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aj_humphreys 's review for:
The Gold Coast
by Nelson DeMille
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nelson DeMille sure has a way with words. I think that is both his superpower and his kryptonite.
Seeing as the contemporary world in which DeMille writes the Gold Coast requires a history lesson about American elitism, this book is not for those who want a fast-paced, action-packed story.
That said, the story is good, but I did eventually switch over to the audiobook from the paperback because the long, drawn out prose just couldn’t hold my attention in print. But the narrator of the audiobook did an amazing job acting out the voices and bringing the characters to life in a way that I couldn’t while reading.
With biting wit and sarcasm, DeMille explores the awakening of an east coast elite to the harsh realities of the world that they have had the privilege to be sheltered from. The best part, it all starts when the boss of New York’s largest crime family purchases the estate next to his own, and through their interactions, John Sutter (the MC) develops a dissonance between the cultured Wall Street lawyer he was raised to be, and the person he feels he should be.
As Mr. Sutter begins to fight back against the cultural norms of the elite, it seems his only ally is the mafia don next door, and that is a tenuous relationship at best. That is, until said don needs an attorney’s help. Specifically, someone with a high standing in the world of the wealthy. And as it so happens, John owes The Don “a favor.”
As the worlds of New York’s criminal underbelly collide with the social elite of the Gold Coast, John finds himself at the heart of it all, and he’ll have to choose between the looming threat next door or the decaying society that he owes his livelihood and success to.