Book Review: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

Is the idea of visiting a remote glass hotel off an island a terrifying thought, or a welcome one? Personally, I love immersing myself in nature, so the idea of sitting in a five-star resort with not another soul in sight (other than the staff mixing my cocktails) is immensely appealing to me – even during a pandemic! Perhaps this is one reason why I was so excited to read The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel? Well I’m sorry to say that the glass hotel itself doesn’t play too large a role in the plot, but I did enjoy our short glimpses into it nonetheless. What kept me reading was the well-crafted story.

My review below isn’t too earth shattering as I I really enjoyed this book and in my eyes it’s worth all the attention its getting. Mandel’s writing is a thing of beauty, and the plot she weaves among her memorable characters is well timed, keeping all 300 pages turning at a steady rate. I also love the gossipy nature of the ponzi scheme conflict, and the glamorous world of the ultra-wealthy set against the lives of ‘regular’ people. All these different forces at work come together to create a highly readable but still intelligent novel, one you should be glad to tuck into while stuck at home.