“Memories are always bent retrospectively to fit individual narratives.”

Towards the end of last year, Barack Obama shared an Instagram list detailing his best reads of 2020. Near the top of his list was Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel—what more did I need to convince me to pick it up? Boy, did it deliver! Mandel’s storytelling is a work of art. The book starts at the end and ends at the end. Confusing? Yes. Intriguing? Most definitely. 

Main character Vincent grows up quickly, before our eyes, after she experiences a large childhood tragedy. While bartending at a five-star hotel on a remote island in Canada in her early 20s, she meets Jonathan Alkaitis, investor extraordinaire and owner of the hotel. We follow her story over the years as her life changes from that of a poor girl to a rich woman, along with the reckoning that comes with the ultimate reveal of Alkaitis’s actual profession – running one of the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Not a spoiler, I promise!

Mandel’s ability to toggle between grief and guilt and delusional reasoning keep you hooked from the beginning (or should I say the end?) – a solid 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

BONUS: For those interested in some pre-pandemic life predictions, Mandel’s first big hit was back in 2014 titled Station Eleven. It’s EERIE how close she called some aspects of pandemic living!

Posted by Michelle