Miss Misery

September 26, 2005
The Spin
writer and author of the "emo" history Nothing Feels Good
aims for lighthearted social commentary amid a quasi-bildungsroman/ romance/mystery in his debut novel. Twenty-something Brooklyn-dweller David Gould is fixated on blogs, particularly one belonging to Cath Kennedy, the titular Miss Misery. David has a lost love and a book deadline to deal with, but instead he's reading strangers' misadventures and typing fictitious events into his own online diary. Then his alter ego takes human form and becomes king of the Lower East Side, claiming the real-life Cath, David's good reputation and several thousands of his dollars in the process. Snarky and decadent both online and off, Cath, Greenwald fitfully tries to persuade us, is really actually quite charming. The author does a better job of endearing us to Ashleigh, who reaches out to David from her cookie-cutter Utah suburb. While convincing characterization isn't Greenwald's strong suit, his prose is alive with description (though there are questionable moments: "The empty beer bottles and glasses that lined the tables... skipped and lurched with every downbeat, forcing them on a Bataan-style death march towards the floor"). David and Co.'s enthusiasm for New York is palpable and their knowledge of music extensive, which makes them good for a tour and a few chuckles.