![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The titular Vancouver Island hotel where things begin features Vincent behind the lobby bar, her semi-estranged half-brother Paul working as night manager and Jonathan Alkaitis, the hotel owner who also runs a billion-dollar investment fund, paying a stay. It’s Vincent’s path-from the poor woods of Canada to Manhattan high life to a mysterious end-that connects the most with other characters. She’s a young woman haunted by early tragedy in life, who has a passion for filming the random moments of beauty she encounters in the world. While it’s an expansive ensemble, The Glass Hotel is at its most compelling when centered with Vincent, who serves as a somewhat chilly yet fascinating protagonist. Set over more than 20 years, the novel follows half a dozen characters to whom life deals out blows or chances at happiness-or whatever they’re willing to settle for. In 2014, the Canadian author published Station Eleven, a post-apocalyptic tale set in an America ravaged by the after-effects of a deadly virus-a story a bit too on the nose today.īut The Glass Hotel, despite being set in the recent past as opposed to the not-too-distant future, still transports readers elsewhere. John Mandel’s newest book, The Glass Hotel, is not her most topical. ![]()
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