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quickermorequickly's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Emily St. John Mandel's books are rewarding to readers who go through multiple books— I love the interlocking characters, names, and situations among them. Up to this point, I have also read Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel, both of which had overlapping characters in slightly differing contexts. In The Lola Quartet, we briefly run into the ruinous aftermath of Jonathan Alkaitis's Ponzi scheme, and I believe the Canadian band Baltica is shared as well. As in The Glass Hotel, St. John Mandel grapples with the moral aftermath of the late-2000s financial crisis.
This novel takes place entirely in the United States, mostly in the South, but also in New York and Utah, so the Canadian spellings ("practise," "colour") stick out more. And it is definitely more of a thriller, almost cheekily a noir, than the other titles of hers that I have read so far.
This novel takes place entirely in the United States, mostly in the South, but also in New York and Utah, so the Canadian spellings ("practise," "colour") stick out more. And it is definitely more of a thriller, almost cheekily a noir, than the other titles of hers that I have read so far.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Stalking
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