Cult Classic by Sloane Crosley, reviewed by Katy Mitchell-Jones
A “contest among the dead” lottery is held in the afterlife to rejoin the living for just three minutes and experience how it feels to be alive once more. This brief, unsettling tale sets a sinister tone instantly. A man named Clive hears of it from his mother, then passes it on to his coworker, the story’s protagonist, Lola. Lola is taken aback; they work together at a scientific magazine and usually base their perspective on fact; however, Clive seemingly believes that this ghost story could be true. The prologue reveals Clive has passed away since recounting this story to Lola, leaving readers to wonder under what circumstances he died.
The narrative begins with 37-year old Lola at a trendy dinner in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood, with some former coworkers, including Clive. Friday night drinks remain a long standing tradition though they no longer work together. Clive is described in detail; his eccentricities, his flirty relationship with Lola despite being married, and his sense of loss when their company folded. Also at the table sits Vadis, Lola’s closest girlfriend, despite the fact that they do not have a lot in common.
To get some air, Lola walks to a bodega for some cigarettes. As she exits and returns to the restaurant, she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Amos, a poet and novelist. He greets Lola happily, and asks her to get a drink. She agrees, reassuring herself that nothing bad will happen. As they sit down at a nearby bar, he notices her engagement ring. Lola reflects that she has felt disconnected from her fiancé, Boots, lately. She and Boots have agreed never to discuss exes with one another so as to not get caught up on any messy feelings.
Amos pompously attempts to coerce Lola into admitting she is not happy in her current relationship, and that what they had was superior. During this conversation she reflects back to how she and Amos treated each other. Despite many memorable and loving moments, he takes little accountability as to why they broke up, citing society’s unreasonable expectations that men settle down and women simply settle. He comes across as pretentious and arrogant, and Lola thinks back to when he once told her, “You aren’t like other women, you’re sane and intelligent” (42). This backhanded compliment is pervasive not only in this novel, but in media and relationships across the world. Women are told by men that they “aren’t like other girls” which is supposed to be a compliment, a sign that they are cool and can hang out with men, but it also says that “normal” women are not usually good enough to do so. Lola further reflects that as women age, the dating game becomes focused on an idea she calls, “Don't Scare the Men” (39). If women want to be able to wrangle a man into a lasting relationship, the messaging they are given revolves around presenting your best self at all times. Ultimately, she gets a bit of closure from her discussion with Amos, and decides that the breakup was for the best.
The next evening at the same restaurant, she runs into a second ex-boyfriend, a younger and very handsome former Olympian who is now married with twin girls. The interaction was pleasant but now Lola is feeling uneasy about running into former partners two nights in a row. It must just be a coincidence, right? Oddly, this isn’t the last time it will happen. Is it fate, or is it a set-up? Is someone trying to sabotage her relationship with Boots?
Shortly thereafter, Lola and Vadis go out together for some light shopping but Vadis guides her to a mysterious garden atrium through a closed synagogue and key-padded doors. A man named Errol appears and seems to already know a lot about Lola despite never having met. People all around her are acting oddly and secretive, so what could they be up to? Lola finds herself at the center of a social experiment, and she must overcome a series of difficult situations in order to confirm whether or not her relationship with Boots is meant to be. It is not until the end that readers discover the cause of Clive’s death as well as the circumstances surrounding it, and its connection to Lola’s bizarre situation.
Throughout this journey, Lola thinks, “If you wait long enough, anyplace will become a barracks of the romantic undead, a sprawling museum of personal bombs” (122). Crosley writes these witty, profound observations in a beautiful way. Lola’s perspective about love and relationships is challenged, and New York City becomes her own museum of personal bombs, as she must navigate the safest way through these tests and temptations in order to choose the best path for her future happiness. Lola comes across as somewhat detached and unemotional, but as she is forced to confront the ghosts of relationships past, she does the work to sort through these emotions to decide which are valid and which are not.
Cult Classic is a musing on love, past and present relationships, our deal breakers, boundaries, and why we decide to break up with someone versus agreeing to continue the relationship into marriage. While readers get an intimate look into Lola’s past relationships, we are encouraged to ruminate on our own.
Cult Classic, Sloane Crosley
June 7th 2022, MCD, 304 pages.