reviewed from e-galley. (character-driven; 1950s Texas socialites with a touch of "Hollywood" glam)
I expected a bit more mystery, rather than a story that dwells mostly on the friendship between these two Joans. Their relationship is unusual, and has enough intriguing details (a possibly autistic toddler, a possible secret pregnancy, 1950s period elements) to keep me interested for a while but I tired of both characters by page 180. Not for me, but I think fans of DiSclafani's last book would probably enjoy this. ( )

There really isn't much for me to say about this book besides the fact that it was an okay book, but not one that I would recommend or read again. I think that the synopsis set this book up like a very big mystery, but in the end, everything fell flat. I thought the whole book just limped to the end where I wondered what in the world was I supposed to get out of this book.

Told in the first person by CeCe Buchanan, we have her reminiscing about how she came to meet her best friend in the world, Joan Fortier. Both women's first names are Joan, but when they are in the same grade school as children, the teacher promptly changes our narrator's name to CeCe (cause apparently this is something people do? I don't know. I thought that whole thing was weird. How do you go from a Joan to a CeCe?) and she doesn't even mind, because in her mind, Joan Fortier was born to be a Joan.

The hero worship that CeCe has for Joan is way over the line to unhealthy. Frankly I would have probably given the book more stars if we actually had CeCe learning a thing. But instead, we have CeCe in love with Joan and her parents. CeCe wishes for the life that being a Fortier would entail. And even for a time she gets to live with them and take the place of a runaway Joan.

We are subjected to CeCe's weirdness anytime someone says anything negative about Joan (mutual friends and her husband) and her jealousy if Joan doesn't talk to her and involve her with all things.

I thought the writing was fine, but nothing to really write home about. It got a bit too purple prose for me there in the end. The flow was a drag to the overall book though. I think because there was no good stopping place for anything, the book just kept going and going and going. I really wish that the author had included two POVs one from CeCe and one from Joan. There seemed to be a lot of resentment that Joan was storing up and there also seemed to be mysteries still left unsaid that I really couldn't wrap my head around. Pretty much the gist of the whole book read to me, poor little rich girls and I was ultimately not feeling it.

The setting of Texas in the 1950s does not come alive at all during this book. Maybe because most of the book takes place at clubs, homes, and in CeCe's bedroom? I don't know. There wasn't much there there for all of the commentary on this being about Texas socialites in the 1950s.

The book just kind of ends abruptly. I think readers are supposed to see CeCe as better off now. But instead the book as a whole left me to think that she's still broken and needs Joan way too much. ( )

While I really enjoyed the last book from this author, I found this book's plot overwrought and completely predictable. I love a woman friendship story and while it was intense, it wasn't particularly interesting. I'm surprised I finished it. ( )

I was in the mood for something from the past but within the last century & owing to a recent Daily Skimm reminder, I hit my TBR pile for The After Party. I bought it months ago because it sounded like something I'd enjoy but hadn't actually got round to reading it. I'm glad I now have done.

It's a tale of two Joans. One fair. One dunne. Both Texan, monied & destined to be touched by socialite worthy tragedy, but only one gets to keep the name. One is effectively renamed in kindergarten, Cece and Joan becomes her raison d'être for the next twenty years or so. No, really.

What follows is Cece's recounting of how the lives of Joan & Cece entwined and diverged until it's necessary endpoint. It was one heck of a compelling read. I was frustrated with Joan as I didn't know what was causing her seeming outlandish behavior (but the hints at something scandalous having happened abound) but we only get this story through Cece, who has her own problems. Just as infuriating & worrisome. At times I could see Cece being a true friend but just as often, if not more, I saw her cloying, obsessive manner as something else that I just can't name. Several times when she demands information from Joan or others about Joan, I yelled "It's not your damned business, Cece!" & then had to laugh at myself because I, in turn, felt like it wasn't my damned business either but that's exactly what kept me reading.

Cece crossed the line a lot but I also understood why she would be needy (not as needy as she was but I gave her some latitude). It was ironic to see Cece rail against Joan's cavalier attitude toward her when she was always, not just waiting in the wings but ready to take off at a moment's notice, when Cece treated her own husband the same way. Joan & Cece were alike in that they treated the person who loved them most like an afterthought because they knew they could. Not to spoil, but I also liked the way the story dealt with motherhood & attitudes of shame, especially in "keeping up with the Joneses" environs, surrounding children who are different from "the norm". Also worth noting is DiSclafani's well done portrayal of Cece, the one who never wanted to live anywhere else or know anyone else outside of the cloistered, gilded cage into which she was born & had so little interest in leaving she never at all learned about flying. She didn't even need the whole state of Texas. And Joan, the one who craved new places, experiences & people outside of that same cloistered, gilded cage but didn't realize no one had bothered to teach her how to fly & had surreptitiously had her wings clipped. I'm fairly sure, Joan would have been down with conquering additional planets if the opportunity presented itself.

Joan's scandal was pretty much what you'd think it would be given the time, place and social status here. Still it wasn't disappointing and was well done. The resolutions, while not entirely concrete still felt finished. The time and tone of this reminded me of [book:The Swans of Fifth Avenue|25279165] by Melanie Benjamin . If that was your kind of book mind meld, this also may well be. Recommended. ( )

Joy's review: Two girls with more money than sense become young women... they never do get much sense. Set in Rich Houston in the 50's and 60's, one is glamorous the other is the reliable friend. I never quite got why everyone admired the glamorous one or why old reliable followed her around like a puppy dog. Ms. Glamorous runs away to re-invent herself; Ms. Reliable settles down to be Mother and Wife. One of our book club members said this book could have been redeemed by an unhappy ending. I agree. ( )