Saturn's Return to New York

August 20, 2001
The protagonist of Gran's first novel is a young Manhattanite who works in publishing, dodges ex-boyfriends at parties, practices yoga and smokes the occasional cigarette. While this may suggest a certain urban singleton on the other side of the Atlantic, Gran, herself a New Yorker, offers instead a character who is not in search of the perfect man. Mary Forrest is finally coming of age. She lost her father when she was a young girl, and now that she's an adult, is making a conscientious effort to forge a better relationship with her mother, Evelyn, the aging founder of a prestigious literary magazine. For her 29th birthday, Mary's friend Chloe gives her a session with an astrologer, who tells her that when she reaches age 29, the planet Saturn returns to the same spot it was in when she was born, so it is now that she really becomes an adult. What this means for Mary is learning to love her job at Intelligentsia, an online bookseller, and to enjoy Evelyn's company. But she comes up against some resistance: at work, an obviously nutty colleague tries openly to steal Mary's job; on the family front, Evelyn is beginning to lose her memory and her mind. Gran has crafted an almost unbelievably strong character in Mary; her optimism and sturdy staying power are admirable. Although many of the book's New York publishing scenes may alienate readers who don't frequent the same circles, Gran has written a smart, discerning story that will appeal to readers seeking to break out of Bridget Jones tedium.

September 1, 2001
As a Christmas gift, Mary's best friend takes her to a psychic, a beautiful Indian woman with extra toes and fingers who tells Mary she's in for a tough year. When you turn 29, she explains, Saturn returns to where it was when you were born, precipitating the last, painful struggle before true adulthood. And Mary is indeed having a hard time: her mother, Evelyn, is sick, a recent spate of forgetfulness having turned into a full-fledged disease. Mary's parents were the founding editors of a popular New York literary review, so Mary grew up surrounded by the brightest literary talent. After years of working in publishing, she has finally settled into her current job at Intelligensia, an Amazon.com-like entity where she writes reviews. Whether it is Saturn's return or Evelyn's illness that forces Mary to reevaluate her life, the result is an entertaining first novel with a New York literary edge. Best of all, it is enjoyable without being cotton candy fluff. Recommended for public libraries. Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2001
Mary Forrest has just turned 29, and she knows it's going to be a big year. A trip to an astrologist reveals to Mary that her twenty-ninth year is the year of her "Saturn return," a fancy astrological term that means changes are coming to Mary's life. And the challenges are pouring in: an ambitious colleague wants Mary's job, an ex-boyfriend whom Mary never really got over has reappeared, and Mary's mother, Evelyn, the savvy editor of a respected literary magazine, is becoming more and more absentminded, and the doctors can't figure out why. Mary has never been close to her mother or recovered from the suicide of her father when she was seven. Suddenly Mary, who has floated from job to job, has to take charge of her life as her friends around her mature and her mother's condition deteriorates. Although novels about a young woman dealing with the impending loss of her mother are plentiful, Gran's straightforward, direct prose and her characterization of tough, difficult Mary are compelling and moving.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)