By Christina Alger
Pamela Dorman Books – Viking, 2012. Fiction
Over the course of a single weekend, the Darling family will learn that their abundant wealth and elite social status are both far more fragile than they ever could have imagined. Carter Darling has done well providing an extremely comfortable life for those he loves by managing a thriving hedge fund. But the shocking death of a major investor and close friend throws unwanted attention from both the SEC and the media onto the fund’s unlikely and almost too consistent gains. Each member of the family will be tested on their honesty and loyalty to their family, two traits that may end up being mutually exclusive.
Alger’s plot can easily be characterized as ‘ripped from the headlines’. This certainly gives the storylines immediacy and context and the characters a bit of depth and realism. Unfortunately, I wasn’t look for context and realism when I picked up this novel, so I was a bit disappointed in the book’s abbreviated time frame and serious voice. However, ‘The Darlings’ is still a sophisticated look at the life of the one percent and a frighteningly relevant demonstration of the lies that the upper minority tell the rest of us as well as themselves. Thoughtful and smart.
CZ
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