Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Dorfman's novel showcases an ensemble of characters whose lives are intertwined via their employment at a photography company, SmilePosts. Dorfman delivers a well-paced drama with nicely balanced storylines that converge in a gratifying manner.
Prose: Dorfman's storytelling is unique. The book begins and ends with a look at the narrator from a third person perspective. The bulk of the novel, however, is told from the perspective of the narrator, as he tells the stories of his coworkers. While the reader may need to adjust to this style at first, it ultimately serves the story and its characters well.
Originality: The most novel element of the reading experience will be readers' own simultaneous familiarity and unfamiliarity with the characters' line of work. While many readers will have a nostalgic connection to school picture day, they most likely haven't considered what happens at the office nor in the lives of the people taking these photos.
Character/Execution: Dorfman takes characters on a rollercoaster ride of experiences and emotions during this novel. And while the narrator, Blake, eventually reveals that most of the details of his coworkers' lives are conjecture, these stories have substantial character arcs, showcasing each person's growth, or lack thereof.
Date Submitted: April 04, 2023
"Dorfman offers a study of tenuous connections between several coworkers at a school-portrait company in this episodic novel.A man named Blake works for a company called SmilePosts, a company that takes official class photos for elementary schools. Readers meet him as he breaks down crying in front of a very confused fourth grader. This might not seem like the setup for a character-driven soap opera of epic proportions, but that’s what the work becomes. Blake remains as the narrator throughout, even as the book focuses on different SmilePosts employees in each of three sections, and there is a host of secondary characters that readers also get to know and love. Linda and Ed’s friendship crosses the line into an emotional affair; Linda is divorced and struggles with infertility, while Ed tries to convince himself that a stale marriage is worth it for the stability. Dana and Ethan’s brief romantic entanglement forces them both to grow up as her reality as a teenage mother clashes with his spoiled stoner persona. The narrator finally gets his own section in the last third of the book, in which Blake examines how his perpetual optimism in his early 20s is souring as he approaches 30. This self-reflection effectively piggybacks on the story of his growing friendship with fellow employee Josie and his attraction to another one of his coworkers, Hailey. As the book winds to a close, Blake has seemingly disclosed all of the twists and turns and secrets of his colleagues—but then he reveals a twist that may lead some readers to audibly gasp. Overall, this novel presents a series of compelling character sketches with wry humor and heartfelt revelations. Along the way, it also manages to tackle difficult topics with a surprising earnestness, including unwanted pregnancy, faith, and self-harm.An engaging and often lighthearted take on the nuances of relationships." —Kirkus Reviews
