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2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas: A Novel
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2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas: A Novel
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2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas: A Novel
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2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas: A Novel

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

An enchanting novel about one day in the lives of three unforgettable characters as they search for love, music, and hope on the snow-covered streets of Philadelphia

Madeleine Altimari is a smart-mouthed, rebellious nine-year-old who also happens to be an aspiring jazz singer. Still mourning the recent death of her mother, and caring for her grief-stricken father, she doesn't realize that on the eve of Christmas Eve she is about to have the most extraordinary day-and night-of her life. After bravely facing down mean-spirited classmates and rejection at school, Madeleine doggedly searches for Philadelphia's legendary jazz club The Cat's Pajamas, where she's determined to make her on-stage debut. On the same day, her fifth grade teacher Sarina Greene, who's just moved back to Philly after a divorce, is nervously looking forward to a dinner party that will reunite her with an old high school crush, afraid to hope that sparks might fly again. And across town at The Cat's Pajamas, club owner Lorca discovers that his beloved haunt may have to close forever, unless someone can find a way to quickly raise the $30,000 that would save it.

Together, Madeleine, Sarina, and Lorca will discover life's endless possibilities over the course of one magical night. A vivacious, charming and moving debut, 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas will capture your heart and have you laughing out loud.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 5, 2014
ISBN9780804192149
Unavailable
2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas: A Novel
Author

Marie-Helene Bertino

Marie-Helene Bertino is the author of Parakeet, 2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas, and the story collection Safe as Houses. She was the 2017 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellow in Cork, Ireland. She has received the O. Henry Prize, the Pushcart Prize, the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the Mississippi Review Prize, and fellowships from MacDowell, Sewanee, and New York City’s Center for Fiction, and her work has twice been featured on NPR’s Selected Shorts. She teaches creative writing at New York University and Yale University and lives in Brooklyn.

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Reviews for 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas

Rating: 3.5558376385786805 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

197 ratings52 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    There were a lot of things I loved about 2 A.M. At the Cat's Pajamas. The plot is what initially drew me to the book. It's one of those stories were lots of characters' lives intersect in unexpected ways. I liked that the author shared the perspectives of even minor characters connected to the story, because it made the world she was building feel more real to me. All of the main characters were quirky and flawed, unique and believable. I loved that Madeline wasn't your typical protagonist, but a child misbehaving in ways that made sense given her circumstances. None of the other characters were likeable in a typical way either, all of them with definite flaws, but the author managed to make me sympathize with all of them anyway. The writing was beautiful and descriptive and occasionally a little jazzy. It sometimes became poetic enough I wasn't sure what the author was describing, but that was rare.

    The magical realism was something I was excited for, but surprisingly ended up being my least favorite part of the book. There were only three times I noticed anything magical going on. Two of the three times, the magic behaved in believably similar ways but one of the effects of the magic didn't seem internally consistent to me. Only one of the three magical occurrences had any effect on the plot. The book ended with the biggest display of magical realism in the book. In theory, this should have been a fantastic, climactic ending. However, the magical realism only affected a relatively minor character who I didn't think needed much help and left the major plots less resolved than I would have liked. Up until the ending, this was easily a four star read for me, but the ending really let me down.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Delightful and deceptively simple story with multiple characters in Philly on the day before Xmas Eve all leading up to a significant performance at 2 in the morning at the beleaguered Cat's Pajamas jazz club. Such a light touch but enough emotional weight to leave me wanting more. Brava.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderfu!l
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I wanted to love 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas but it fell a bit short for me. I liked it enough to keep reading, though I didn't feel especially moved. The writing was good enough to keep me engaged but the very, very end just lost me.

    What I did enjoy was how Bertino was able to connect the many characters together. Not that they were particularly like-able, the three major characters were unconventional and had their own personal stories happening within the pages. You've got a sad but sassy nine year old girl who smokes, sings and curses; a too-nice teacher who has a vulnerable heart and a disheveled bar owner who is on the brink of losing it all. How these characters weave in out out of each other's lives and the interactions with the minor characters on a Christmas Eve, Eve makes for a promising story.

    I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy and quick read. The author's style is fun and quirky, definitely worth experiencing.

    I received this book from Blogging for Books to review.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I couldn't really follow the plot. Perhaps I should have read it instead but it offered me nothing of interest (to me) to hold on to.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a charming, delightful novel. I was prepared to feel lukewarm about this one because I didn't really know what it was about, and sometimes "precocious" protagonists annoy me. But I was completely wrong!

    The writing is very poetic and the pacing is cadenced (I guess that's the write word; perhaps I made that up). It's a quick read, and I wish there had been more of it. It's a sweet, uplifting story with just a touch of magic.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I, too, really wanted to like this book, but it just seemed to meander along until I really didn't care about the people in it. I abandoned it after about 6 or 7 chapters. I'm happy that others liked it, but the book just wasn't my kind of book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    fiction (adult). Complex characters and intriguing storylines--I just wish it'd gone through another editor--one or two poorly written sentences/paragraphs can really detract from an otherwise great book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed the rhythm and textures of this book. Some of the characters were more interesting than others, and there were a few clunky moments when the style suddenly changed, but like an improvised jazz solo, it happens. The little girl was definitely my favorite character.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wish I could remember who recommended this book to me - I would no longer take reading recommendations from them. Too cutesy and way too many characters. Like if you crossed Love Actually with Amelie. Maybe better as a holiday feel-good movie that I could turn off 15 minutes into it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book defies category and description. I don't even know how to begin to review it. It's rather amusing - I've mentioned before that I take my books for review as they come to me and some have been in my calendar for months and some have only been listed for a couple of weeks and yet they still manage to align in a weird order of similar books in a row! This is one of three back to back that defy genre.Madeline is a 9 year old girl living with a father so overcome with grief at the loss of his wife that he does not leave his bed not caring that Madeline has also lost her mother. She is left to live in a house full of roaches and only thanks to the care of the neighbors does she survive. Her mother was a jazz singer and Madeline longs to follow in her footsteps and she is determined to sing!The story opens on Christmas Eve eve and Madeline might just get her chance to sing thanks to a horrible accident but it does not come to pass. Her teacher tries to nurture her a bit but she is newly divorced and back in her hometown and feeling a bit insecure.Madeline learns of a jazz club, The Cat's Pajamas and she also finds out that her mother once sang there! She is determined that she will sing on its stage - no matter that she is 9, no matter that she has to cross the city. She doesn't care - she is going to sing!There is more. A LOT more but it's better you find it out for yourself. This is probably the strangest book I've ever read. I think that much of it went right over my head, the ending included (no pun intended.) It's a book that needs a second or even third reading I suspect to fully and completely understand what is going on. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy it because I did. It was a refreshing change from the ordinary.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was surprisingly good! Very entertaining. I thought this was a middle grade book but I was dead wrong. I loved how this book not only follows Madelyn but other characters in this as well. I liked how these characters weren’t perfect and were to the point that you can relate to at least one of the them.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a charming story to read on Christmas Eve.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Marie-Helene Bertino writes in a very vivid style, just like the way her characters go through life.

    Madeleine Altimari has a voice that stops people in their tracks when she belts out jazz tunes. All she wants is a chance to sing in the legendary jazz club, The Cat's Pajamas. The problem is her age - nine-years-old is a bit young to be in a bar.

    Sarina Green, recently back in Philly fresh from a divorce. Teaching fifth grade for a living and learning to live alone, wondering if she will meet the right guy again.

    Jack Francis Lorca gets hit with a $30,000 bill and the fact that his beloved Cat's Pajamas may have to shutter it's doors if the bill isn't paid.

    What events occur to these three people on Christmas Eve Eve that causes their paths to cross? And what is the final outcome that will impact their lives forever? A magical night that weaves its spell around these three people while they are searching for what they hope to find.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a quirky but fun read, led by a young protagonist who is so unlikable, you cannot help but root for her. Music, love and life all blend together with lyrical prose to make a charming story come to life.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I first heard good things about this book from one of my favorite bloggers. She had high praise for it. I had the time and the chance to listen to this book and I am happy I did listen to it. I found a few places in this book a little confusing, but that might of been my fault for not listening carefully. I enjoyed the characters a lot. I also enjoyed that you had to hear each characters story to get the complete picture. The author's writing style is not "cookie-cutter." I am glad I took the time to read this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I want to write a review of this but I have already returned the book. I find that I do a better job of reviewing when I have to book in my hands, not just to check facts but to have the spirit of the book near me. Here goes nothing...
    2 A.M. at the cat's pajamas was very fun to read. Madeleine is a terrific leading lady who I want to hear more about (she is only nine so there is time to check in again). The language is bright and interesting (now is the time I want to book for fact checking).
    I search out books about music and this one did not disappoint.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    3.5. Charming and lived the premise. The author tries a bit too hard it places and it becomes kitsch, but mainly appeals to the quirky. Fun and creative.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In the course of a single day, we are treated to an insight into the lives of a 10 year old who just wants to sing jazz, a teacher who meets her old high school prom date, a father who has fallen into deep depression following the loss of his wife, and the owner of the Cat's Pajamas who finds himself at risk of losing his club and his son. Everything comes to a head at the Cat's Pajamas at 2 a.m. and the lives of these individuals will change. Entertaining and a jolly good read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Here's the picture. A little girl, almost 10, standing in front of a tall mirror, trying on lipstick, singing to old jazz singer records and grading herself, with a clothes pin on her nose. Why? Because she wants to be a jazz singer like her mother. Oh, the clothes pin? You have to read to get that. Some treats need to be found by themselves. I like the little girl and the Cat's Pajamas, a small jazz club, and the people directly connected with both. So, what's with a jazz club, a minor child and Christmas Eve? Clothes pins aren't the only treats hereabouts.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Over the course on one day - the eve of Christmas Eve - three stories intertwine. Nine-year-old Madeleine Altimari, who has recently lost her mother, not only dreams of becoming a jazz singer. She takes action to make her dream a reality. Her teacher, Sarina Greene, is recently divorced and about to cross paths with an old high school boyfriend. And the owner of the jazz club, The Cat's Pajamas, is on the brink of losing the club that is the center of his life. The storylines unfold as the day ticks away. The writing in this book is smart and funny, and the characters are the kind that you love to root for. (Madeleine was definitely my favorite.) This book has a slightly different voice than others I've read lately. At first, it seemed like it belonged to another era, although it is set near present day. But eventually, I came to realize that it was the voice of urban Philadelphia that was setting this book apart. The city becomes another character, an integral part of the story. All in all, a very enjoyable read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The city of brotherly love is my hometown. Christmas Eve in Philly brings magic together in the lives of 3 lonely people. An offbeat nine year old beats it to The Cat's Pajamas club to pursue her dream of playing jazz. As J.J. Johnson once said, "Jazz is restless. It won't stay put and never will." Madeleine has a song in her heart, just like her mom and it will come out. Quirky, hip, and hot is the lingo here, just like a jazz improvisation. Hurrah for Ms. Bertino, I was charmed and taken back to the land of the cheese steak. My thanks to the author and The Reading Room for a complimentary copy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Composed like a song with a central melody and harmonies weaving in and out plus solo spotlight moments for each of the members in the band, 2 a. m. at the Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino mimics the jazz that is so central to its story. Nine year old Madeleine Altimari is the central melody. Her jazz singer mother recently died of cancer, leaving her father so wrapped in his own grief that he not only completely retreats to his room and withdraws from life as entirely as possible while still living but he needs Madeleine to take care of him rather than the other way around. So Madeleine is left to her own devices with only the help of the extensive cast of neighborhood friends who promised her mother to look out for her. Madeleine is a smart and precocious child with a passion for jazz. She wants nothing more than to sing and she works every day to perfect her voice. But being only 9, she must also go to school, in her case the local Catholic school where she's not well liked. Madeleine is not a perfect and innocent lamb though. She's as intolerant of those around her as they are of her. She curses like a sailor and she is busily smoking through the cigarettes her mother left behind. When Madeleine is abruptly expelled from school, she turns her attention to finding out where in Philadelphia the once renowned jazz bar The Cat's Pajamas is located and how she'll get herself there. Madeleine's teacher, Sarina Green, is one of the harmonies weaving in and out of Madeleine's story. Sarina is newly returned to Philly after her divorce. She feels great sympathy for Madeleine and offers her kindness not out of a loyalty to Madeleine's mother but because Madeleine is an underdog, a child who needs someone in her corner. Sarina is floundering in her own life, reeling in the aftermath of the divorce, and when she meets an old acquaintance from school who invites her to a dinner party, she finds herself saying yes despite misgivings. And when she hears that her old high school crush is also going to be at the party, she must face her long-held feelings for him and her secret hope for the future. Then there's Jack Francis Lorca. He's the owner of The Cat's Pajamas and this Christmas Eve Eve day is not turning out at all the way he'd want. He wakes to a police officer knocking on the club's door and handing him a ticket for city ordinance violations to the tune of $30,000, a sum of money there's little chance he can find in the 30 days given to him. His girlfriend, an exotic dancer, has left him and he can't seem to connect with his sixteen year old son, getting it wrong every time and missing the signs that his son is on the verge of choosing the wrong life. The novel is broken down in time increments, seguing through Madeleine's, Sarina's, and Lorca's day and on into the night, ticking slowly down to 2 a. m. at the Cat's Pajamas and beyond. There are occasional other narrators as well when they are needed to flesh out happenings that the main three wouldn't otherwise be able to share with the reader. And as disparate as the three plot threads seem to be, as with any good melody and harmonies, they weave in and out of each other, making connections throughout the novel instead of just coming together in the end. Each character in this tightly knit story is completely believable, from independent and prickly Madeleine's childlike grading of her own singing practice to Sarina's insecurities to Lorca's tough exterior. With the novel occurring over a span of 24 hours, it is much like a song or the daily life cycle of a bar: a slow introduction or lull before bursting into hopping action. There are not entirely necessary flashes of magical realism, like what happens to people when Madeleine sings and a character literally drifting away. The pacing is a little slow before the convergence at The Cat's Pajamas and the multiple narrators and the rapidity with which their point of view ends and another narrator takes the reins can be a bit tricky. But it's an interesting novel and the individual riffs do ultimately come together to make a satisfying whole.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A night when one person gets what they want is not a bad night, especially when it's Christmas Eve Eve. I loved the characters, the way various ones step up for their solo then seep seamlessly back into the combo. Count me in for Marie-Helene Bertino's next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have to say I would really give this book 3 1/2 stars. I didn't just like it, I liked it a lot. 2 a.m. at The Cat's Pajamas was really three stories within a story. The first story of young Madeleine Altimari is the story from which all other stories stem. She is a 9 (almost 10) year old whose mother has recently died from cancer and is looked out for by several neighbors because her father is too wrapped up in the loss of his wife to care for her properly. Madeleine wants to be a jazz singer and practices her singing daily. The story of Madeleine's fifth-grade teacher Sarina Greene, recently divorced and starting a new life in Philly, is the second intertwining story. And the last story is about Lorca, owner of a failing jazz club, The Cat's Pajamas where Madeleine aspires to sing one day. The book follows the lives of these three characters on Christmas Eve Eve. The prose was excellent in this book. It was a free flowing and engaging read. I will say while the author did tie in all of the numerous characters in this book well I did find myself having to look back a few times to remember how they fit in as there were so many of them. I am a little sad the jazz references were lost on me as I'm sure they made the book a more enjoyable read. Lastly, I was a little confused with the ending involving one of the secondary characters. I wish someone could explain it to me, but it would result in a spoiler and wasn't necessary for me to understand and enjoy the rest of the book.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I, too, really wanted to like this book, but it just seemed to meander along until I really didn't care about the people in it. I abandoned it after about 6 or 7 chapters. I'm happy that others liked it, but the book just wasn't my kind of book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Madeleine Altimari is one of the most original characters I have run across. She is a smart-mouthed nine year old mother has died and her father isn't much help. It is a short amount of time just before Christmas but there are so many colorful characters it manages to fill up a whole book. I really liked the way the seemingly unconnected people all end up affecting the story. Like the other reviews say this book doesn't fit into any specific slot but I found it a perfectly enjoyable read. Thank you.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Foul mouthed nine year old Madeleine Allimari is one of the most original characters that I have had the pleasure to read about in a very long time. Her dream is to sing in at the Cat's Pajamas, Philadelphia's legendary jazz club. This is a wonderful book that I had so much fun reading. This is one that leaves you with a good feeling in your heart and soul.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a fun romp this story is! There's nowhere I'd rather spend my Christmas Eve Eve than in Philadelphia, trailing 9 year-old Madeleine Altimari as she cusses and elbows her way through the city to find the jazz club The Cat's Pajamas, where she plans to prove herself as a singer. I loved Madeleine, with her cigarettes and her shimmies and her little-girl-lost core that's not so far under the surface. I also loved Bertino's prose, which is precise but playful, and sometimes even takes on a hint of jazzy rhythm of its own.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book defies category and description. I don't even know how to begin to review it. It's rather amusing - I've mentioned before that I take my books for review as they come to me and some have been in my calendar for months and some have only been listed for a couple of weeks and yet they still manage to align in a weird order of similar books in a row! This is one of three back to back that defy genre.Madeline is a 9 year old girl living with a father so overcome with grief at the loss of his wife that he does not leave his bed not caring that Madeline has also lost her mother. She is left to live in a house full of roaches and only thanks to the care of the neighbors does she survive. Her mother was a jazz singer and Madeline longs to follow in her footsteps and she is determined to sing!The story opens on Christmas Eve eve and Madeline might just get her chance to sing thanks to a horrible accident but it does not come to pass. Her teacher tries to nurture her a bit but she is newly divorced and back in her hometown and feeling a bit insecure.Madeline learns of a jazz club, The Cat's Pajamas and she also finds out that her mother once sang there! She is determined that she will sing on its stage - no matter that she is 9, no matter that she has to cross the city. She doesn't care - she is going to sing!There is more. A LOT more but it's better you find it out for yourself. This is probably the strangest book I've ever read. I think that much of it went right over my head, the ending included (no pun intended.) It's a book that needs a second or even third reading I suspect to fully and completely understand what is going on. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy it because I did. It was a refreshing change from the ordinary.