bookcrazyblogger 's review for:

A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bollen

4.0

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A Beautiful Crime pulled me in with the captivating scenery of Venice, Italy and slayed me with American greed. The novel follows gay couple Nick and Clay as they attempt to con a wealthy American businessman. Frankly due to poor choices, they’re in thousands of dollars in debt, so the con is the way they see to make a living for a couple of years, living as wealthy individuals. Why thousands of dollars would only last someone a few years is beyond me, as I’ve never been around that kind of money in my life. It had some interesting things to say about gay culture, specifically the idea that an older gay man is considered significantly more attractive to a younger gay man because he has more to offer in terms of wealth and experience, while in the same breath, dismissing the younger men for chasing after older men, because they’re perpetuating this sugar daddy mentality. I also found it interesting to see how Nick is written as your typical Midwestern American (unfailingly polite, always apologizing) and to watch him change into a character that not only do we, the readers, not recognize but that he, the character, does recognize as well. It was a masterful character arc that was interesting to watch.