Sister Europe

Zink (Avalon) serves up an intriguing if slight ensemble piece set in upper-crust Berlin over a long evening. At 4:30 p.m. on a Tuesday in February, Demian gets ready for a dinner to celebrate his friend, author Masud al-Huzeil. The party, thrown by Princess Naema, is short on guests, so Demian invites his friends Livia, a restless single woman, and Toto, a publisher who is accompanied by his online date, Avianca (whom Toto secretly calls the Flake because it’s “shorter than ‘Manic Pixie Nightmare Girl’ ”), and Demian's 15-year-old trans daughter, Nicole. This unlikely crew is joined by Naema’s grandson Prince Radi, who flirts with Nicole before eventually turning his attention to another of the main characters. The promised Michelin-starred dinner disappoints (“beet salad with nasturtiums in a wet brioche”), and the group leaves in search of a more satisfying meal, romping through Berlin while discussing the current state of the city and its history. At its best, the novel allows for reflection on world issues through the characters’ perspectives, as when Livia wonders, “Was there life without money, or money unstained by deaths smelling of iron and sulfur?” Ultimately, though, the meandering narrative is more intellectual exercise than story. Agent: Susan Golomb, Writers House. (Mar.)

Correction: A previous version of this review incorrectly stated that the novel takes place over 24 hours and confused the details of how the character Nicole gets invited to the party. The review has been further updated for clarity.