The Vixen: Book Review

The Vixen

By Francine Prose

My own copy

 I never read any of Ms. Prose's work before. That has all changed after reading the novel, The Vixen. I am so happy I read her novel. The Vixen is very different than anything I have read. The expected becomes the unexpected. I did not read the synopsis of the book. I had known it had something to do with the Rosenbergs, not exactly. But it is also about the culture and our society

.There is a backstory of the Rosenbergs. But, that's not all. 

It centralizes on the publishing world and the culture of the USA during the cold war era. Where cynism, and mistrust, and suspicions were running rampant. It is a novel full of surprises, and unexpected twists and turns throughout the novel. There is so much going on in the book. Nothing is what it seems. 

 Simon Putnam is living in Coney Island with his parents. Also throughout the novel, Simon keeps returning to the security of his parent's home. As the insecurity of his job, and outside life keeps having him return home.  Swimming through the novel is the undercurrent of politics, and fear of communism due to the trial of the Rosenbergs, Ethel, and Julius.  

 

Simon graduated from Harvard. He is looking for work with the help of his uncle. He gets his foot in the door. He is tasked with editing a steamy novel about the Rosenbergs. The publisher wants to get the book published as soon as possible. But the company has an ulterior motive for publishing. Nothing appears as it seems. Simon has a secret he can't let Warren, his boss, and anybody from his company know. His mother knows the Rosenbergs. 

In the meantime, Simon falls for the author, Anya Partridge the book he is editing for. Which complicates the situation.  She is a different type of woman he has ever encountered in his life.  She is lively, fun, reckless, and a seductress. She has a secret Simon doesn't know about. Which I am not going to reveal. Also the other characters he knows at his job, can he trust them? or not?  Are his colleagues telling the truth? Ordinary situations have evil circumstances. 

There are so many secrets and suspicions that parallel our society today.  But also asks questions about moral consciousness vs. ambitions. How far will you go? Will you ignore or will you blow the whistle?