Book #1: The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

The Nest is a novel about the Plumb family, who are an interesting and modernly dysfunctional group.  They are white, upper middle class, and are a foursome of kids waiting on an inheritance, known as The Nest, that will become theirs when the youngest, Melody, turns 40. However, things turn sour when the oldest, Leo, gets into a drug-alcohol-induced car accident while hooking up with a 19-year-old waitress. Said waitress loses her foot in the accident. The Nest is diverted to covering this situation up. Chaos ensues.

I liked learning about each of the characters but I didn’t have a ton of empathy for them. Maybe that wasn’t the point, but there was a lot of whining and sadness over the loss of The Nest– how will we pay college tuitions (oh we have to sell our house and downsize, boo hoo); another sibling had to sell a summer house– cry me a river. I guess this is what tragedy is nowadays.

Anyhow, Leo disappears from the scene. The rest of the book is about that. He gets an old fling knocked up before he leaves. Shocker, I know.

The story was ok, but nothing I’d say anyone “needs to read”. I ended up picking this book up after touring around the US and seeing it numerous times in book stores and what not, so I figured I should read some new fiction. To be honest, if my writing hasn’t already given it away, it was a pretty disappointing read.

The writing itself was sometimes playful but was also often overdone– a little too hipster.

Glad I read it, but am not sure what I am taking away from it yet.

Looking for something more in my next 9…

Overall rating 3/5