The View from Penthouse B

by Elinor Lipman

I don't think that I could love this novel any more than I do right now.  It is just that wonderful!

Penthouse B houses two sisters in Greenwich Village, both down on their luck.  Margot is the older sister, a victim of both Bernie Madoff (Ponzi scheme) and a cheating husband (who is now in prison for other shenanigans).  Gwen-Laura is the middle sister.  Two years after her husband's death, she is still a grieving widow.

At their sister Betsy's suggestion, Gwen-Laura moves in with Margot, and the fun begins.  While Margot adjusts to her new financial circumstances, Gwen-Laura attempts to move forward with her love life.  As in all Lipman novels, hilarity ensues.

Words cannot express how much I love this novel.  The setting is perfect, the characters are charming, the dialogue sparkles, and the plot amuses and satisfies.  I love the relationship between the sisters, and I really appreciate and admire the way Lipman paints a portrait of Gwen-Laura's marriage.  The scene in which she meets her husband, Edwin, is absolutely priceless.

I highly recommend this novel.  It may be my absolute favorite novel by Elinor Lipman.

3/5/14