Kiss the Sky, Farai Chideya’s debut novel, follows 30-something has-been indie rocker, turned TV music critic, Sophie Lee, as she struggles to overcome her demons and finally reach superstar status. When we meet Sophie, her band, Sky, is preparing for a benefit show that could catapult her back onto the rock scene. After stumbling upon mild success before drugs tore them apart, Sophie and her ex-husband/band mate/love of her life, are trying yet, again, to reach the mountaintop. Between Ari’s constant drug abuse, Sophie’s lack of confidence and incessant love for Ari, and the band’s scheming manager (who is also Sophie’s lover), Sky’s chance of stardom seems nearly impossible.
Chideya’s transports the reader to pre-9/11 New York City, describing the streets, the smells, and the attitude of the city before ever corner was dotted with Starbucks. Chideya allows Sophie’s blunt, vulnerable, and self-conscious voice to drive the story, leading us through her various neuroses, childhood scars, bad decisions, and her accent to success. Despite Sophie’s self-destructive habits, we find ourselves rooting for her to break through and become a bonafied rocks star.
Kiss the Sky is a fun, fast-paced novel that guides readers through the sex, drugs, and drama of the underground New York City rock scene. Pop in your favorite mix tape, and prepare to have a good time.
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Have you read, Kiss the Sky? (thoughts?)
What are you reading now?
What do you want to read next?
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Sounds interesting...
Anything based in NYC or having NYC as one of the characters in a book is a read for me, so I will definitely pick it up
I'm currently reading The Shack, by WM Paul Young and I intend to read I Love You, Now What? once I'm done.
I am reading Dr Dwayne Dwyer Excuses Be Gone! Harry Potter The Half Blood Prince, Anne Lamont Grace Eventually.
Gurl I have an ambitious summer reading list that I need to get to too!
I have read this book, and I expected to like it more than I did. I loved the subject matter and the diversity, but there was just too much dialogue, I think.
Or...maybe I just wasn't in the right mood and mindset. That happens sometimes.
I'm currently reading Netherland, Waiter Rant and starting Wife of the Gods.
Peggy: give it a shot! I read that book (the shack) for my Book Club. what do you think of it? i felt it was...redundant & i wanted to skip a lot. but that's just me.
Babz: Do you know i've never read a Harry Potter book? just never appealed to me. have seen the movies tho (on TV lol).
Toni: i feel you. the thing that almost ruined it for me was how WEAK Sophie was. like, the whole, i need to be married to this scum-bag just because I'm preggo, didn't make sense to me. but i guess that made me interact w/ the book, i FELT something for Sophie (not a connection, but i wanted her to smarten up).