Media Reviews
A Book Riot Funniest Novel of the Year
The protagonist, Finbar Dolan, is Don Draper stripped of all his glamour, success and pomade. What Fin, a midlevel copywriter, does have on Don is a sense of humor. . . . Framed around a surprisingly sweet romance, as well as Fin's eventual confrontation with his painful family history, this debut offers a pleasing lightness-to-heart ratio. * New York Times *
Peppered with colorful impressions of New York City life, Truth in Advertising is a quick-witted, wry sendup of the advertising industry and corporate culture. . . . Delivers a clear-eyed, sympathetic story about complex family ties and the possibility of healing. * Washington Post *
[Kenney's] insights are dead-on. . . . [His] plot is perfectly balanced between the insanity of both work and family, and the ending is satisfying without being saccharine. . . . Engaging and entertaining . . . The joy is in the journey, of spending time with a character that is, at times, annoying and thoughtful,arrogant and scared, childish and mature - in other words, someone like the rest of us. * Dallas Morning News *
You'd expect that a man who writes humor pieces for the New Yorker would be funny - and he is. John Kenney, who also worked as an advertising copywriter, knows that world and skewers it mercilessly and hilariously in his debut novel. . . . It would also be safe to say that amazing things will most likely be happening in John Kenney's literary career right now. Truthfully. * Cleveland Plain Dealer *
Truth in Advertising has a cinematic sense of motion. . . . [Kenney is] a naturally comic author who has created a likeable narrator in Fin Dolan. . . . Humor springs from a deep well of family-induced anguish, and soon enough comedy and tragedy are braided throughout the narrative. * Chicago Tribune *
This debut novel reads at times like a laugh-out-loud standup routine. What sustains it, though, is much more substantial: an engaging, believable plot, a fascinating if jaundiced view inside the contemporary world of New York advertising, and most of all, a lead character you're glad you get to know. . . . It's a measure of Kenney's writing talent that the regular gusts of delicious, smart-alecky ad agency banter among Dolan and his witty comrades and the painful-to-read scenes depicting the toxic relations among siblings feel equally real in this novel. . . . [A] smart, cinematic story. * Associated Press *
We're sold on Kenney's trenchant, quick-witted debut. * Entertainment Weekly *
Kenney, who's worked as a copywriter for 17 years, mines this rich territory for satire. . . . Fin's struggle to understand his dad brings a layer of emotional complexity to the tale. . . . Kenney's novel wrestles with deep questions: What makes a good man? What makes a good life? What should one's contribution to the world be? * BusinessWeek *
In this Nick Hornby-esque fiction debut, midlife crisis and family tragedy force a 39-year-old ad man to reevaluate his priorities. * O Magazine ( Ten Titles to Pick Up Now ) *
A lively debut that has `movie deal' written all over it. * People Magazine *
Here's a smart one. . . . Lovers of the city will find much to love in this relatable, redemptive, and sometimes very funny story. * Denver Post *
The comedy sparkles [with] mordant one-liners, snappy banter, and hilarious workplace scenarios. * Boston Globe *
An honest and insightful novel about a business and a life that have both been anything but . . . . Wonderfully entertaining and elegantly written. * Shelf Awareness (Best Books of 2013) *
It's the stuff of Jonathan Tropper novels and Judd Apatow films and every Zooey Deschanel fantasy. * USAToday.com *
The rare novel that's truly cinematic. It is sexy, the plot twists in just the right places; simply put, it's untamable. You will laugh almost as much as you will relate to the plight of the protagonist.. . . This book might just rouse the creative genius in you, too. * Interview.com *
Hilarious. . . . Kenney mixes inside advertising jokes with the broad comedy necessary to keep those in the real world laughing. * AdAge.com *
[A] comedic send-up of the ad industry's self-importance, as narrated by a good-hearted if skeptical underachiever . . . A pleasure to read. * Christian Science Monitor *
New York-based Kenney . . . knows of what he speaks. He is particularly brilliant at clashing Fin's jadedness with the unglamorous products he's forced to pitch. . . . [A] delightfully caustic piece of satire. * Toronto Star *
What really amazed me was the unexpected depth and subtleness of the rest of the book, which showcases writing that, in terms of talent, puts Kenney in a league with the best of American writers of his generation. * Lurzer's International Archive (UK) *
It will make you laugh out loud at times and it will also touch you deeply. . . . This is the sort of book where you really care about the characters. . . . You will not be disappointed in Truth in Advertising. The plot is highly entertaining, but it is the joy of getting to know such a realistic, likeable, believable character as Finbar Dolan that makes this novel such a treat. Fin is the sort of guy you will enjoy spending time with. * Seattle Post-Intelligencer *
A snortingly funny debut ... Although Nick Hornby is the obvious reference - humor and heartbreak of ordinary life - this wonderful book is more J. Alfred Prufrock. * The Phoenix (Boston) *
With wry humor, always on point, Kenney guides us through the maze of work, family, love (elusive) and friendship (a lifesaver). This is an outstanding debut. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *
A masterful blend of wit and seriousness, stunning in its honesty. A novel sure to appeal to fans of Nick Hornby. * Booklist (starred review) *
With wry wit, excellent pacing, and pitch-perfect, often hilarious, dialogue, Kenney has created something remarkable: a surprisingly funny novel about an adult American male finally becoming a man. Highly recommended. * Library Journal (starred review) *
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