A review by thecriticalreader
Trust by Hernán Díaz

challenging reflective slow-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

3.75

Review:
I spent the first half to two-thirds of Trust by Hernan Diaz feeling vaguely confused. I could understand what was happening, but I struggled to find the why. I kept asking myself, is this going anywhere? Is there a point to what I am reading right now? The answer, thankfully, is “yes,” and my advice to anyone feeling a bit confused or doubtful while reading this book is to continue reading.
 
I ended up appreciating the narrative creativity, strong writing, and interesting thematic explorations in Trust, and I am certain that I would get more out of the novel if I were able to read it again. That said, since I spent significant portions of the book feeling rather disinterested or confused, I cannot give it a super high rating.
 
Additional Note: The cover of Trust is possibly the best book cover I have ever seen. The image of a Manhattan skyscraper in the glass dome of a stock ticker, with a green background reminiscent of American dollar bills? Magnificent. 
 
 
The Run-Down: 
You will probably like Trust if:
·      You appreciate creative narrative structures.
·      You are interested in themes of money, power, and relationships.
 
You might not like Trust if:
·      You get bored or impatient easily.
·      You are expecting a dramatic, epic story detailing the glitz, glamour, boom, and bust of the Jazz Age: Trust is decidedly not this, and instead is an incredibly intimate story with only a handful of characters.
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