* MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER READING SELECTION BY * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY * BUZZFEED * “In this intelligent, entertaining and elegantly written novel, James Gregor pulls off something many psychological novelists aspire to and few achieve: he convincingly captures the thinking of a character who earnestly sees himself as sympathetic, even as he behaves terribly.” —Adelle Waldman, author of The Love … —Adelle Waldman, author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.
“A book of deceptive ambitions, a breezy page-turner that, every few pages, slides in an observation that inspires some combination of laughter, mortification, and admiration. A witty and perceptive examination of contemporary social mores, you’ll tear through this tale of a thoroughly modern love triangle.” —Entertainment Weekly
“A charming, well-observed debut. Going Dutch is an incredibly fun read, even in its most tragic moments, when Richard is at his most infuriatingly resistant to change. I can’t wait to see what Gregor writes next.” —NPR
Exhausted by dead-end forays in the gay dating scene, surrounded constantly by friends but deeply lonely in New York City, and drifting into academic abyss, twenty-something graduate student Richard has plenty of sources of anxiety. But at the forefront is his crippling writer’s block, which threatens daily to derail his graduate funding and leave Richard poor, directionless, and desperately single.
Enter Anne: his brilliant classmate who offers to “help” Richard write his papers in exchange for his company, despite Richard’s fairly obvious sexual orientation. Still, he needs her help, and it doesn’t hurt that Anne has folded Richard into her abundant lifestyle. What begins as an initially transactional relationship blooms gradually into something more complex.
But then a one-swipe-stand with an attractive, successful lawyer named Blake becomes serious, and Richard suddenly finds himself unable to detach from Anne, entangled in her web of privilege, brilliance, and, oddly, her unabashed acceptance of Richard’s flaws. As the two relationships reach points of serious commitment, Richard soon finds himself on a romantic and existential collision course—one that brings about surprising revelations.
Going Dutch is an incisive portrait of relationships in an age of digital romantic abundance, but it’s also a heartfelt and humorous exploration of love and sexuality, and a poignant meditation on the things emotionally ravenous people seek from and do to each other. James Gregor announces himself with levity, and a fresh, exciting voice in his debut.
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Well, this story is…??? Going Dutch is deliberately infuriating on an epic level. Richard is the main character, and he’s just a dolt. He’s a grad student in NYC with a paper due so he can get paid, but he’s got writer’s block. Plus, his love life is in the toilet. He’s gay and can’t find a good man. Meanwhile, everyone else around him are happily dating, working, succeeding, etc. Money is no problem for them, yet Richard is broke. He’s not as pitiful as he seems, though. The woe is me yarn he’s spinning is starting to unravel. He’s not moving forward in life because that’s the choice he has made. Richard feeds off of pity and sympathy and whining. Not making a choice is what he’s chosen. A woman enters his life and saves him, theoretically speaking. She has money and spends on him. She helps him with writers block by writing it herself. She desperately needs his attention. Then a man enters Richard’s life via a dating app. He’s successful and interested. Basically, Richard uses these two people in any way he can to get as much as possible from them. It’s a love triangle kind of thing, and it’s not clear if Richard is gay or bisexual. I despise this character. He’s a self centered millennial with no morals. The writing is eloquent and lyrical. It’s so nicely done. I just wish it were in a different story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
In this intelligent, entertaining and elegantly written novel, James Gregor pulls off something many psychological novelists aspire to and few achieve: he convincingly captures the thinking of a character who earnestly sees himself as sympathetic, even as he behaves terribly. Without being intrusive, Gregor makes the reader see what his protagonist Richard can’t — the way unexamined shame and insecurity drive his actions (and non-actions). Never have I read a book where I so badly wanted the smart, well-meaning but benighted hero to get a good therapist, ideally one as insightful as the author himself.
Every once in a while a novel of simply unremitting goodness lands on your front porch and Going Dutch is one of the best of the best. James Gregor is a generous, funny, easy-going natural and this book sheds much light on how we live and love now.
Be it the horrors of online dating, the absurdity of academia, or the dicey interplay of gender and class, I’m convinced there’s nothing that escapes James Gregor’s attention. Going Dutch is more than an assured debut — it’s a novel packed with so much sly wisdom and charm that it’ll leave you reeling. I devoured this book, and you will too.
Going Dutch is my favorite kind of novel — smart, insightful, and brimming with sly humor. James Gregor explores the complexity of contemporary life with honesty and welcome cynicism, while still allowing for the possibility of love. This novel left me edified, entertained, and eagerly waiting to see what the author comes up with next.
Going Dutch is James Gregor’s first novel; therefore, I am generous with my rating of three stars. I fell in love with the premise of this book from the synopsis, but unfortunately for me, it fell short. Some will say that this book was well written and I will agree to a certain extent. My problem with Mr. Gregor’s writing was that at times it seemed forced. I felt that he was trying to use every unusual word he could from his vast vocabulary. However, it became stilted and tedious, and I found myself skimming to get past the third person haranguing.
The story in and of itself is a good one; gay millennials trying to survive the modern online dating scene to find “the one.” The problem for me was; there was not one main character I liked. Richard, our protagonist, is a thirty-something gay man pursuing his doctorate in medieval Italian literature, who has a severe case of writer’s block. I found him to be shallow, self-centered, whiney, and insipid character with no redeeming qualities.
Anne is a straight, affluent, wickedly astute doctoral student in medieval literature. Anne pursues Richard, knowing that he is gay, and does not return her feelings. Richard is in love with Patrick, a long-time friend, and fellow doctoral student, who does not return his romantic feelings. As readers, we are constantly subjected to Richard’s ramblings on how perfect Patrick is and how he is undeserving of Patrick’s friendship. Throughout the book, Richard puts up with anything and everything to keep their friendship intact. As Richard becomes more and more lost, he leads Anne on and begins a romantic-like relationship with her. Richard also slyly enlists Anne’s “help” with not only his writer’s block but also to subsidize his pathetic financial situation. Is Richard genuinely confused about his sexuality, is he using Anne or both? You will have to make that decision. If all of that’s not bad enough, he meets Blake, a successful lawyer, and starts a romantic relationship with him too. Richard is continually finding fault with both of his relationships. It seems that nothing can make this man happy. What these two seemingly intelligent people saw in Richard I have no idea.
There were a few parts of the book that I did appreciate. I enjoyed the intellectual, amusing, and suggestive banter between Patrick and Richard’s friends. That only happened when I could get past Richard’s whimpering about his life and how he felt they were all judging him. Also, I liked Anne’s two roommates; they were perfect and hysterical. My favorite part of the book was when the Blake, Anne, and Richard accidentally ended up going to lunch together, just priceless! In the end, I believe that only one person in this trio found what they desired.
***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***