No Matter How Much You Promise . . . : A Symphonic Novel

Rating:
Summary: Cool Book and whatnot
Review: A "Symphonic Novel"? Perhaps, if the symphony had been composed by PDQ Bach. About the only thing I'll remember about this book is its title. It is inconsistent in the quality of its prose. At times, it is almost poetic and spellbinding. At other times, however, it's very tedious and somewhat pompous and lecturing in its tone. A little more editing could have eliminated about 200 pages of unnecessary detail and dialogue.

Usually, when I finish a book, I like to sit and savor the experience. When I got to the end of this tome, I breathed a sign of relief that it was over. Oh well, that's about 10 hours of my life I'll never get back.

Rating:
Summary: an all-encompassing novel
Review: Edgardo Vega Yunque manages to cram an exorbitant amount of themes into No Matter How Much You Promise to Cook or Pay the Rent You Blew It Cauze Bill Bailey Ain't Never Coming Home Again. If you have a short attention span, then I wouldn't advise reading this book. Yunque jumps around a lot from chapter to chapter, talking about Billy Farrell for about thirty pages, then discussing Pop Butterworth's mom for thirty more. On the other hand, if you don't have a short attention span, then I would extremely advise you to pick up this novel. The topic of racism is intriguingly explored, specifically amongst the African-American and Puerto Rican communities. Billy's daughter Vidamia and her boyfriend Wyndell have some rather interesting conversations concerning the subject. Wyndell, who is black, accuses Vidamia of being ashamed of her heritage because she doesn't call herself "black", when she has a small percentage of African in her.
I feel that the conclusion of the story, taking place primarily in the third movement, was a fitting way for the novel to end. With the severity of Billy's problem, you could sense that something drastic was eventually going to happen. Further evidence of this is in the title of the book, specifically the part that says Billy Bailey Ain't Never Coming Home Again. This makes reference to the song "Bill Bailey", by Louie Armstrong, that contains the lyric "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey?" In this case, Bill Bailey is Billy Farrell, and Yunque answers the question in the title, saying he's never coming home again, foreshadowing that Billy would never fully recover from his war experience in Vietnam.
Also, I felt that it was interesting that the events of the conclusion reflected the events that first started Billy's depression. In the Vietnam War, Billy was essentially responsible for the death of his best friend Joey. In the third movement, it could be argued that Billy is once again somewhat responsible for the death of someone he cares about, in this case his daughter Fawn. Her body also suffers the same type of fatal wounds Joey's body suffered. This second devastating death would prove to be too much for Billy to withstand.
I generally liked the book, but I have questions to whether some of the material Yunque was too graphic and necessary for the novel. One chapter about the younger days of Billy's grandfather, Buck Sanderson, goes into detail about the sexual encounter between Buck and an older, married woman that he lives next to. About twenty pages into the chapter, I had to look up and make sure I was reading a novel and not Hustler magazine (I'm not complaining though, it was a very gripping chapter). I'm not sure what this information brings to the story, other than to establish Buck as some type of womanizer.
Overall, I had an enjoyable time reading this novel. With all of the different themes and directions Yunque took, it was hard for me to lose interest. Even now I wish I could continue to read more about the life of Vidamia and her family. When describing this book, the first phrase that comes to my mind is "all-encompassing."

Rating:
Summary: A Journey You'll Never Forget
Review: Edgardo Vega Yunqué's No Matter How Much You Promise to Cook or Pay the Rent You Blew It Cauze Bill Bailey Ain't Never Coming Home Again is incredible. Yunqué takes you through a series of generations of people of different ethnicity, background, lifestyles, mixed emotions and of course, music. In all the novels I have read, I have never experienced anything quite like this.

The author gently twists the story from being about a half Irish, half Puerto Rican girl, Vidamía who tries to seek out her father and fill a void in her life to unspeakable events. When she finally meets her father, she discovers he has a wife and a family with four children. Her father, Billy Farrell is often distant and in his own world, fading in and out of reality. He often sees the images of the war and his friend, Joey Santiago's death. Not only did the war leave significant mental scars but physical as well. After losing both his pinky and middle finger, he gives up all hope of ever playing the piano again. Despite the six years of lost time, Vidamía is determined to hear her father play the piano. She sees him come to life when he begins to practice.

This novel has surprisingly touched me on an emotional level, which rarely happens. Usually I can quickly remind myself that it is just a story, but the characters in this book were stunningly real. Elsa, Vidamía's mother warns her daughter not to get involved with Billy and even lies to her, telling her that Billy abandoned them when it was Elsa who asked him to leave. Her harshness toward her daughter was a way she dealt with her own pain. She realizes that she loved Billy and regretted losing her relationship with him. She was secretly jealous of the fact that Vidamía grew to love her stepmother, Lurleen and the rest of her father's family.

Yunqué's novel is by no means easy reading. Thinking back on certain passages it still brings tears to my eyes at the sheer thought of the pain that these characters went through. There are many different opinions on this novel and there is nothing wrong with that. However, I do not understand how this novel could be called "flat and one-dimensional" with all the themes that Yunqué touches on. Just listening to or reading the lyrics Yunqué provided in his novel is a dimension to be explored never mind the high emotional level of the novel.

I was so overwhelmed by the scene where Billy finally regains the memory he lost in Vietnam, the true story of why his friend was murdered and what led up to it. It was simply amazing and horrifying all at once. In the back of my mind I secretly wished that everything would work out, that it was not too late. This novel is a reminder that happiness can always be interrupted by tragedy and pain.

Rating:
Summary: An amazing symphony - if you can brave it!
Review: If you want to see the world from a different perspective, pick up this book and delve in today. I must admit the story is filled with such sadness and horror that I had difficulty making it to the ending, but as I had hoped the conclusion was filled with optimism and hope for the characters' futures.

The story follows the journey of a young girl named Vidamía Farrell, who is half Puerto Rican and half Irish, as she meets a father she has never known and discovers a family and identity she was completely unaware existed. Through her interaction with a number of characters with different backgrounds, and her interest in her own family lineage, Vidamía discovers a world view full of suffering and confusion, but one that is too real to deny. Another important character to the story is her father, Billy Farrell, who is physically and emotionally scarred from his experiences in Vietnam and the loss of his friend Joey Santiago. Billy struggles with his memories and guilt from the war and his inability to play jazz music as he once did.

In his novel, Edgardo Vega Yunqué jumps from one character to another through effortless connections, allowing the reader to see the thoughts of many different characters and hear their tales. These experiences shift from past to present and back again, creating a complete image of each person and all they have been through to make them who they are. Although these jumps tend to make the book seem scattered and at times confusing, the overall effect for the reader is worth the brief moments of confusion. Woven throughout the story is the theme of jazz music, which is used to express the sorrow of characters, to tell their stories, and help them recover from the traumas of the past. While I have never listened to a great deal of jazz music, the references to jazz in this book showed me the power of emotion that can be expressed through this channel and the struggles of the jazz musician.

After reflecting for several days and letting the scenes and characters settle in my mind, I realized that Yunqué had taken me on an amazing journey that dashed back and forth among characters, backwards and forwards in time, and from one perspective to another throughout the six hundred pages, ultimately teaching me a lesson in culture, diversity, and the suffering that none of us can escape in this life. Perhaps if the scenes had not been as powerful, this novel would not have moved me as it did and I now know the power contained within these pages will remain with me for a lifetime.

While I struggled to finish this book, worrying that the violent images would not allow me to sleep at night, the realization this book gave me was worth the struggle. It is clear that Yunqué planned for his book to have this effect on the reader. My own experiences perhaps helped me to have so much appreciation for this book. I grew up in a mostly white, wealthy suburban neighborhood, and there are many experiences that I have not lived through and many voices that I have not heard. There were very few Puerto Rican or African-American students in my school or neighborhood, and the only thing I knew about their struggles and culture is what I learned in school or saw on television. Since I began attending a university in Philadelphia, I feel I have gained a closer look into the lives of those who are different from me. Just today, I drove by several murals covering the sides of city buildings, dedicated to the lives of those African-Americans that have made an influence or simply faces that portray the struggles of everyday living. These murals brought me back to thinking about Yunqué's book, and the clarity it has given me in assessing such struggles. I have never been through many of the pains that others face, but through the characters in this novel I feel I have a much better understanding of the hardships others go through- a suffering that may be unique for each person, but is clearly present for everyone to face.

If you are ready for a shocking change in your own worldview, then pick up this book today. However, if you are not prepared to feel the pain of the characters and experience the hideous violence that these situations involve, then you should stay away from this book and its startling realities.

Rating:
Summary: An amazing symphony - if you can brave it!
Review: If you want to see the world from a different perspective, pick up this book and delve in today. I must admit the story is filled with such sadness and horror that I had difficulty making it to the ending, but as I had hoped the conclusion was filled with optimism and hope for the characters' futures.

The story follows the journey of a young girl named Vidamía Farrell, who is half Puerto Rican and half Irish, as she meets a father she has never known and discovers a family and identity she was completely unaware existed. Through her interaction with a number of characters with different backgrounds, and her interest in her own family lineage, Vidamía discovers a world view full of suffering and confusion, but one that is too real to deny. Another important character to the story is her father, Billy Farrell, who is physically and emotionally scarred from his experiences in Vietnam and the loss of his friend Joey Santiago. Billy struggles with his memories and guilt from the war and his inability to play jazz music as he once did.

In his novel, Edgardo Vega Yunqué jumps from one character to another through effortless connections, allowing the reader to see the thoughts of many different characters and hear their tales. These experiences shift from past to present and back again, creating a complete image of each person and all they have been through to make them who they are. Although these jumps tend to make the book seem scattered and at times confusing, the overall effect for the reader is worth the brief moments of confusion. Woven throughout the story is the theme of jazz music, which is used to express the sorrow of characters, to tell their stories, and help them recover from the traumas of the past. While I have never listened to a great deal of jazz music, the references to jazz in this book showed me the power of emotion that can be expressed through this channel and the struggles of the jazz musician.

After reflecting for several days and letting the scenes and characters settle in my mind, I realized that Yunqué had taken me on an amazing journey that dashed back and forth among characters, backwards and forwards in time, and from one perspective to another throughout the six hundred pages, ultimately teaching me a lesson in culture, diversity, and the suffering that none of us can escape in this life. Perhaps if the scenes had not been as powerful, this novel would not have moved me as it did and I now know the power contained within these pages will remain with me for a lifetime.

While I struggled to finish this book, worrying that the violent images would not allow me to sleep at night, the realization this book gave me was worth the struggle. It is clear that Yunqué planned for his book to have this effect on the reader. My own experiences perhaps helped me to have so much appreciation for this book. I grew up in a mostly white, wealthy suburban neighborhood, and there are many experiences that I have not lived through and many voices that I have not heard. There were very few Puerto Rican or African-American students in my school or neighborhood, and the only thing I knew about their struggles and culture is what I learned in school or saw on television. Since I began attending a university in Philadelphia, I feel I have gained a closer look into the lives of those who are different from me. Just today, I drove by several murals covering the sides of city buildings, dedicated to the lives of those African-Americans that have made an influence or simply faces that portray the struggles of everyday living. These murals brought me back to thinking about Yunqué's book, and the clarity it has given me in assessing such struggles. I have never been through many of the pains that others face, but through the characters in this novel I feel I have a much better understanding of the hardships others go through- a suffering that may be unique for each person, but is clearly present for everyone to face.

If you are ready for a shocking change in your own worldview, then pick up this book today. However, if you are not prepared to feel the pain of the characters and experience the hideous violence that these situations involve, then you should stay away from this book and its startling realities.

Rating:
Summary: A Nice Riff
Review: The overly-long title seems gimmicky, but Bill Bailey is never coming home again in this jazzy, satisfying, and touching novel about the joy of music and the pleasure of embracing all the races, colors, and influences that make us who we are.

Young Vidamia Farrell has just finished reading "Roots" decides that it's time to find her own. She lives with her mother and stepfather in an affluent New York suburb, and knows little of her father, a Vietnam vet who met her mother when he came to tell her about the death of his best friend, her brother Joey Santiago. Vidamia describes herself as American and soon be meeting a host of people of all colors, races, and backgrounds, all of whom have added their spice to make her who she is.

She's a girl from the suburbs, but she is not fazed when the first step on her quest takes her into a working-class Irish bar. Eduardo Vega Yunque gives his tale a twist with a little role reversal-her PhD mother and CPA stepdad are Puerto Rican, while the unconventional, spirited family she discovers on the Lower East Side are white. Her father, Billy Farrell, has married a Tennessee woman, and their tow-headed offspring talk like the neighborhood homies even though their favorite family outing is to play bluegrass in the subway. Billy was a talented jazz pianist before going to Vietnam, where he lost several fingers and gained a whopping case of post traumatic stress disorder. He is now afraid that touching a keyboard again will bring back the agony of losing his best friend and his fear that he was responsible for his death

The themes of race, region, class, family, and music-making are all embraced in this big-hearted book, which keeps up a lively beat throughout. Tunes are always playing in the background, and although "Bill Bailey" doesn't have the sensitivity to music of, say, Richard Powers' "The Time of Our Singing" or Frank Conroy's "Body & Soul" there is enough there to provide the story with a good soundtrack. The characters are well developed and appealing with the exception of Vidamia's mother; Elsa, who is too negative to be believable. Bill sings too long, but for the most part this is a novel of substance and pleasure.

Rating:
Summary: Look for other works by this gifted author.....
Review: The writer of the Publisher's Weekly review should be more thorough in their research before writing reviews. This is not Sr. Vega Yunque's "debut" novel. He has written and published, I believe at least two novels and at least one collection of stories and has published widely in journals/magazines. The man writes superbly and I was thrilled to finally have his beautiful book in print, after hearing so much about it. I'm furious with his publishers for the lack of promotion. Readings from this novel, which must have the longest title in publishing history, are quite special with actual jazz accompanyment. I believe that the publisher missed the boat when they failed to send the author out on a major book tour. It should be recognized, rewarded and READ.

Rating:
Summary: Look for other works by this gifted author.....
Review: The writer of the Publisher's Weekly review should be more thorough in their research before writing reviews. This is not Sr. Vega Yunque's "debut" novel. He has written and published, I believe at least two novels and at least one collection of stories and has published widely in journals/magazines. The man writes superbly and I was thrilled to finally have his beautiful book in print, after hearing so much about it. I'm furious with his publishers for the lack of promotion. Readings from this novel, which must have the longest title in publishing history, are quite special with actual jazz accompanyment. I believe that the publisher missed the boat when they failed to send the author out on a major book tour. It should be recognized, rewarded and READ.

Rating:
Summary: Zing! Went My Heartstrings
Review: To start with, I feel sorry for anyone who chooses not to read this novel based on some of the reviews posted about it. True, some of the scenes get to be a bit graphic at times, even uncomfortably so. Yet, for Yunque to have backed off would have robbed the reader of some vital touch of realness lacking in many authors, who are too chaste and concerned about what people will think to write what needs to be written. I find it ironic and more than a little sad to know that our society is one where we blithely glance over newspaper headlines of bombings and wars in foreign countries, as well as our own, and yet it is the subject matter of fictional novels which makes people rise up and shout: This is too much!

"No Matter How Much You Promise..." offers us a multifaceted view of the melting pot that is America. The novel, itself a fusion of ideas and sounds, ex-plores the connection between one girl and the Puerto Rican, American, Irish, and African American cultures which course through her veins. At times Vidamia seems invincible, armed with her goldcard (a 25,000 dollar limit) and her sassy P.R. attitude, but then a door opens for a moment and we catch a private glance of the struggle going on inside her.

Vital to the novel is the rich tradition of music that Yunque weaves into the story. From the Farrell family subway band, to Pop Butterworth's forgotten musical career, to Billy Farrell's own marred Jazz talent and more, music reaches into every aspect of the characters' lives. To read the novel without the accompaniment of the selections referred to within the story is like eating a sandwich without bread: you can still eat the contents without the bread, but obviously something is lacking. If nothing else, this novel should leave you with a greater appreciation for Jazz and related music.

The other draw to "No Matter How Much You Promise..." is the emotional rollercoaster that Yunque drags the reader onto. Personally, I was brought to a bout of weeping (as well as a night or two of subdued contemplation), the likes of which I have never experienced from a novel. I found Yunque's characterization of the 'Four Horsemen of Avenue B' as `a twisted quartet of perverted junior ex-ecutives of evil' to be horrifyingly perfect. There are no changes of heart or character here, they maintain their inherent evil all the way to the bitter (and I mean bitter) end. But don't be deterred by such emotional outbursts, as the story offers just as many high points as low. One section in particular will, if nothing else, crack a smile on your face, as Pop Butterworth harangues no one in particular with a wonderfully amusing (if not slightly blasphemous) sermon on the true account of the creation of man.

By the end of this novel, you will have wept with horror as well as with joy. You will never look at music, family, or yourself in the same way. While Yunque may get unnecessarily preachy at times, dealing with race, his symphonic narrative strives to touch your heart; and it does, over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Less IS More
Review: With all due respect for Mr. Yunque's attempts to tell musical stories, one must remember that most songs clock in under the 30 minute radar, and are proportionately engrossing. But a good beginning and certain good middle parts will not hold anyone's attention because of the inferiority of the other parts. So goes this story. Reading the unbound novel, I was somewhat gripped by the story, but jumped entire chapters and entire sections that seemed entirely needless. Case in point is the sex scene that dragged on for 20 plus pages between Buck Sanderson and an older woman. It really should and could have been 2 pages. Whereas some books truly do require 500 pages to tell their stories, it seems to me that Mr. Yunque took his eye off the ball on this one, rambling on into completey irrelevant tangents. He may as well have written detailed geneologies of each cat or dog that appeared in the story. I have always believed that more is less, be it in a song, or in a story. I admire Mr. Yunque's integrity with his passions, but wish he had pared this one down quite a bit, due to the fact that there is quite a gripping ending that is worth reading, but unfortunately might go unnapreciated due to the seemigly endless irrelevance before it. I understand the abysmal attention span of today's readers, but that is no excuse for needlessly long stories that DECREASE the power of each of Mr. Yunque's heartfelt characters. In the end, this is an even greater loss because the book lacks the pretentiousness of most "epic" stories, and certain segments do make wonderful reads. I am also somewhat dismayed that many reviews of this book make excuses for it's elasticity and internal offshoots. Mr. Yunque's talents should not serve to change the fact that this book was a nice try, but could have been far, far better.