A mysterious and illuminating novel by the author of Station Eleven . I normally wouldn't be attracted to a book about a Ponzi scheme, but it was clear from the opening chapter that this wasn't a simple financial thriller. Mandel writes her characters in a way that elicits understanding, if not sympathy, for even the worst of them. At turns disturbing, haunting (figurative and literally--there are ghosts!), and beautiful, this was a quick and worthwhile read. I look forward to reading more from this author and admire her compassionate understanding of the human condition. Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I can’t imagine the pressure there must have been on this book after Station Eleven was such a hit! The Glass Hotel shows off Emily St. John Mandel’s incredible writing style just as much but the plot, for me, was underwhelming in comparison. It took an awfully long time to feel like plot lines were coalescing in this book and I almost lost interest somewhere in the first third. But, once connections start becoming clear and breadcrumbs dropped start showing up again with new meaning, that’s when things really picked up and I flew through to the end.

Lush prose, complex characters, the tantalizing possibility of alternative realities, and a nod or two to Station Eleven .... I loved it. It took me just a bit to get settled in to this genre-bender, but once I was on board, I didn't want to get off, and stayed up way too late finishing it.

You have to treat this as a book to be savored. It is not a grip-the-seat thriller. It's not fluff. It's a beautiful story about flawed people. The timeline jumps without warning; the narrator changes without warning. It's a beautiful book, but you have to pay attention to get the full grasp of the beauty.

The story centers on Jonathan Alkaitis, who is a rich investment banker that owns Hotel Caiette. (This is the Glass Hotel, although glass has another theme woven throughout the book as well). Alkaitis is actually not an above-board investment banker; he's running a Ponzi scheme. (Note: I had to Google what exactly a Ponzi scheme was, but it isn't necessary for the story - basically he's a fraud and cheating people out of their money).

However, Alkaitis is not the main character. In fact, there is no true main character. Similar to Station Eleven, there are a number of characters, each playing a different role in the story. Their individual story is told through little snippets of their life that fit in with others. There are small overlapping themes and details and that are really amazing when you catch them.

One theme of this book is the counter-life. It isn't done in a sci-fi way, but rather "what if"? Alkaitis does this in prison (what if he had done things differently - would he be where he is now?). Emily St. John Mandel does this in her own book, mentioning the Georgia flu and what if it wiped out the population. This changing of reality isn't done in a confusing way, but it makes the reader stop and think about what is real and what is imagined. What is a result of our actions and what is a result of circumstance.

Ghosts make an appearance in this book, but not in a spooky way. Rather, they are there to remind characters of their actions and how their actions affected others.

Overall, it's a beautiful book with brilliant writing.

Excellent. Interesting characters, suspenseful, taut drama. Love how the author structured this narrative. I am blown away by her story telling. Amazing. This is a must read of 2020.

This book felt a little rambling to me. Different characters' stories were everywhere in time and place. I feel like I must be missing something because it's just a bunch of story lines that all somewhat converge at different places in the book. I went into reading it, excited for a new Emily St. John Mandel book and interested in how this Ponzi scheme would go down. But I don't think I ever actually understood what happened.

The Glass Hotel
My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Beautifully written with the gorgeous backdrop of Vancouver Island, The Glass Hotel is filled with intriguing characters and a storyline that spans decades. Readers watch Vincent go from rags to riches to . . . nah. No spoilers here. This reader knew nothing of the world of Ponzi schemes and found it fascinating, but it wasn’t enough to carry the book for me. I wish I could say I loved it, but like was as far as I could go. It was beautiful, but just not for me.

This book was a bit of a disappointment. After reading Station Eleven, I thought the book would be of the same caliber, and it just fell short. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy, but I have to be totally honest in my assessment. The characters were lonely, desperate, and sad. The character interactions were odd and strange, and she drew connections between them that seemed disjointed and obscure. I wanted to care about these people, but I didn't. I found Paul to be without morale fiber, an addict who manages to stay alive. Everyone else--seems to die. The element of ghosts was so fascinating in the beginning, but just lost traction. Point of view and organization was messy. Just doesn't live up to the hype.

[I will post a review of 'The Glass Hotel' ASAP; I'm typing this placeholder "review" because I wanted to get my LibraryReads vote in before the deadline . . . . . ]

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of The Glass Hotel. I was excited to receive this book since I really enjoyed the creative storytelling found in Station Eleven. From the first chapter of The Glass Hotel the reader can see that St. John Mandel’s writing style has such a beautiful dream like quality as she takes you on a journey between past and present.
However, sad to say I was disappointed in the book. The story fell flat for me.
Hope you have a better experience with this book than I did.

There are great expectations for a novel that follows a work as beloved as "Station Eleven." I tried not to judge Emily St John Mandel's newest work in the light of its dazzling, memorable predecessor, but can you ever approach a book fairly in that situation? No matter. From the first few pages, "The Glass Hotel" made me forget that I was reading the new book by the author of "Station Eleven" as I was immersed in a complex, time-hopping narrative with multiple, interesting point-of-view characters. Not the least of Mandel's genius is her skill in sketching a character who immediately seizes the reader's interest and empathy in just a paragraph or two. In one chapter, we are introduced to Walter, a night manager at the eponymous glass hotel, and one of its guests, shipping executive Leon Prevant. The perspective shifts between the two, fluidly, gracefully, as Mandel traces their pasts, their intersection in the present, and tosses us glimpses of their future. Sometimes when reading a novel that shifts between perspectives, I find myself impatient to return to one strand of the narrative, irritated when a chapter has ended and I'm suddenly seeing the world through a different pair of eyes. In "The Glass Hotel," each of the perspectives is so compelling that I could easily pause interest in the last thread and eagerly follow the new one. The minor characters, like Leon and Walter, hold the reader's attention as fully as the three major ones: bartender and video artist Vincent, the musician Paul (who is Vincent's half-brother) and the financier and confidence man Jonathan Alkaitis (who will become Vincent's husband). As these characters journey across Canada and the globe, each finds they can no longer outrun the their pasts and must confront their ghosts. Reading "The Glass Hotel" was a journey I will not soon forget, and it deserves its place on the shelf beside Mandel's earlier works. I would not be surprised if she soon became better know for "The Glass Hotel" than its predecessor.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of The Glass Hotel. I was excited to receive this book since I really enjoyed the creative storytelling found in Station Eleven. From the first chapter of The Glass Hotel the reader can see that St. John Mandel’s writing style has such a beautiful dream like quality as she takes you on a journey between past and present.

While I loved her ability to create a vision with her words the overall story fell flat for me. There was nothing that hooked me and made me want to continue reading. I realize that this is a story heavily focused on character development, but most of the character’s felt over developed and because of this I often lost interest in the story. I wish the plot would have had more substance or moved a little faster. I found the first half of the book to be incredibly slow and had to go back and reread the synopsis because I forgot what the book was supposed to be about. Trying to follow four main characters, as well as, minor characters, and all of the themes in the book made it difficult for me to feel a connection to any of the characters. It felt like four books sewn together into one where the stiches didn’t match.

I will be posting my thoughts about the book to my social accounts in March closer to the books release date. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Glass Hotel.

I was fortunate to receive approval by NetGalley to read an advanced reader copy of this book by Emily St. John Mandel. (Thank you NetGalley) I'd heard so much about Station Eleven (haven't read it) and wanted to experience her writing. The story is very atmospheric complete with foggy shores, dark haunting oceans, solitary individuals wading through their lonely lives keeping their odd secrets but suddenly it began to change. I like my plots more linear and the constant variations in the timeline were distracting rather than intriguing. I also expected to be more connected to the protagonist(s) and I just wasn't. Finally, it felt too much like the "retelling" of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scandal complete with Ella Kapersky playing the part of Harry Markopolos, who turned Madoff in several times to the SEC. The one cohesive element that I did find interesting however was the inclusion of ghosts throughout the novel.

The Glass Hotel manages to achieve the impressive feat of being both intricate and exceedingly readable. I could hardly put it down and am looking forward to recommending it to patrons and friends! Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

Its hard for me to pick a main character or story line to point too. Vincent the bartender ends up with an ultra rich businessmen who turns out to be running a Ponzi scheme. Vincent's brother, her boss, various characters are effected in different ways. This a beautiful well written book. My favorite thing was the blending and cross overs between the various characters in their lives. There are sweet and also horrifying moments in each life.

Exquisite! I know this book will be on the BEST OF 2020 lists. It is a beautifully written novel which has succeeded in a place where others have been unsuccessful. Using the Madoff Ponzi scheme as inspiration, Mandel has woven a magical tale.

At the center is the strangely named Vincent who becomes involved with the mysterious man who echoes the story of Madoff’s rise and fall. There are ancillary characters but the author never allows the plot to get too crowded. She writes so vividly that I was able to visualize everything, in myriad settings.

From the Isolated West coast of Canada to the roiling ocean, I was powerfully drawn to this novel. I think it will be loved by book clubs, so much to discuss and think about. For those of us who lived through the Madoff debacle, there will be lots to remember and follow up.

Thank you Netgalley for this very special opportunity.

Emily St. John Mandel is an outstanding author. This book drew me in with it's complexities and ease.

Jonathan Alkaitis runs a Ponzi scheme. His story is the center of the spider web of interlocking stories with the people surrounding him. Even though he is the center, his girlfriend Vincent feels more like the main character. The book starts with her brother's story. He's a selfish, pathetic man and when the book jumps ahead in time, he's still a selfish, pathetic man. All of the characters don't change who their really are but they do adapt to their situations. This makes the world feel alive and realistic.

A beautiful, gorgeous read. I can't wait to share it with my loved ones.

I really enjoyed this one! Very creepy, with a good mystery to keep my interest hooked and characters I was engaged in. Definitely glad there were ghosts. That made it so much better.

Haunting, with many elements of a ghost story. Overall, I really enjoyed it because of how beautifully it is written. Out of all the characters whose lives are woven together, Vincent's story was by far the most interesting to me. I really enjoyed watching it unfold. This is a fabulous choice for book groups— especially those who enjoyed Station 11. Recommending this to readers who enjoy literary fiction we'll be a breeze.

After reading Station Eleven, I was thrilled to see a new title by Emily St. John Mandel, and I was not disappointed. While The Glass Hotel had a very different feel to it than her previous works, I really enjoyed the deep characterizations and strong sense of atmosphere. The nods to characters and situations in her previous works were also great, and added to the feeling of flexible boundaries of time and space that are present throughout this novel. Jumping around in time and space is not always my favorite structure, but it's handled well here and is never jarring. Overall, an excellent read, and I think fans of Station Eleven will thoroughly enjoy this novel.