Van Bakel Beach Series Analysis
The Van Bakel Beach series is a series of novels by American author Kimberly Meehan. Meehan first published the first novel in the critically acclaimed series, The Coney Island Hot Dog Heist that established Kimberly’s name as one of the most promising novelists in her genre. The author has been very prolific ever since she published her first novel in August 2016. She published two more novels in the series in quick succession in September and October of 2016 and another in 2011, novels that quickly became fan favorites. The series is set in Van Bakel Beach in Brooklyn and follows the lie and times of several loser friends that can never seem to make anything of their lives. Each novel in the series features the same characters all of whom
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With influences from her jargon article days, Kimberly Meehan creates a world full of chaos that is full of twists and turns of plot. The lives and personalities of the protagonists are just as chaotic and complex even as they develop over the course of the series. Taking some of the most important themes in America such as the American Dream, the author makes the case that not everyone can achieve it while also asserting that with effort it is achievable. Eddie Gillepsie’s quest to improve himself to the extent that he runs for election is one of the best examples of this paradox. The theme of violent crime is also juxtaposed with nonviolent crime with the latter deemed more profitable as is evidenced in the second novels scheme that makes a lot of money for the team of fraudsters. The essence of the novels is to represent the struggles of the young men born into poverty, and their use of the opportunities in their environment to make something of themselves. However, the overriding message is that it is almost impossible to escape your history as evidenced by the life of Gillepsie. The first novel in the series The Coney Island Hot Dog Heist made the shortlist for the 2017 Next Generation Indie Books …show more content…
Van Bakel Beach is a shantytown where most of the residents love to call themselves beach rats and act just the same. The novel follows the life and times of three friends born and raised in the same neighborhood. Eddie Gillepsie like many people from his neighborhood is perpetually underemployed, he cannot get or keep a girlfriend, and is generally a loser. Seeking a new life for himself, he discovers that one of the houses on his street is full of beautiful Russian mail order brides. He teams up with Mickey his best friend and a classic grifter who thinks he can get him the money to enable him get to the Russian mail order brides. While Mickey thinks he has a plan, Joey Sallazo another of Gillepsie’s friends comes up with an even better plan. He assembles a motley crew of criminals to plan and execute the burglary of Coney Island’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Restaurant. After spending weeks scheming, planning and dealing with motorcycle gangs, cps, and trannies, they finally execute without a hitch. Until all hell breaks loose when they check the loot bag and discover they have been
With influences from her jargon article days, Kimberly Meehan creates a world full of chaos that is full of twists and turns of plot. The lives and personalities of the protagonists are just as chaotic and complex even as they develop over the course of the series. Taking some of the most important themes in America such as the American Dream, the author makes the case that not everyone can achieve it while also asserting that with effort it is achievable. Eddie Gillepsie’s quest to improve himself to the extent that he runs for election is one of the best examples of this paradox. The theme of violent crime is also juxtaposed with nonviolent crime with the latter deemed more profitable as is evidenced in the second novels scheme that makes a lot of money for the team of fraudsters. The essence of the novels is to represent the struggles of the young men born into poverty, and their use of the opportunities in their environment to make something of themselves. However, the overriding message is that it is almost impossible to escape your history as evidenced by the life of Gillepsie. The first novel in the series The Coney Island Hot Dog Heist made the shortlist for the 2017 Next Generation Indie Books …show more content…
Van Bakel Beach is a shantytown where most of the residents love to call themselves beach rats and act just the same. The novel follows the life and times of three friends born and raised in the same neighborhood. Eddie Gillepsie like many people from his neighborhood is perpetually underemployed, he cannot get or keep a girlfriend, and is generally a loser. Seeking a new life for himself, he discovers that one of the houses on his street is full of beautiful Russian mail order brides. He teams up with Mickey his best friend and a classic grifter who thinks he can get him the money to enable him get to the Russian mail order brides. While Mickey thinks he has a plan, Joey Sallazo another of Gillepsie’s friends comes up with an even better plan. He assembles a motley crew of criminals to plan and execute the burglary of Coney Island’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Restaurant. After spending weeks scheming, planning and dealing with motorcycle gangs, cps, and trannies, they finally execute without a hitch. Until all hell breaks loose when they check the loot bag and discover they have been