“How fast it happened. The world turning from calm to calamity. That fissure that existed at the centre of life cracking open. You are always, always on the brink.”

The Pink Hotel follows Kit and Keith Collins as they spend their honeymoon at an upscale, Beverly Hills hotel. Soon after their arrival, wildfires begin to break out across the area and the entire city of Los Angeles becomes enveloped in flames, riots, and blackouts. Meanwhile, The Pink Hotel closes its doors to ‘outsiders’ and Kit and Keith find themselves confined with the anxious and unhappy staff, as well as a growing number of ultra-rich guests who come to the hotel looking for sanctuary, comfort, and entertainment.

What a breathtaking, phenomenal read this was. Much like the fires within the story, the story began slowly, taking its time, making intimate introductions to every character, describing the hotel in elaborate detail. Then the wind fanned the flames, and surely, the story became all encompassing, devastating, overwhelming, all-consuming. The Pink Hotel does an incredible job illustrating the class divide. With the ultra-wealthy safe, confined, immune from curfews and emergency laws, throwing balls, parties, and feasts. While everyone else is depicted evacuating, suffering from blackouts, forced into curfews, rioting for equality. The portrayal of the ultra-rich is similar to Nero fiddling while Rome burns or Marie Antoinette exclaiming “let them eat cake.” Although a work of fiction, The Pink Hotel provides a relatively true depiction of modern day America.

The style of narration really set this book apart, the book was written in the present tense. Although Kit and Keith are clearly intended to be the main focus, the narration follows multiple characters, storylines, conversations. It felt like watching a movie and having the camera get all the pieces of the story, including everything that might not be seen if the story simply followed one character’s point of view. This style of narration took some time to get used to, but the story was so much better for it. Every aspect of the story was captured, little quotes and reactions, different points of view, it felt like getting every piece of a really large story, it felt sweeping and all-encompassing.

The Pink Hotel was a magnificent, awe-inspiring dark social satire.

“Best to enjoy yourself before the apocalypse. Haven’t you heard, the whole world is burning.”

“The Pink Hotel” by Lisa Jacobs is a story of excess at its heart. Those who don’t have want, and those who have could really care less and always want more. Think of the court of Marie Antionette (both how the court folks didn’t care about the poor as long as the rich could have fun in excess) and Rich Kids of Instagram (or whatever it’s called) showing off their excess money, toys, drugs, parties, clothing, and etc. I feel this book was probably based upon the infamous Hollywood Hotel, but not knowing much other than “it’s a status symbol for the well-to-do with a long history,” what - precisely - that had to do with this book was missing for me.

The above being noted, the story - Keith and Kit Collins, newlyweds, were given the opportunity to honeymoon at The Pink Hotel by the managing couple. Keith believes, not incorrectly, that he needs to impress the manager so that he can get a managing job of his own there - which would be a step up from his current Booneville hotel job. Keith is immediately sucked into the world of excess, glam, perceived class, and wanting to be there - but also is working to impress his hopefully soon to be boss. Kit, on the other hand, while longing to return to her waitressing job in Booneville, gets sucked into the lifestyle of the guests at The Pink Hotel.

While there is talk about wildfires and people evacuating (some upper-ups relocate to the Hotel) and rioting in the city and surrounding areas, for the most part, a life of excess continues at The Pink Hotel. Again, think of Marie Antionette’s court - or Rome burning while Nero fiddled. While I suppose this book is a social commentary with a satirical bent, I could not care much about the story, the people, or - basically - much in this book. Even the last few chapters where some of the characters grew backbones (Kit) or came to realizations (Keith) couldn’t move me to care about their decisions. Maybe that was the point - to not care about these people with obvious excess … I’m not sure. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.