cast of characters, including falling in love with Berlin itself. A fun, sharp, witty read!
June 9, 2024
As a reader, this really sneaks up and charms you which perfectly mirrors Sam’s own journey as he finds himself falling in love with Berlin on a spontaneous trip.
A really strong rendering of place and time. From Berlin to New York. World War II, the Berlin Wall, to post 9-11 America. It is always swirling in this world in a gorgeous way.
Love the dialogue which really brings these characters to life in endearing and sharp ways.
A really strong rendering of place and time. From Berlin to New York. World War II, the Berlin Wall, to post 9-11 America. It is always swirling in this world in a gorgeous way.
Love the dialogue which really brings these characters to life in endearing and sharp ways.
July 28, 2024
What a lovely read! I didn't want it to end. The author's articulation of the heartache of middle-aged nostalgia for times, places, and a self that no longer exists is vivid, moving, and even at times laugh-out-loud funny. The delightful characters and meticulous imagery make you feel like you're truly experiencing Berlin with Sam, the main character, who I already miss. I hope more novels are in Mr. Schnall's future.
May 7, 2024
refreshingly candid, well-researched, and honest.
July 5, 2024
really loved the depiction of berlin. the style was a bit sparser than i prefer, but maybe he was trying to create a german atmosphere. there were some grammatical german errors that bugged me.
July 7, 2024
Lovely book. I really liked the characters and feel like I know Berlin already!
July 6, 2024
This book is all about the characters and the city of Berlin, and both are developed and described beautifully in this book. The story takes place shortly after the Berlin Wall falls, and it is about both the city and the main character, Samuel, finding themselves. Great novel! I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 17, 2024
If you've been to Berlin or you're a gay man 30+ I highly recommend this book. It resonates in a way that few books do and I highly recommend. I found myself enthralled by a Berlin that was blossoming into the Queer haven it is today. The author did an incredible job of making the uncertain years of a gay man come to life as he found himself in Berlin. It was a story of connection that I found purposeful and enlightening. Often times it's hard to find connection while traveling especially being a member of the LGBTQ+ community and this book captures the nuances and difficulties of travel. That may sound too deep but what it did bring into my life was a profound sense of self. I feel I knew his main character so well and it felt as if he was a life long friend.
June 20, 2024
an absolute gem of a book. so fun, vibrant, and deeply empathetic. what's crazy is that Sam and I have nothing in common demographic-wise (aside from being jaded New Yorkers loosely working in the arts), yet I feel so much for that poor cranky guy. i think it's because despite his confusion and sometimes questionable (but incredibly funny) recklessness, his compassion is so tangible (and his existential dread very relatable.) the relationships the author constructs between sam and the supporting characters are deeply touching, and i love how the way they add color to sam's character. his relationship with jeremy reveals his own inner demons, his relationship with magna the profound compassion beneath his whiny exterior, and his love for daniel, most of all, reveals the hope and resilience at the crux of his character. to me, i think what resonates most about sam's character is what magna describes as that sadness he carries with him, which at the end of the day is indicative of profound underlying kindness.
each character is portrayed so vibrantly that they always make me think, then laugh, then think some more. jeremy constantly made me lol (literally), and magna just seems like the most badass woman ever. ironically, though they're all stuck in their own ruts, jeremy, magna, and even (eventually) sam make me want to take more risks and live life to the fullest. i want this book to be a movie so bad!!!! i have such strong images of all the characters that i practically have my dream cast selected. (i'll spare you all my roster of candidates because i'm sure you'll have your own vivid image of each character as you read.)
i love the way the ending has already sparked so many conversations. it makes me consider all the "what if's," and what's cool is that at the end of the day, everyone's interpretation of the ending says so much about themself. i love how author doesn't force a happy ending, how the wistful, bittersweet undertones of the plot persist but not at the expense of hope. i rly believe in sam and daniel's love, that he'll make the decision that will leave him the most fulfilled (regardless of what it may be), and that his new freindships will continue to flourish.
each character is portrayed so vibrantly that they always make me think, then laugh, then think some more. jeremy constantly made me lol (literally), and magna just seems like the most badass woman ever. ironically, though they're all stuck in their own ruts, jeremy, magna, and even (eventually) sam make me want to take more risks and live life to the fullest. i want this book to be a movie so bad!!!! i have such strong images of all the characters that i practically have my dream cast selected. (i'll spare you all my roster of candidates because i'm sure you'll have your own vivid image of each character as you read.)
i love the way the ending has already sparked so many conversations. it makes me consider all the "what if's," and what's cool is that at the end of the day, everyone's interpretation of the ending says so much about themself. i love how author doesn't force a happy ending, how the wistful, bittersweet undertones of the plot persist but not at the expense of hope. i rly believe in sam and daniel's love, that he'll make the decision that will leave him the most fulfilled (regardless of what it may be), and that his new freindships will continue to flourish.
July 15, 2024
I think this could very quickly become some people's favorite book of the year. If you are a reader who really wants to feel as though they are living someone else's life, I think this is the perfect quick read. While reading, you feel every second of Sam's spontaneous trip to Berlin, both when it drags and when it seems hours go by in an instant. The author does a fantastic job of connecting with the reader by playing with the realities of everyday life - disconnection in long-term relationships, loneliness in a new city, mundane moments leading to life-altering epiphanies.
For the reader who's looking for that sort of "slice of life" style, this will be a homerun. I prefer a bit more escapism personally, so this wasn't my favorite; that said, I was still eager to keep reading and would definitely be interested in picking up Schnall's next work.
Thank you to University of Nebraska Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
For the reader who's looking for that sort of "slice of life" style, this will be a homerun. I prefer a bit more escapism personally, so this wasn't my favorite; that said, I was still eager to keep reading and would definitely be interested in picking up Schnall's next work.
Thank you to University of Nebraska Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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