The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
innerweststreetlibrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Classism, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
mishaps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent
chalkletters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
For readers going in without reading the blurb, The Glass Hotel takes a little while to get underway. Paul and Vincent are interesting enough characters, with interesting enough things going on in their lives, but it all feels a bit scattershot until it becomes clear that Jonathan Alkaitis’s story is going to give the plot its driving force. Once that clicks into place, The Glass Hoteljust keeps getting better and better, leading to an ending that both wraps things up and leaves a lot of open questions.Â
Emily St. John Mandel handles the mysteries of The Glass Hotel with an extremely deft hand. In particular, the question of the graffiti — who painted it? why? why those words? — is paid off in stages which each build on the last until they form a complete and completely satisfying picture. There are also element in the endings of Jonathan, Vincent and Paul’s stories which echo things from the very beginning, which suggests The Glass Hotel would be a satisfying reread!Â
The Glass Hotel certainly delivers on atmosphere. The tension, once you’ve worked out what’s going to happen, carries you along so well that it’s a shame the beginning doesn’t quite feel connected.
Overall, an extremely good book!
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Cancer, and Dementia
rayne31's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Suicide and Terminal illness
noroomforghosts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, and Terminal illness
prettiestwhistles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Cancer, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Misogyny, and Sexual content
sar_a_i's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Drug abuse, Grief, Dementia, and Drug use
Moderate: Terminal illness, Alcohol, Sexism, Addiction, and Cancer
savvylit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The con at the heart of The Glass Hotel is ripped straight from the headlines of 2008. Jonathan's securities fraud and subsequent arrest closely resemble Bernie Madoff's record-breaking Ponzi scheme. After becoming entangled in Jonathan's life, Vincent often notes that being surrounded by wealth feels like being in a foreign country. Mandel effortlessly explores that profound disconnect between unfathomable sums of money and the people who gain access to it. Furthermore, much like in Station Eleven, Mandel never specifically denotes a character as good or bad. Instead, she empathetically portrays the humanity of each individual featured. This is a clear strength of Mandel's and is something she does very well.
Overall, however, The Glass Hotel never manages to pack much punch. Yes, the atmosphere is top-notch. Yes, the ideas are fascinating. The layout, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. There are too many perspectives and Mandel jumps between them in a nonlinear fashion that feels increasingly confusing as the plot progresses. I honestly believe that The Glass Hotel would have been more compelling if the only perspectives featured were Vincent, Jonathan, and Jonathan's client Olivia.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Terminal illness
wormgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
spaghettireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Sexual content