Don't Make a Scene

by Valerie Block and Noelle Crooks

Book Overview

A witty, cinematic novel of unlikely true love from the author of the popularromantic comedy, Was It Something I Said? This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345461851
• ISBN13: 9780345461858
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Smart, Funny, and Informative

I just finished this book and I recommend it highly. It's so much fun to read. Block has a great knack for blending information with good storytelling. The use of classic and foreign films as a conceit for the unfolding relationships is delightful. As a Cuban American writer, I found Block's depictions of her Cuban characters (and the island's political situation) among the best I've ever read. Go get it. You'll love it. Rosa Lowinger, author Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub

Movies, love and real estate

In Don't make a scene (Ballantine Books, 2007), the talented Valerie Block combines the exact amounts of humor, social and political subtleties, and zest. It is also a smack in the face of preconceived ideas about love and relationships. The novel chronicles life in a city where streets are crowded, pedestrians pushy and rents higher than skyscrapers....but people still love it. Diane Kurasik, who has just received an eviction note, yearns to find a New York apartment where she would actually "want to live in." And that is not an easy task. But Diane is also in need of a husband, at least in her family and friend's opinions. They are constantly trying to hook her up with someone, from investment bankers to nephews of the nosey matchmakers. "I don't do nephews," the protagonist declares. Diane has divided men into two categories--generalists and specialists--but isn't ready for fall for any of them until she meets Vladimir, a married Cuban architect obsessed with Fidel Castro. Scenes of the hectic Manhattan life are intertwined with episodes in Havana and references to movies (some modern, some long-lost.) As the director of a cinémathèque, movies play a crucial role in Diane's life and dreams. Will her pursuits be crowned with a happy ending? Viewers' discretion advised. Teresa Dovalpage

Begins as chick lit but then gets much better.....

At first glance, Diane K., the main character, could be construed as something of a New York cliche -- the unattached woman searching for love, sort of. But what elevates this book -- aside from its witty writing (which is no small thing) -- is that this main character and the story are NOT cliches. The book takes a sharp and surprising turn when Vladimir, a Cuban ex-pat who absolutely loathes Castro, is introduced. Vladimir is simply a great character and he makes this book different. With Vladimir suddenly the reader is learning loads about Cuba and it's not the Cuba that one normally comes across. Instead, Vladimir talks with virtually everyone about the repression in Cuba and why he hates Castro so. He particularly dislikes the way Americans romanticize the despot. This makes for interesting reading and not something you come across in your typical Chick Lit book. When Vladimir's 17-year-old son apppears on the scene, the book grows even more and leads to its surprising ending. Aside from all of this, the novel is a great read for movie fans with its constant references to old films and the fact that the main character manages a film art house. This book is filled with surprises and well worth the read. The writing is terrific. Okay, shameless plug time: Nightmare in Napa: The Wine Country Murders (48 Hours Mystery) Tacoma Confidential: A True Story of Murder, Suicide, and a Police Chief's Secret Life (48 Hours Mystery)

Don't Make a Scene Should Be a Movie!

If Valerie Block keeps writing books as good as this one and None of Your Business, a previous novel, someone is going to make a movie based on one of them. Diane Kurasik, the protagonist of Don't Make a Scene, is a single woman approaching "the rapids of her 40th birthday" when she receives an eviction notice from her landlord. This is a terrible blow to a renter who must compete with other desperate souls for the scarce housing available in Manhattan. Diane is tossed from pillar to post as one promising housing solution after another falls through for one reason or another. In the meantime, she must continue to fulfill her duties as the manager of a Greenwich Village vintage cinema theatre. That situation is complicated when she falls romantically for the Cuban architect who is designing an addition to the theatre. Valerie Block is great at describing an interesting setting, populating it with fascinating characters and keeping readers interested. The ending to this offbeat romance is quite unexpected. Here's a bonus: Before reading this novel, my idea of Cuba was a place where people were reasonably happy with a benevolent dictator who had done great things for them. The Cuban escapees in Don't Make A Scene tell quite a different story! If you're interested in Cuba, the book is worth reading for those viewpoints alone.

Reviewed by Amy Lignor

Diane Kurasik is rapidly approaching her fortieth birthday. She is the director of a Greenwich Village revival house cinema and a single woman who is watching her friends give birth, marry, and divorce - even her niece is entering sixth grade - talk about mortality issues. She wonders if the "life lessons" that she was supposed to have learned by this age have truly eluded her for good. The Bedford Street Cinema, her home away from home, is a fantastic place to spend hours and hours in peace and quiet, reliving the on-screen gems that Hollywood produced once upon a time. The building that sits beside it has been donated to the Theatre so they can restore and add-on another screen to the historic landmark. In comes...Vladimir Padron, part of a construction/design team that is hired to do the job. Vladimir is strong, intelligent, and beyond interesting. He is a man who fled Cuba a decade earlier, leaving behind an estranged wife in Havana who will not grant him a divorce. In addition, the wife, who he has not seen in twelve years, has moved in with his family who desires and demands Vladimir's return. There are good characters that pop up in literature once in a while and Diane Kurasik is one of them. Not only is the romance that develops between her and Vladimir compelling, but the token "mysterious stranger" that shows up in this novel is dynamic and passionate. In a nutshell, movies are Diane's life. They show the world what we all want so badly for ourselves; a place where good guys win and every husband looks like Clark Gable, talks like Cary Grant, and waltzes you around the room like Fred Astaire. There is a "side" avenue in the story about Diane being evicted from her apartment because they are going to turn it into a high-rise. Her search for a good apartment within her price range is hysterical. She bounces from friend to friend and family member to family member. Her parents, who are both loving and supportive, are also constantly trying to see her married, so she leaves her childhood home quickly to "bunk" at her sister's house. I have to tell you the family dynamic is charming. I understand Diane. This is a hardworking, witty, and intelligent female. There are tidbits of sheer genius in the text like the paragraph where she gets a call from a friend who hasn't called her in months. She wonders to herself...if she just noticed that this person has completely broken off contact with her after six months...does she really care? Another wonderful moment is when Diane tries to remember when she reached the age of No - no smoking, no drinking, no blind dates, no fat - no thank you. (Fabulous lines.) The other star of this book is the unbeatable, fun, bizarre, and charming landscape of New York City. The West Village, the real estate market - every perfect street and imperfect sidewalk makes you want to travel to the East Coast as fast as possible. Sparkling dialogue, witty conversations, and great characters; there