The New York Times bestselling author, Susan Shapiro's twelfth book, What's Never Said, tackles the interminable question of romance gone awry. The plot line is familiar -- Lila, a young literature student in downtown Manhattan falls for her older professor, which leads to an unfurling of misunderstandings that culminate in the abrupt ending of their relationship without it ever having actually begun. The author's voice comes out in the form of her Sylvia Plath obsessed main character as she tries to piece together where she went wrong, an anxiety that resonates with anyone who has ever brushed up against love and lost it before it was theirs.
Shapiro does a flawless job at moving between the 1980's and the present day to demonstrate the stark contrast between our evolving physical bodies and external circumstances versus our stubborn eccentricities and insecurities. The ardor, frankness and honesty that emanates throughout Shapiro's writing makes you want to pick up a pen and pour out your past love transgressions over a glass of Lila's go to cocktail of rum and TaB. What's Never Said is a shrewd, convivial and percipient read that will make you shirk, smile and laugh out loud.
Shapiro is hosting a panel on the secrets of book publishing with author Judy Battalion at The Strand on January 15th at 7:00 pm - 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, 212.473.1452.
http://www.strandbooks.com/event/judy%2Dbatalion%2Dsue%2Dshapiro