It Was Gonna Be Like Paris
by Emily Listfield
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New York's East Village: a vibrant, decadent scene of young artists who emulate bohemian Paris of the 1920s. In this landscape populated by aspiring rock stars, addicts, Hell's Angels and misfits, eccentric spontaneity is a way of life. This is where Sara, a struggling painter, works, lives and loves. She hasn't made it yet, but she's confident that her talent will carry her through. Sometimes. Sometimes she thinks she's only fooling herself. Her ally is sardonic, witty Carrie, whose look is show more part Vogue model, part bag lady. Her undoing may be Brett, an irresistibly charming, fitfully romantic "trouble boy." A musician, he is by turns boyishly playful, surly, impetuous and thoroughly unreliable. Sara finds her love for him as addictive as the habit into which he slips more irrevocably every day. But release from her obsession is as elusive as art itself. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Sara is a young artist living in New York's East Village one summer. She's busy with her friends, parties, clubs and especially her unreliable boyfriend, Brett. Brett's nominally a musician, singing in a band, but mostly he's getting high, which doesn't leave a lot of room for Sara in his life. Sara knows this, but she can't help opening her door every time he knocks.
This novel is very much a product of the 1980s, in both the setting and in the way the book is structured. Written in brief segments, some only a sentence long, the novel presents itself as a series of snapshots, all from Sara's point of view. She ruminates over her life choices and her relationship with Brett, but never for long. She and her friends are reaching an age show more where their bohemian hand-to-mouth existence is losing its allure and they're losing faith that their art will propel them to fame. show less
This novel is very much a product of the 1980s, in both the setting and in the way the book is structured. Written in brief segments, some only a sentence long, the novel presents itself as a series of snapshots, all from Sara's point of view. She ruminates over her life choices and her relationship with Brett, but never for long. She and her friends are reaching an age show more where their bohemian hand-to-mouth existence is losing its allure and they're losing faith that their art will propel them to fame. show less
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Author Information
9+ Works 442 Members
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1984
- People/Characters
- Sara; Brett; Carrie; Gary
- Important places
- East Village, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA
- Dedication
- For my parents
- First words
- The hot club in New York that summer had a huge graffiti-like sign painted on one of its walls.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Well, we almost made it, Carrie says, as we climb down the fire escape.
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Statistics
- Members
- 38
- Popularity
- 766,173
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2




















































