Jenny Jackson (1)

For a book about dynastic wealth, a book about the power and privilege of inherited money, this was such a fun and devourable story while also delivering a strong bottom line: whether you have too much or too little, the “biggest mistake [is] giving money [too] much power over [your] life” (287). While this is a book about relationships in this financially elite family—including outsiders Sasha and Malcolm who marry into the wealthy fruit street Stockton fam—the characters are surprisingly relatable (most of the time) and even more surprisingly endearing (some of the time). I was afraid they’d be so pretentious to the point of not caring what fates befell them, but from the beginning, I was completely absorbed in their small Brooklyn Heights world and cared very much about their complicated (capitalistic and otherwise) outcomes. In a delightful dance, balancing heavy themes with lighthearted wit, this is a summer read that deserves to rise to the top.… (más)

Not gonna lie, this ended up being a little bit of a hate-read for me. I somehow thought from the cover and title that this was going to be a multi-generational saga about immigrants? I have no idea where I got that from. Obviously on page 1 I realized that was not the case. I kept reading even though I hated everyone I was reading about, because it was kind of funny how awful they were. I made it all the way to the end, and the prose certainly goes down easy, but I still hated everyone I was reading about (even Sasha, who I think is supposed to be a relatable point of entries for us "poor" normies). Problem is, I don't think the author actually knows how awful all these people are. She clearly admires them in many ways, which was frustrating.

It's certainly readable and entertaining, and it's not like I could do any better, but I really am mystified how this ended up on the NYT "notable book" list; it was light as a feather and will float out of my consciousness just as quickly.… (más)