Having read Jonathan Dee's The Privileges (which had a great opening chapter, one of the best I've read) but then unfortunately lost steam, I was interested in seeing what The Locals would be like. Again he starts with a great opening chapter, he draws you in but as the novel moves along it once again loses it's pace and I unfortunately lost interest in the characters. If you've never tried Dee, he is worth reading, it's just a shame the strength of his openings don't carry on throughout.

So when a book starts with Chapter 0 is does make me pause. I had read the summary of the book and then after reading Chapter 0 I went back and read the summary again - they did not match up. The other chapters however did. This was an average book for me. I could not get into the characters or the plots (as their appeared to be several) and could not become invested in their story. It is well written just not well developed. The author has several other books, so if you already like this author give it a try - otherwise you might want to consider something else.

Few contemporary authors have as keen an eye for observing society and personal dynamics as Jonathan Dee. His previous novels have looked at the haves and have-nots, the way the public revels in and revolts against scandal, and failing and thriving marriages, among other topics.

In his latest novel, The Locals, Dee takes on the foibles of a small New England town being caught in a tug of war between those who want the town to stay the same and those who believe it can be better than it is, and are willing to invest in it—as long as things go their way.

Howland, Massachusetts has never been much of a tourist attraction; there's really only one site worth seeing, the historical home in which a former railroad baron and his ill wife once lived. In the days post-9/11, Howland is, like many towns, populated by those who believe in personal freedoms and those who believe the government should do anything it can to keep people safe.

Mark Firth, a contractor and home restorer, was actually in New York City on 9/11, as he was planning to give a deposition in a case against the man who swindled him out of his family's savings. Now, as he worries about how much longer people will need his services and what that will do to his family, and thinks about those wealthy people who come up to Howland, build fancy houses, and leave them empty all winter, he wonders why some people have all the luck and others have to fight for every last thing.

Philip Hadi was one of those wealthy people, but after 9/11, he brought his family up from New York permanently, as he wasn't sure whether as a wealthy financial manager he might be a target of a subsequent attack against the U.S. He employs Mark's company to bolster his home's security features, and the two build a relationship of sorts, one which inspires Mark to look beyond contracting and home restoration and consider pursuing investment in Howland's housing market.

Meanwhile, Hadi, who enjoys the small-town feel of Howland and believes it can be more than it is, becomes the town's first selectman, and uses his money to essentially buy the town's loyalty, as he saves businesses and citizens from foreclosure and bankruptcy. But as he moves to turn the town into a wholly different place, and encroach on personal freedoms he doesn't agree with, the town starts to push back.

These stories play out against a backdrop of those of other Howland residents, including Mark's sister, brother, wife, daughter, and other citizens. There are stories of infidelities, alcoholism, struggling to find yourself, dealing with aging parents and feeling as if you're the only one carrying that weight, financial woes, etc.

I felt as if Dee tried a little too hard to make this book an epic story of sorts, because there are just so many characters mentioned in and out of different sections that it was difficult to remember who was whom. Then, suddenly, as the book would move into another section, an undisclosed amount of time would have elapsed and major (although perhaps not surprising) plot points would simply be mentioned in passing.

Dee is a great writer, and his storytelling shines through this book, which is a little more of a downer than I expected. I just wish he made his characters more appealing and sympathetic, because I didn't feel there was really anyone to root for. Additionally, I felt that the whole first section, although it helped develop a little bit of Mark's character, was nearly superfluous, so I'm not sure why it had to drag on as long as it did. Still, the social commentary Dee provides is tremendously insightful and on point, especially in today's political environment.

NetGalley and Random House provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

I like Jonathan Dee. He's an author who makes me think about current affairs and the state of American people.
**THIS BOOK** HURT MY BRAIN MORE THAN ALL HIS OTHER BOOKS COMBINED!!!! And.... I LOVED IT!!!!! ..... And....it drove me crazy. My tummy was in knots at times.

Please -please forgive me -- 'writing' a review is EXHAUSTING my body!!!
I honestly don't know how to write about it. I can TALK about it for DAYS it seems. -*Talking* about it seems to exhilarate me. IF I COULD TURN THIS INTO A SPEAKING REVIEW .... we'd all have more fun! My writing part of my brain is sluggish compared to my verbal side.
My poor husband,... I've chewed his ears for the past two days, following him around like his shadow.... chattering about building construction- and employee/employer appropriateness. NOTE: My husband is a General Building Contractor for 40 years remodeling upscale homes in Silicon Valley.

In "The Locals", there is a substantial amount of construction jargon mixed with characters having 'issues' ...[some annoying ...others completely warped] -- that you see, "I HAD TO *TALK* ABOUT THESE PEOPLE"!!

I spent an hour on the phone this morning talking with a friend about the whole darn story. You'd think I was one of the Firth siblings.....
Mark Firth, Gerry Firth, Candace Firth, Renee Firth ( married with another last name, and the only sibling who moved away from Howland), the parents of these adult kids ..... and me? Elyse Firth Walters? Haha. Don't laugh...the reader gets 'that involved' in the lives of everyone in this small town. Patty Melt for lunch anyone at the Undermountain Cafe? It's what Phil Hadi eats whenever he goes there.

While on the phone with my friend this morning, I started gossiping about every character from what they ate, to who cheated who, to who hated who and why.
And now...I'm SPENT!!!

"The Locals" .... makes a nice bookend to "The Privileges". There's a satire-ish ring - a look at social realism in both novels. Only ... rather than this story being about the rising success about a privileged couple....
We meet several overconfident and condescending people living in a small town in America: Howland, Massachusetts.
There are almost no likable characters in this small town....but the novel itself complex and compelling.

The novel begins the day after 911, in New York City. The slimmest character is introduced. He has no name. It's a jaw-hanging story for readers. ---And I man 'HANGING'....
Be prepared to wait awhile to find out more about slimball later in the story.

Mark is a General Contractor - married to Karen. The loss of money from a really stupid mistake on Mark's part -- is not helping this marriage 'thrive'. They have one 8 year old girl, Haley, who attends the private school in town. Mullins Day School.
The public school - Howland Elementary school seems to be a horrible mess. So.... for those families who can pay the 18,000 a year, do.
PAYING for Haley's school solves ALL PROBLEMS! Covers up adult egos and superiority attitudes. Haha!!!

Gerry, worked in Real estate for Century 21. He got fired for f#%king the secretary 'in' one of the listing homes - where he brings clients. In desperate need of money... he begins to work with his brother, Mark, flipping houses. As my husband said....
"GOOD LUCK WITH THAT"..... in a very thriving economy after 911 in small-town America! Hahaha...,again. ( note: no sarcasm on my part) :)

Candace: I was hoping she would be the likable character. Fat Chance. However, when she made an eighth grader cry in her human biology class that she was teaching I was thrilled! Lol. The 8th grade girl, Bayley Kimball, with the words "juicy" across her ass isn't likable either.

Phil Hadi..... The richest man in town, "Benevolent Billionaire",... is actually the most likable... the most down to earth ...,the most humble! There is an aura about him that is different from all the other locals. He was simply clear about who he was. He wasn't competing with anyone --he wasn't guarded. He was a decent/generous man that didn't need a layer of protection around him.
His compassion stood out among many other characters filled with hated and selfishness. The contract between those struggling and those not - is something I began to examine from all sides. People are very different when they don't have security of having a job - than those who do. In a small town - everything is magnified.
There was not a lot of places to hide.

Jonathan Dee, an extremely gifted writer, asks us profound questions about life - truth and deception - and responsibility under breakdowns and pressure.
Lots of ordinary frustrations....but.... there is nothing ordinary about this novel.
Great discussion book!!!!!

Thank You Random House, Netgalley, and Jonathan Dee

First of all, positioning this as a "fictional Hillbilly Elegy" is unfortunate when the protagonist is middle class. But I gave it a shot anyway, only to give up after 18% because the story didn't feel like it was going anywhere.