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A review by stuartjrodriguez
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
5.0
This is a hard novel to classify, but I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s perfect for fans of nonlinear contemporary literary fiction and deeply well-written, complex characters.
The central conflict stems from a Bernie Madoff-inspired character and the collapse of his massive Ponzi scheme, and the fallout for the rest of the characters from that event. But this is ultimately a novel about morality and the choices we make, and the justifications for and consequences of those choices. It’s also a novel about regret, loss, familial and romantic relationships—and ghosts. This isn’t really a ghost story, mind, but it’s a novel where the ghosts of our decisions and regrets stay with us, both literally and metaphorically.
I couldn’t put this novel down, despite being unsure of where the story was going for 75% of it. Mandel is masterful at creating complex characters, and her brilliant command of language and sense of rhythm make the pages fly by. I loved it, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a great modern novel.
The central conflict stems from a Bernie Madoff-inspired character and the collapse of his massive Ponzi scheme, and the fallout for the rest of the characters from that event. But this is ultimately a novel about morality and the choices we make, and the justifications for and consequences of those choices. It’s also a novel about regret, loss, familial and romantic relationships—and ghosts. This isn’t really a ghost story, mind, but it’s a novel where the ghosts of our decisions and regrets stay with us, both literally and metaphorically.
I couldn’t put this novel down, despite being unsure of where the story was going for 75% of it. Mandel is masterful at creating complex characters, and her brilliant command of language and sense of rhythm make the pages fly by. I loved it, and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a great modern novel.