Tess is likely more shocked than anyone that she’s just been hired by Howard to work in one of the most historic, upscale restaurants in New York City. She’s only just arrived, a fugitive from her lonely, motherless life, and barely figured out how to get herself to and from work, but she’s landed this new gig and she’s determined to make it. While she will always be considered “New Girl,” she will conquer this job, she will work her way into the complicated cliques of the staff, and she will learn the intricate business of tastes and flavors of both food and drink in which she is now immersed – that is, if it doesn’t do her in first.
This is a quintessential, early 2000’s New York novel. Some scenes are written with such gorgeous and gritty accuracy that you might think you’re watching a film rather than reading words on a page. As Tess is walking through some neighborhoods, we are privy to snapshots, details, that anyone who has ever walked these NY streets can absolutely relate to. And this feels necessary, as Tess herself is adjusting to the newness, the abrasiveness of the streets, and yet she gradually falls in love with it all. She loves the neighborhood bodega, where the owner gives her the medication she needs to get over the flu. She loves the Brooklyn Bridge, that literally helps her bridge her work and her home.
Unfortunately, the novel falls a bit short on plot, as Tess has a fairly linear spiraling course. There is repetition, yes, but there is likely intentionality in that, as that is the life of a server: the overworking, the exhaustion, the horrible hours. But there is also the predictability of the plot that is a bit disappointing. We can pretty much guess how things will go for her and her lust for her enigmatic bartender, and while there is something of a twist at the end, it does not come as a tremendous shock.
Overall, however, I think the writing wins out, making this a worthwhile read. I believe that it also gives us insight into the tremendous effort, study, and physical labor that is performed by those who bring us our meals when we dine out. And for that alone, it should be required reading for anyone considering how to tip.
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