Slapstick by Laura Mazzuca Toops is an excellent novel about
Hollywood in the 1920s. The story centers around Harold 'Hal' Gilbert,
a popular silent movie comedian. Talking films are becoming more and
more popular, and Hal is not moving with the times. His former partner,
Max Rudolph, tries to encourage him to see the light, but Hal's
insistent that 'talkies' are just a fad. The history between the two
men (from the previous book, The Latham Loop) is recalled in a tense
scene, and foreshadows the ending. Hal's struggle to stay true to
himself, and his art collides with his desire to stay relevant in the
movie industry, and leads us on a wild ride everywhere from speakeasys
to mental institutions.
This book was even better than the first, though I must warn
that it is definitely a three-Kleenex ending! Toops' characterization
is flawless, and her description of Hal's tour through the world of the
Depression was just amazing--small details made it truly real for the
reader. The ending was wonderful, and gives enough of an epilogue that
you know 'what happened after,' which is often left to the imagination.
A definite page-turner, and a book anyone will enjoy.
Kara Wolf
![[Slapstick]](slapstick.jpg)
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