I guarantee that FOURTEEN DAYS is unlike anything you have ever read. A “collaborative novel” set in New York City in the early days of the COVID-19 lockdowns, its powerful stories are told by a number of different characters.

The book’s concept is a brilliant one. Led by general editors Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston, and on behalf of the Authors Guild, this is not a serial novel nor does it follow the rules of classic frame narratives as seen in such works as THE DECAMERON or THE CANTERBURY TALES. Rather, the 14 days depicted here contain a series of novellas strung together by its various authors to portray different stories being shared by the residents of an apartment building on the Lower East Side who meet on their rooftop every evening at 7:00 to cheer medical personnel. Here is a novel about the very essence of storytelling that celebrates the written word in an incredibly unique way.

"This is the best fictional work I have ever read regarding the pandemic; it is extremely touching and memorable. I only hope that it is never made into a film. FOURTEEN DAYS belongs exclusively to the readers."

If there is a narrator here, it would be the building’s Romanian super, who keeps a record of all the stories told over the two-week period. She learned how to do her job by watching her father (who also was a super) at a building in Queens when she was a child. She now laments how the pandemic has kept her from her father, who she would like to check on but has been unable to reach.

The previous super kept a book referred to as "The Fernsby Bible," which was named for the building and contained information on each tenant, along with the nicknames he gave them. Thanks to this resource, the current super quickly identifies the first six people who gather on the rooftop: Vinegar, Eurovision, the Lady with the Rings, the Therapist, Florida, and Hello Kitty. They get somewhat acquainted with each other and begin sharing stories. It isn’t long before the group grows considerably as more tenants learn about this nightly ritual.

Eurovision supplies the music, and they entertain each other with various tales. There’s no need to look for a message, as some are just simply good stories. But they all work wonders in connecting people who otherwise are disconnected and are only brought together due to this global health crisis.

Many of these stories are incredibly moving or ironic based on what is going on in their world. Several involve the dead or dying. For instance, Whitney, the museum librarian, provides a chilling tale about encountering a ghost while visiting the Alamo. Not everyone appreciates every story that is told. Some are true, while others are pure fiction. Eurovision kindly reminds them of the purpose of their sessions by quoting the great Oscar Wilde: "Lying, the telling of beautiful untrue things, is the proper aim of Art."

It will be purely up to the reader to try to determine which author contributed which piece of the story, as no names are attached to the 14 days. In all, 36 top-flight writers lend their talents to this unique exercise, and the results are truly something special. This is the best fictional work I have ever read regarding the pandemic; it is extremely touching and memorable. I only hope that it is never made into a film. FOURTEEN DAYS belongs exclusively to the readers.