Why is it always so hard for me to review the books that just blow me away? I inhaled this (albeit slim) novel in less than 24 hours, and would have in one sitting if I didn’t have to parent and stuff.
I am such a sucker for books that straddle different genres (literary, sci-fi, dystopian?) and probe existential questions in an accessible way. I also love when authors weave together seemingly unrelated stories, where the connection between the characters is unclear until a very well plotted reveal.
This was the first novel I’ve read that incorporated the 2020 Covid pandemic (The Anthropocene Reviewed did excellently in memoir form❤️), and I was glad for it. I felt seen by Mandel’s words and it gave me perspective and some peace.
This novel felt reminiscent of my much beloved Cloud Cuckooland (done in about a tenth of the page length 😆), Meet me in Another Life which deserves way more hype, and a few favorite films that I won’t mention because they might actually be spoiler-y. Maybe Google Terry Gilliam films if you are curious…
I read Station 11 so long ago, and really liked but did not love it, so I skipped reading The Glass Hotel given the mixed reviews. Now I definitely want to read it and maybe even go back and reread the former! Or, at the very least, sit down and watch the dang HBO show.😁
If you’ve read this one I’d love to hear your thoughts and and I hope many of you picked it up during independent bookstore day this weekend! If not, definitely check out this @barnesandnoble exclusive edition with blue edged paper.😍