Emily St. John Mandel

Time-travel science fiction mystery, light-touch in both the science fiction and mystery. Strong pandemic theme. If we have to have pandemic literature, this isn't a bad example. The whole thing is nicely structured and written, clips along well, some cute observation and imagination. The structure does mean it lacks a sort of central narrative figure till late on, though the advantage is that the plot ends up coming together nicely. The British posho character's dialogue is off in terms of tone and vocabulary but the rest of it is good. All in all a fine four-hour read but not one to revisit again and again (cover copy praise is wildly overblown).… (más)

Ever since reading The Sea of Tranquility I've been an Emily St. John Mandel fan. The Glass Hotel does not disappoint.

For me it is the stories of many characters and the effects on their lives before, during, and after the rise and fall of a massive Ponzi scheme. Some are complicit in the fradulent scheme, many are innocent and maybe unwise victims, a few are unknowing and innocent. Several eventually go to prison, especially the perpetrator, Jonathan, with a greater-than-lifetime sentence.

This doesn't sound like a very upbeat story, but Mandel handles each character with such understanding and grace that I could feel what was happening to them and how their history and personality might have caused them to act the way they did. The aftermath of the scandal was for me the best part of the book, telling the ways various characters survived the loss of all their wealth. Most of the victims were wealthy before being bilked by the scheme. The most interesting characters were not.

This is a complex book, in all the best ways.… (más)