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A review by jennyfer
The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
5.0
Rosie Macalister, with her middle class background, has worked hard to Yale, and even harder to score a place on the Equestrian team. She doesn't come from money, doesn't own horses (the Tate Foundation charitable organisation paid for her riding lessons), and she doesn't quite fit in with her uber-rich housemates. That is until she comes back from a study abroad trip to Argentina, and finds herself sharing a room with a complete stranger: the enigmatic Annelise.
But while Rosie and Annelise become firm friends, the three other housemates - Cressida, Lila and Andra - seem determined to think the worst of Annelise. Until one afternoon things come to a head, leaving one person dead and the group shattered forever. Secrets will be unearthed and Rosie will need to rethink everything she thought she wanted.
Set in the early 2000s, the story follows Rosie through her time at Yale and on into the workforce, where she crosses paths with Cressida's father, Grayson Tate - head of the Tate Foundation who sponsored Rosie's riding and the business mind Rosie wanted to emulate. Each chapter opens with a single Tarot card reading, explaining the card and the meanings behind it - and foreshadowing the events of the chapter.
I adored this book. I'm usually a fast reader, but The Fortune Seller made me slow down and really savour the story. Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a masterful storyteller, who can weave strong, intense relationships with a powerful story and likeable (or not) characters.
The spoiled little rich girl; the broke, thieving heiress; the the middle class trying to break through the glass ceiling; the mystic, the sceptic, the vengeful, none of them caricatures of their type, but people you could easily recognize (if you mix in certain circles). Rosie was a relatable character with big ideals and a strong moral compass, telling the story of these fateful events.
This is a story of class, of privilege, ambition, hopes, money, redemption, coming of age, and choices. Are the choices we make done for the right reasons?
This is both a page turner and a book I didn't want to end.
What do I need to know now?
~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~
On the strength of the ARC I recieved, I also purchased the audio book. Stephanie Cannon's narration was excellent, embodying the different characters with ease - from the winsome Annelise to the jaded Anne-Marie; Rosie's warmth and Cressida's mania and everything in between.
But while Rosie and Annelise become firm friends, the three other housemates - Cressida, Lila and Andra - seem determined to think the worst of Annelise. Until one afternoon things come to a head, leaving one person dead and the group shattered forever. Secrets will be unearthed and Rosie will need to rethink everything she thought she wanted.
Set in the early 2000s, the story follows Rosie through her time at Yale and on into the workforce, where she crosses paths with Cressida's father, Grayson Tate - head of the Tate Foundation who sponsored Rosie's riding and the business mind Rosie wanted to emulate. Each chapter opens with a single Tarot card reading, explaining the card and the meanings behind it - and foreshadowing the events of the chapter.
I adored this book. I'm usually a fast reader, but The Fortune Seller made me slow down and really savour the story. Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a masterful storyteller, who can weave strong, intense relationships with a powerful story and likeable (or not) characters.
The spoiled little rich girl; the broke, thieving heiress; the the middle class trying to break through the glass ceiling; the mystic, the sceptic, the vengeful, none of them caricatures of their type, but people you could easily recognize (if you mix in certain circles). Rosie was a relatable character with big ideals and a strong moral compass, telling the story of these fateful events.
This is a story of class, of privilege, ambition, hopes, money, redemption, coming of age, and choices. Are the choices we make done for the right reasons?
This is both a page turner and a book I didn't want to end.
What do I need to know now?
~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~
On the strength of the ARC I recieved, I also purchased the audio book. Stephanie Cannon's narration was excellent, embodying the different characters with ease - from the winsome Annelise to the jaded Anne-Marie; Rosie's warmth and Cressida's mania and everything in between.