ARA Review by RuthMitchell of Love in the Time of the Coronavirus

[RuthMitchell]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Love in the Time of the Coronavirus.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Love in the Time of the Coronavirus
by Victor Lana

The title Love in the Time of the Coronavirusby Victor Lana is an interesting play off of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s well-known book Love in the Time of Cholera. But that’s where the similarities end. The story takes place in a diverse Brooklyn neighborhood during the year 2020, and is written in the first person POV of the main character Vinny Russo, who grew up in the same house he is now living in.
This ‘slice of life’ or slow-burn tale details how the many neighbors interact and persevere in this strange time in history. I was curious to read it, knowing the New York City area was especially hard hit by the global pandemic.

Vinny, once living a flashy Wall Street existence, goes into a long-lasting mourning when his father dies while on the job as a New York Firefighter. He lets his hair grow, quits his job, disappoints his fiancé, and returns home to his Brooklyn neighborhood to live with his mother where the story begins.

We get a real sense of the isolation of the quarantine lifestyle, and while there is mention of bodies with no place to go, I never felt the horror of the real-life experience, the state of New York, and the rest of the country were experiencing.

A 35-year-old, single man, Vinny struggles with finding love, but he is rather passive about it and accepting of the complex situation.

We follow the ups and downs of the neighborhood, including the difficulties of the restauranteurs and shop owners. After being so careful not to expose his mother to the virus and going so far as to let it inhibit his relationships, Vinny’s mother succumbs to the disease and dies.

By then Vinny has found a love interest in Vermont. He packs up the house, sells it, and begins a new life with his girlfriend Daphne.

I recommend reading this book. I give this book a 4 out of 5 rating. There were many good things about it, but I found the dialog heavy at times, and the book could benefit from more editing.

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