YOU DON'T LOVE ME YET by Jonathan Lethem

This novel is no Motherless Brooklyn.  It’s a lot of froth and not much substance.  That said, I still enjoyed it, and the writing is excellent.  The main character is Lucinda, who mans a complaint line for an ex-lover as part of a conceptual artistic work.  She becomes infatuated with a frequent caller named Carl, after breaking up with charismatic Matthew for the umpteenth time and fortunately before he kidnaps an unhappy kangaroo and keeps him in the bathtub.  (How can that possibly lift the kangaroo’s spirits??)  Lucinda (bass player) and Matthew (lead singer) are half the membership of an alt rock band that also includes Denise (drummer) and Bedwin (guitar).  Bedwin is the band’s highly introverted but very talented songwriter, to whom Lucinda imparts some catchy phrases that she has picked up from Carl.  Bedwin turns Carl’s words into the band’s mot appealing songs, without knowing that Lucinda has pilfered the lyrics from Carl.  Obviously, the plot is pretty lightweight, and, although Lucinda is the soul of the book, Carl is the most elusive and most intriguing character.  He could probably carry his own novel, but then too much of his mystery would be revealed.  Just his slogans alone could make such a book worthwhile.  “Pour love on the broken places,” indeed.