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A review by savvylit
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Glass Hotel is about two things: a Ponzi scheme and being haunted by your own decisions. Mandel effectively uses ghosts to represent the lasting power of regret. Each of the multitude of characters experiences strong regret, whether they stole millions of dollars from clients or they merely miss a departed friend.
The con at the heart of The Glass Hotel is ripped straight from the headlines of 2008. Jonathan's securities fraud and subsequent arrest closely resemble Bernie Madoff's record-breaking Ponzi scheme. After becoming entangled in Jonathan's life, Vincent often notes that being surrounded by wealth feels like being in a foreign country. Mandel effortlessly explores that profound disconnect between unfathomable sums of money and the people who gain access to it. Furthermore, much like in Station Eleven, Mandel never specifically denotes a character as good or bad. Instead, she empathetically portrays the humanity of each individual featured. This is a clear strength of Mandel's and is something she does very well.
Overall, however, The Glass Hotel never manages to pack much punch. Yes, the atmosphere is top-notch. Yes, the ideas are fascinating. The layout, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. There are too many perspectives and Mandel jumps between them in a nonlinear fashion that feels increasingly confusing as the plot progresses. I honestly believe that The Glass Hotel would have been more compelling if the only perspectives featured were Vincent, Jonathan, and Jonathan's client Olivia.
The con at the heart of The Glass Hotel is ripped straight from the headlines of 2008. Jonathan's securities fraud and subsequent arrest closely resemble Bernie Madoff's record-breaking Ponzi scheme. After becoming entangled in Jonathan's life, Vincent often notes that being surrounded by wealth feels like being in a foreign country. Mandel effortlessly explores that profound disconnect between unfathomable sums of money and the people who gain access to it. Furthermore, much like in Station Eleven, Mandel never specifically denotes a character as good or bad. Instead, she empathetically portrays the humanity of each individual featured. This is a clear strength of Mandel's and is something she does very well.
Overall, however, The Glass Hotel never manages to pack much punch. Yes, the atmosphere is top-notch. Yes, the ideas are fascinating. The layout, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. There are too many perspectives and Mandel jumps between them in a nonlinear fashion that feels increasingly confusing as the plot progresses. I honestly believe that The Glass Hotel would have been more compelling if the only perspectives featured were Vincent, Jonathan, and Jonathan's client Olivia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Terminal illness