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A review by nicdoeswords
The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a win for me! Some context on me as a reader: I am far more likely to venture into experimental literary fiction than commercial mystery or ensemble stories, and that really worked in my favor when it came to reading this book. The Rich People Have Gone Away IS a mystery novel — perhaps less of a "whodunnit" and more of an exploration of a missing persons case — but it also dives deep into its themes and doesn't hesitate to pull us away from the flashy plot to do so. For some readers, that will be distracting or frustrating. For me, it worked brilliantly.
This is a COVID novel. It explores the lives of multiple interconnected families during the Spring and Summer of 2020 in New York City, and does not shy away from the class, racial, and political implications, as the title might suggest. Porter is a master of complex characters, and this book has made me want to pick up others she's written. I knew her writing would get along with my reading sensibilities when the first few pages made me say aloud, "Oh, I hate this man." I still did by the end, but I loved that the text never wrote him off — instead, it pushed the reader to see him as a human being without coddling or validating the many things he gets wrong.
I read a lot of ~sad girl litfic~, and if you're looking for the energy of complicated and often unlikable protagonists paired with the pace of a mystery and the commentary of a book that could only have been written from inside of and just after a global pandemic, this book is absolutely for you. Loved it, ripped through it in two days, would recommend.
This is a COVID novel. It explores the lives of multiple interconnected families during the Spring and Summer of 2020 in New York City, and does not shy away from the class, racial, and political implications, as the title might suggest. Porter is a master of complex characters, and this book has made me want to pick up others she's written. I knew her writing would get along with my reading sensibilities when the first few pages made me say aloud, "Oh, I hate this man." I still did by the end, but I loved that the text never wrote him off — instead, it pushed the reader to see him as a human being without coddling or validating the many things he gets wrong.
I read a lot of ~sad girl litfic~, and if you're looking for the energy of complicated and often unlikable protagonists paired with the pace of a mystery and the commentary of a book that could only have been written from inside of and just after a global pandemic, this book is absolutely for you. Loved it, ripped through it in two days, would recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism