Abigail Melchior's Reviews > The Apartment

"Slowly the objects took up residence in the place, as if the apartment itself were a living thing, lighting up with memories." (p.26)

Menendez's literary fiction novel reads like an interconnected collection of short stories. Each chapter explores the life of a different resident of Apartment 2B of The Helena in Miami Beach. From 1942 through 2012 the reader gets to know residents of different races, nationalities, and genders. Each one is dealing with their own very personal challenges that have brought them to 2B. They are all victims in some way. Victims of family members, or scorned lovers, victims of history, victims of political upheaval, victims of racism, victims of economic disparity or mental health struggles. They are suffering, but they are also fighting and trying to find hope within the walls of the apartment. They don't know each other and there's nothing that connect them but the place they have all called home. However, despite their differences they are all the same in their striving.

This is a wonderful story of place and apartment 2B is a character itself. It holds its own history and memories that carry the reader through the novel. Both readers and the characters can feel its presence in the story. Fans of literary fiction will sink into Menendez's powerful language-driven voice in this muscular writing. Despite spending only a chapter with each character, there is so much depth and interiority here. This was really a unique way to approach a novel and I was incredibly impressed with the skill of the author and the feeling I was left with at the end of this one.

I would absolutely recommend this to all literary fiction and short story readers. The paperback edition releases August 13th!

Thank you to Counterpoint for gifting me a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review.