“A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis,” by Irene Woodbury, surprises, enlightens and amuses; but it rarely fails to follow through with its promises. There is a thing in literary circles called “fulfilling the contract with the reader.” It means that the writer sets up certain expectations in the book, especially in the beginning. She gives the reader the impression that certain things will happen in the book and certain conflicts will be resolved. This helps the reader maintain interest in the book, to find out how it all pans out.
Woodbury sets up a whole slew of expectations at the outset of this book about Las Vegas and midlife confusion. She continues to add new subplots later in the story. The outcomes are pleasantly unpredictable, but after they occur, you realize how absolutely plausible they are.
Take for instance the scene where Wendy, the main character, is confronted by her husband Roger’s friend-girl who aspires to be something more. Wendy has extended a short trip to Las Vegas for months, leaving her newlywed husband behind in Texas. The girl, Lisa, bombards Wendy with tales of how her husband is suffering and needs his wife to come home or give him his freedom.
The clichéd response would be for Wendy, perhaps after some thought, to run back into Roger’s arms and live happily ever after. An alternate common fictional response would be for her to immediately divorce him and get it over with. Instead, she continues to have confused feelings for him and postpones a decision. All the while, she stays on in Vegas and keeps having the time of her life. In the final analysis, she learns more than she ever would any other way. It suits the story just right.
This is a story of late nights, flirtations and even fistfights. You never know what will happen the next time you touch the “next page” button on your eReader. The action is always hopping in this fast-paced ride. This also goes well with the darkly comedic voice of the first person narrator. Things happen. It is a fact of life. That does not mean that Wendy is not flabbergasted, appalled, tense or overjoyed along the way. Her responses to life in Las Vegas are endearing and often extremely funny.
“A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis” is filled with Las Vegas atmosphere. The setting is spread out like a feast. There are descriptions of shopping trips, Vegas shows, clubbing and dining that take place in the glitzy city. The author has obviously done her research on Vegas history, but that is just for a bit of added flavor. The meat of the setting is the rich descriptions of today’s Sin City, including casinos, clubs, restaurants and retail stores.
Woodbury nails the casino atmosphere as well, showing the differences between the older and newer casinos. She describes the gambling scene, with details about the blackjack, craps, roulette, and, of course, the slot machines. It is crazy and fun, and the author is not shy about pointing it all out. She touches on the darker side of the city, but never becomes mired in it.
There are many themes in “A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis.” Love, marriage, friendship and freedom are all integral parts of the story. One of the more interesting themes is the concept of levels of meaning. The author contrasts the superficiality of much of the Las Vegas lifestyle with the depth of emotion she sees in the people she knows.
“A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis” is very good at delivering on its promises. At the same time, the reader is not likely to guess very many outcomes ahead of time. It is the fake and flash of Las Vegas and the depth of human emotion all wrapped up into one package. It will not disappoint.
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