The Comedown

A Novel

By: Rafael Frumkin

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

A dazzling epic that follows two very different families in Cleveland across generations, beginning with their patriarchs, who become irrevocably intertwined one fateful night

A blistering dark comedy, Rafael Frumkin's The Comedown is a romp across America, from the Kent State shootings to protest marches in Chicago to the Florida Everglades, that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time.

Scrappy, street smart drug dealer Reggie Marshall has never liked the simpering addict Leland Bloom-Mittwoch, which doesn’t stop Leland from looking up to Reggie with puppy-esque devotion. But when a drug deal goes dramatically, tragically wrong and a suitcase (which may or may not contain a quarter of a million dollars) disappears, the two men and their families become hopelessly entangled. It’s a mistake that sets in motion a series of events that are odd, captivating, suspenseful, and ultimately inevitable.

Both incendiary and earnest, The Comedown steadfastly catalogs the tangled messes the characters make of their lives, never losing sight of the beauty and power of each family member’s capacity for love, be it for money, drugs, or each other.

©2018 Rebekah Frumkin (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"So good, so fully realized and meticulously, skillfully rendered. . . . [Rafael] Frumkin can write. . . . A book about crests and troughs, highs and comedowns, joys and brutalities -- about how easily our lives are wrecked, but also how powerfully we're able to survive and rebuild." —Nathan Hill, The New York Times Book Review

"At its core, The Comedown is about relationships and the joy and pain they bring. In that realm, and others, it’s a resounding success." —The L.A. Review of Books

"It’s rare that a novel this smart is such an engrossing read...Frumkin is whip-smart and funny. The writing is compulsively readable without being pedestrian. Sentences seem to vibrate. . . A reminder of what good old-fashioned fiction can do." —The Millions

4.17 stars

I have the feeling that many people will give up on The Comedown too early. At first, it didn't grab my attention. There are many characters (some with the same name) and many plots and subplots, and the story jumps back and forth in time, so it can be a little confusing. However, after the first hour or so, I became invested and started to like it a lot more. I gave up on trying to keep track of years and dates and even some of the people. In the end, this was a good idea. I just listened to the story, and it was a good one. The Comedown is a bit complicated and takes time to unfold, and it seems like it could keep unfolding........Sequel? ......Prequel? I would buy it.

Overall rating: 4.17 stars

I want more

I really enjoyed this book. The way the storyline was delivered was unique and very interesting. The author gives you so much information and then not enough in the end.