August 14, 2007

Man-Eater

“The Great Man,” by Kate Christensen

Behind every great man is a great woman. At least that’s what they say.

In the case of the late bad-boy artist Oscar Feldman — ironically referenced in the title of Kate Christensen’s racy new novel, The Great Man — there’s way more than one.

In fact, the womanizing painter renowned for his female nudes had more great women behind him than most men could dream of (or deal with).

There’s his wealthy wife Abigail; his cranky lesbian sister Maxine; Teddy St. Cloud, his bohemian mistress (and mother of his twin daughters); her best friend Lila, secretly in love with Oscar for years; and handfuls of models who posed for him and ended up in his bed.

Now, with the great man in the great beyond, the ladies emerge from behind the scenes, face one another for the first time, and set the record straight.

The result may not be pretty, but the book is fast paced and fun.

As for Christensen, we have only great expectations.

Available online at amazon.com.