3 stars--I liked the book. This novel is charming with some amusing observations, but uneven pacing and some truly dislikable characters kept me from loving it.

I wanted to like Ava, with her love of old literature and dreaminess about the past, but she was so self absorbed that she never realized what a jerk she was being to those around her. I was hoping Ava would grow out of it, but she never really does. And Stephanie was clearly written as a monster from page 1. It was hard to read about how she treated others.

The book dwells a lot on Ava's feelings for the first three quarters, which is a bit repetitive, but then rushes through the end, which was, in my opinion, the more interesting section.

Still, Ava's observations about modern male writers and artists (yes, I know, not all men) were funny and pertinent. I loved the Lazarus club setting. This is a very Millennial novel (which I don't mean as an insult! I know tone can be hard to read)--the plot and characters seem very firmly part of the Millennial generation's experiences.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

The Little Clan, a debut novel by Iris Cohen, was a juxtaposition of literary references of classic books and a very modern story of twenty something young people in modern day New York trying to define their path in life. Twenty something year old Ava is the librarian in residence at the Lazarus Club, a Manhattan arts club full of elderly residents living in a world of the past. She leads a quiet life there surrounded by her beloved books, until her college friend Stephanie turns up and talks Ava into starting a “literary” salon in some empty rooms there. What transpires is rather a modern day Great Gatsby story full of rather shallow people behaving badly and looking for happiness in all the wrong places. Some of the writing was beautifully done, but sadly, I found myself not liking any of the characters very much. Thank you Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC and for allowing me to review this book.

This novel follows a young woman with an old soul, lost in her own life, running while staying in the same place. Never leaving her comfort zone and never trying new things, she works in the library of the Lazarus club and lives in the apartments above. Her best friend Stephanie, ambitious and a little over the top, comes barreling back into Ava’s life one day and they decide (Stephanie decides and does everything) that they are going to open a literary club. Filled with Great Gatsby themes and the journey to self-discovery, getting out of ones comfort zone, this novel is a fun and thought-provoking read.
I was intrigued by Ava, the protagonist, at first. A lover of classic novels (only written by men), and a true introvert, she clashed with the back-drop of New York City life. I found Ava to be prudish, selfish, and a “better than thou” attitude. This, in no way, took away from the realism on the character but made it difficult to root for her.The overall story was beautifully written and laid out wonderfully.
The progression of the story and the way the writing flowed was very well done. The New York scene was an interesting setting that helped the story to progress in a fast-paced and chaotic manner. While there were parts of the story that dragged, the majority of the story had a natural and fun progression and it was an enjoyable and dynamic book.

I'm probably the lone wolf on this one, as I can see many others enjoying this one, but I wasn't able to finish it. It didn't grab me right away, nor hinted at getting interesting later to keep me reading. I was really looking forward to this one but was quite disappointed.

The Little Clan is a close look at a world I knew little about. It's a convergence of uniquely NYC people and places, old souls, and identity. It can be a little bleak but the supply of interesting details keeps it feeling real even as the plausibility of certain events seems stretched. I'd recommend.

I'm not a sympathetic reader of the angst of the young who face life with little ambition and lots of quirks. That is essentially this stony. A cloistered twenty something, Ava, is a librarian at the Lazarus Club, looking for love and a career path.

As she matures sexually, she becomes enmeshed in plans to set up a literary salon with her friend Stephanie. As their unrealistic plans fall apart and their future looks bleak, Ava must again go out and seek a clear path and identity.

Ava Gallagher is an old soul, she loves her job as librarian of the Lazarus Club, where the residents are octogenarian enjoy living in the past. Ava’s friend Stephanie thinks Ava is far too young at 25 to be spending all her time around elderly people and not living her dream of becoming a writer. To begin with, Stephanie wants to set up a literary salon at the club, but her ideas of what that will consist of differs greatly from what Stephanie has planned. This is a story for book lovers to immerse themselves in, I want to work at the Lazarus Club!