Mary Jane: A Novel

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Here in lies the fun of the novel, seeing this new lifestyle through the eyes of Mary Jane. It’s a coming-of-age story in that at the age of fourteen, Mary Jane is understanding that there are different ways of living. Delightful...Blau is a deft hand with comic juxtaposition and domestic fantasy. She keeps it light, she keeps it moving and she’s got terrific visuals...You can watch the movie in your mind. Lady Gaga as Sheba? I’m already casting it." — New York Times Book Review Gilbey, Ryan (May 7, 2007). "Take a crawl on the dark side". The New Statesman. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017 . Retrieved May 7, 2020. The 100 Greatest Movies, TV Shows, Albums, Books, Characters, Scenes, Episodes, Songs, Dresses, Music Videos, and Trends that Entertained Us over the Past 10 Years". Entertainment Weekly. No.1079/1080. December 11, 2009. pp.74–84. ASIN B00382WGUY. The fun starts when Dr. Cone takes on a famous patient that he needs to treat for drug addiction and sex addiction. Mary Jane knows her parents would not allow her to work in a home were a drug addict (oh no!) and a sex addict is being treated.

Blau’s intelligent, witty novel captures the essence of the ’70s with humor and immensely appealing characters. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review) Ms. Jessica Anya Blau, my new favorite author discovery of 2021 - after crazily enjoying her off-kilter earlier novels Wonder Bread Summer and The Trouble With Lexie - continues on her winning streak with the more down-to-earth coming-of-age story Mary Jane. Set during the carefree summer months of 1975 in the actual upper-middle class Baltimore suburb of Roland Park, we follow the title character - a mature but sheltered fourteen year-old hailing from a conservative household (she is an only child, and her middle-aged ultra-conservative parents are stiff, strict and exhaustingly formal in nature) - as she acquires her first real job as a teenager. The eccentric Cone family has moved into the neighborhood and they require a day-sitter for their precocious (but not cloying) five year-old daughter Izzy. Mary Jane gets said position, then finds out there is MUCH more to it . . . This book isn’t especially original; it’s just another tale about someone who discovers the joys to be found in embracing a carefree approach to life--or rather, it’s supposed to be. The story has a huge problem here, and it’s at the very core of that premise: Mary Jane discovers this joy via a really dysfunctional family. Mary Jane’s summer will broaden her horizons, and teach her many things beyond her still somewhat tenderly-sheltered years. Some of things she learns are ones she will never forget, and most likely she will wish she could forget some of them, but she will also find her own voice. a b Asidianya, Adadora (July 1, 2020). "Spider-Man: 10 Things We Should've Seen From Mary Jane In Into The Spider-Verse". CBR. Archived from the original on August 26, 2020 . Retrieved August 25, 2020.In my case- a daughter of Holocaust survivors and someone with many relatives killed- the “see” in that question can be replaced by “hear”. I had to do some research to understand my family history. I then wrote a novel based on that. I learnt the truth. In the Cone family, there was no such thing as containment. Feelings were splattered around the household with the intensity of a spraying fire house. I was terrified of what I might witness or hear tonight. But along with that terror, my fondness for the Cones only grew. To feel something was to feel alive. And to feel alive was starting to feel like love.’ The Cones are everything that Mary Jane's parents are not. They are loud, chaotic, unfettered free spirits. While Mary Jane's parents dictate every part of her life, Izzy has no rules and it seems that her parents would forget she existed if Izzy wasn't so clingy to anyone who will give her attention. Mary Jane brings structure and education to Izzy's life but without the coldness of her upbringing with her parents. Is it possible to come of age in a mere summer? For fourteen-year-old Mary Jane, the answer is a resounding yes. MARY JANE is that rare thing: An utterly charming, absurdly delightful novel that also makes you think deeply about the world around you. Jessica Anya Blau's clear-eyed wit reminded me of Curtis Sittenfeld and Laurie Colwin, and, of course, Jane Austen." — Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year

However, elements of her character were met with a mixed response. In his review of Spider-Man 3, Ryan Gilbey of the NewStatesman was critical of Dunst's character: "the film-makers couldn't come up with much for Mary Jane to do other than scream a lot". [23] Allie Gemmill of Bustle wrote in 2017 that the films portray Mary Jane as a constant damsel in distress and gave the illusion that she was defined primarily through the men in her life. [24] Conversely, Adadora Asidianya wrote that Mary Jane provides a voice of reason for Peter, whether as a friend or a love interest. [17] Robinson, Joanna; Gonzales, Dave; Edwards, Gavin (2023). MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios. Boni & Liveright. ISBN 978-1631497513. The Cones however are nothing like the Dillards nor do they fit into any box. Love is strewn about freely, something Mary Jane has never seen as she has never been told nor said I love you to anyone. When Dr. Cone, who is a Psychiatrist, takes on a special client and his wife for the summer, Mary Jane’s life becomes even more interesting. Together, this makeshift family bonds together, with Mary Jane becoming the central character. Sometime after Harry's funeral, Peter arrives at MJ's jazz club, and the two begin to mend their relationship, sharing a dance. [a] In other media [ edit ] Television [ edit ] Kubincanek, Emily (July 11, 2017). "The Cinematic Evolution of Spider-Man's Love Interests". Film School Rejects . Retrieved September 4, 2020.I was in the middle of the moment, the picture had been taken less than an hour ago, and already I felt the loss of time, the loss of this summer, the loss of this makeshift family. I supposed it was preemptive nostalgia, inoculating me for what was to come.’ The story is wonderful and compelling. I listened to the audible version and the narrator was magnificent with all the voices and exceptionally well with Mary Jane's.