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booklistqueen 's review for:

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
3.0

Hauntingly beautiful writing with a drifting plot

After the success of her novel Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel's newest novel was my most anticipated of the March 2020 book releases. Mandel starts you off with a teaser - a woman falling into the ocean with a few flashes along the way. Then she slowly unravels a story of Vincent, a hotel bartender, and Jonathan Alkaitis, a rich financier running a Ponzi scheme.

After reading the book, I'm having difficulty deciphering my feelings. Her writing is exquisite - both haunting and soulful. Yet, the story drifts along without an anchor. Although the characters are connected, the narrative doesn't have any driving force, lacking a central message. If you plan to read it, I suggest tempering your expectations.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Knopf Doubleday Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.