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Speak Now
“Perceptive, gritty, and compelling, this is an absorbing book that dives headfirst into issues facing recovering addicts . . . beautifully written and richly detailed.”— Library Journal
“ Speak Now is written with extraordinary skill, and is compulsively readable . . . an excellent novel.”— The Southampton Press
Clara Sverdlow has been stalked by Niko Kamenski, her high-school lover, for almost twenty years. A recently sober alcoholic in her mid thirties, she has found happiness in a tenuous new marriage to Mark, another recovering alcoholic. Yet the past lurks over them like a great shadow, always encroaching on their happiness.
Clara Sverdlow's father, Viktor, was a Russian political prisoner in Auschwitz. He was involved in the camp underground, helping to "organize" much-needed goods to help the prisoners. But he also worked on the train ramps and helped to guide thousands of innocent victims to the gas chambers. The guilt and horror Viktor still carries with him are part of his daughter Clara's natural composition, something she doesn't understand and yet accepts as one would a congenital illness. It shapes her every action, and is at the root of her every phobia. Mark has his own demons -- a brother dead from a drug overdose, and connections to his hometown heavies, which he can't seem to break free of.
Yet together they have found a tenuous grace. With a miracle baby, they are trying to forget the past and learn to live normally in the world. But Clara's stalker Niko Kamenski secretly insinuates himself upon their life, with disastrous consequences. Clara and Mark's only hope is to address the past, and confront the present situation before it's too late.
“ Speak Now is written with extraordinary skill, and is compulsively readable . . . an excellent novel.”— The Southampton Press
Clara Sverdlow has been stalked by Niko Kamenski, her high-school lover, for almost twenty years. A recently sober alcoholic in her mid thirties, she has found happiness in a tenuous new marriage to Mark, another recovering alcoholic. Yet the past lurks over them like a great shadow, always encroaching on their happiness.
Clara Sverdlow's father, Viktor, was a Russian political prisoner in Auschwitz. He was involved in the camp underground, helping to "organize" much-needed goods to help the prisoners. But he also worked on the train ramps and helped to guide thousands of innocent victims to the gas chambers. The guilt and horror Viktor still carries with him are part of his daughter Clara's natural composition, something she doesn't understand and yet accepts as one would a congenital illness. It shapes her every action, and is at the root of her every phobia. Mark has his own demons -- a brother dead from a drug overdose, and connections to his hometown heavies, which he can't seem to break free of.
Yet together they have found a tenuous grace. With a miracle baby, they are trying to forget the past and learn to live normally in the world. But Clara's stalker Niko Kamenski secretly insinuates himself upon their life, with disastrous consequences. Clara and Mark's only hope is to address the past, and confront the present situation before it's too late.
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Kaylie Jones
20 books43 followersKaylie was born in Paris, France and attended French schools until she returned with her family to the U.S. in 1974. Her father was the novelist James Jones.
Kaylie began to study Russian as her third language at age 8, and continued to study the language and literature through her four undergraduate years at Wesleyan University and her two years at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where she received her MFA in Writing.
Kylie Jones has published six books, the most recent a memoir, Lies My Mother Never Told Me. Her novel A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries was adapted as a Merchant Ivory film in 1998.
Jones has been teaching for more than twenty-five years, and is a faculty member in the Stony Brook Southampton MFA in Creative Writing & Literature program and in Wilkes University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. She is the author of Speak Now and the editor of Long Island Noir. Her newest endeavor is her publishing imprint with Akashic Books, Kaylie Jones Books.
Kaylie began to study Russian as her third language at age 8, and continued to study the language and literature through her four undergraduate years at Wesleyan University and her two years at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where she received her MFA in Writing.
Kylie Jones has published six books, the most recent a memoir, Lies My Mother Never Told Me. Her novel A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries was adapted as a Merchant Ivory film in 1998.
Jones has been teaching for more than twenty-five years, and is a faculty member in the Stony Brook Southampton MFA in Creative Writing & Literature program and in Wilkes University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. She is the author of Speak Now and the editor of Long Island Noir. Her newest endeavor is her publishing imprint with Akashic Books, Kaylie Jones Books.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 8, 2020
I somehow waited 16 years to read this book. Call it deferred satisfaction! I loved Celeste Ascending when I read it 16 years ago, bought Jones' next book, but just never felt it was the right time to dive in. I'm glad I finally opened it and took the ride because there are not many novelists who pull me in the way Kaylie Jones does. The narrative just goes smooth for me. I ended up finishing this book straight through in less than a day. There were disturbing elements about this one and I found myself wanting see more of the clash between Mark's new world and the guys in the old neighborhood.
November 28, 2011
very fast and entertaining novel from the 5 characters pov's, 1 per chapter sort of a thing. the idea is that our heroine, Clara, is all messed up because her parents are all messed up from being holocaust survivors, and Clara's high school boyfriend is all messed up because his polish immigrant parents are all messed up. then Clara meets Mark in re-hab and falls in love and has a baby, but the old hs boyfriend, Niko, has never stopped stalking her, and now Niko is rich from importing crank from mexico, so has time and money to REALLY stalk. i am not sure if the premise is valid, messed up parents make messed up children and the only way those kids can become 'normal' adults is to try really really hard and pray and do AA and have good luck. not sure about that, but very well written and great story and characters and descriptions of nyc, apartments, art studios, alpine california, apple orchards, old farm houses, burger stands.....i will read more Kaylie Jones.
August 19, 2008
Speak Now is a solid narrative about a woman who struggles with addiction, finds love with a fellow addict and is always seeking some kind of redemption.
A stalker from her past overshadows the book and eventually creates the penultimate moment. The latter part of the book is a bit predictable, which was disappointing as I didn't feel this way about Jones' writing for 3/4s of the book. A good read, not great.
A stalker from her past overshadows the book and eventually creates the penultimate moment. The latter part of the book is a bit predictable, which was disappointing as I didn't feel this way about Jones' writing for 3/4s of the book. A good read, not great.
January 22, 2008
At times, haunting and absorbing and full of life. It has some melodramatic moments, but I think that without the high drama, the book couldn't have successfully relayed a message. Maybe. Anyway, what's wrong with high drama? It is fiction. Worth reading, certainly.
July 31, 2010
A thrilling and passionate tale of how the past can affect the present- with horrifing results. Kaylie Jones has written another magnificent novel!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews