Amy Sohn, a former editor for New York magazine, has authored a book that is pop-cultural, name-dropping and offers a scathing portrayal of urban mommies in a trendy Brooklyn neighborhood.
While there are all kinds of plotlines going on here, there is not a whole lot of substance to the book, so it moves along very quickly. Prospect Park West follows four well-to-do mothers and their sometimes intersecting dramas which unfold on the playgrounds and local food coop. I did not find any of the main characters, all women and mothers, either very likable or sympathetic, and that is a problem for me in reading fiction - I need someone to root for! The descriptions of the neighborhood and lifestyles are interesting but not enough to rescue the book as a whole.
On the other hand, if you are looking for something light and fluffy to read, this might be just what you are looking for. Personally, I would prefer something with a little more humor and more fleshed-out characters. While there are all kinds of plotlines going on here, there is not a whole lot of substance, so the book moves along very quickly. Fans of Sex in the City, The Devil Wears Prada or Nanny Diaries may enjoy this dishy novel.
