I often found myself laughing while reading this 1950s-era debut. I like Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel so was ready to like this novel too. It’s easy to compare the two, but in addition to the topic of female standup comedians, this novel is a more consequential coming-of-age novel about Franny Steinberg. It begins with her as a teenager, but most of the novel takes place during her twenties, just after World War II.

The novel focuses on gender, race, and sexuality – all from Franny’s point of view. These issues were in a state of flux during the 1950s. And things haven’t really changed that much today. So, in addition to being historical fiction, it’s a statement about how our culture addresses the LGBTQ+ community as well as antisemitism and racism towards Blacks.

Throughout the novel, Franny uses comedy to contend with the traumatic sexual assault she had experienced earlier. She learns a secret about a comedian’s trick of a “showstopper,” which earns the novel the label of magical realism. It’s not a lighthearted comedy, although there is much humor. Another serious topic was the treatment of Franny’s older brother’s PTSD from his World War II experience.

One of the best parts of the novel was the development of her relationships with the other women comedians. Another element that I liked was the way the plot comes together as the women plan a sting-like operation. Success hinges on everything going smoothly, and I was on the edge of my seat as the plan is executed.

In summary, this was a well-written novel that uses the topic of comedy to deal with serious issues. Many of the characters were memorable, and I’m looking forward to reading author Eden Robins' next book. ( )