I am afraid I just could not get into The Sandersons Fail Manhattan. I didn’t enjoy any of the characters and the story didn’t seem to be progressing, it felt like a lecture on where and how the wealthy send their children to school.
This is just my opinion and I am sure many patrons will enjoy reading the book.

This book follows the Sanderson's, who are an extremely wealthy family in NYC. This book has a lot of dark humor, but I did think the author did a good job tackling difficult topics related to social justice. Will Sanderson's kids go to a private school that thinks they need to have more gender inclusivity to get more Ivy League acceptances. The book feels veery honest, and I thought the plot was well developed.

A satirical commentary on the New York elite and the cultural changes in the United States post-2020. "The Sandersons Fail Manhattan" has its funny moments and does a decent job of making you question your own thoughts on hot button topics, however, I could not get past how much I hated every single character. I think that was the point, but it made it hard to get through the first half of the book. For me, the storyline seemed to pick up in the last 25% of the book and the ending was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a brilliant and hilarious satire about privilege and social orthodoxy. Don't worry, whatever side you take, no one is spared from the author's sharp sword.

The plot followed Will and Ellie Sanderson and their two teenage daughters, Ginny and Zoey. After bringing up the kids in Chicago, they have finally moved back to NYC, where Will grew up in a privileged Upper East Side home. Ginny is a senior and Zoey is a freshman at a posh private girls school, and Will has his dream job in a financial firm.

The trouble starts when the fairly new principal, Padma, decides to embrace an anti-racist ideology for the school. She recruits a student who identifies as Goblincore and wears nature-inspired clothing including a twig in her hair, and then goes for the bigger prize, a student that is transitioning.

It's hard to explain what happens next, because the plot is so intricate, with many moving parts. Suffice to say, even though Will is on the board of the school, the Sandersons get tied up in a web of social activism and become the targets of many people using social justice for their own gain. Different bad actors target the girls, the school, Will's company, anything they can. It goes from bad to worse to a stunning culmination, and an ending that feels just right, although I wish some people who had it coming to them would have gotten what they deserved.

Although the plot has so many pieces, it's told over smoothly and is easy to follow. The satire seems to be aimed at both sides of the conversation, both the privileged few and the progressive activists. Ellie and her 2 girls are the only people here who present the sane middle.

This has a light feel that borders on the absurd, yet it feels almost entirely real. There were some laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of cringe. Even though the themes are obvious, most of it is "shown" and not "told," so the message still has some subtlety. I was eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next. It's lots of fun, so long as you can tolerate all the jabs.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scott Johnston, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

Rich, richer, richest equals influence, power, realized dreams…right? The Sandersons Fail Manhattan is a satirical look at a wealthy family’s motivations and goals and the educational system that rewards and punishes them for how they play the game. I loved it. Author Scott Johnston doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to how our society is functioning. There were moments while I was reading that I wondered how he’d gotten away with this book.

The primary family consists of William Sanderson, an extremely wealthy investor, his wife Ellie, a newcomer to the hoity-toity New York crowd, his daughter Ginny, who drives him crazy with indifference to going to Yale, and his younger daughter, Zoey, who marches to her own drummer.
When the girls’ exclusive private school admits its first trans student, who promptly and mysteriously disappears, the Sandersons find themselves in an uncomfortable spot. Navigating the complex and ever-changing social rules is fraught with “danger.” Saying something the “wrong way” can be fatal to one’s aspirations.

If you’re ever annoyed with political correctness and unspoken rules in your world, I think you’ll enjoy this book. It’s smart, funny, and ultimately has heart. With themes of family, pressure to succeed, social justice, and wokeness, you’ll find a lot to chew on.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.

Rich People Problems: The Sandersons Fail Manhattan by Scott Johnston

Scott Johnston's new novel hits like a champagne cork to the face - fizzy, startling, and impossible to ignore. Think Succession meets Gossip Girl, with a dash of cultural warfare thrown in for good measure.

The story follows the Sanderson family, Manhattan blue-bloods who keep stepping on social landmines in their own backyard. When their daughter's elite private school admits its first transgender student, who then vanishes, the Sandersons find themselves tangled in a mess that would make Tom Wolfe proud.

Johnston writes what he knows. As a Yale grad who taught there and grew up among Manhattan's upper crust, he nails the tiny details that make privileged life both absurd and fascinating. Every charity gala, every passive-aggressive parent-teacher conference, every social faux pas rings true.

The novel shines brightest when it shows these supposedly sophisticated people fumbling through modern social issues like teenagers at their first formal dance. Johnston doesn't just mock his characters - he makes us feel for these wealthy warriors as they wage war against their own irrelevance. Their failures are cringeworthy, hilarious, and sometimes surprisingly touching.

Sure, some readers might bristle at how close Johnston cuts to the bone, or debate whether certain jokes cross lines. But that's exactly the point. The book works as both a mirror and a microscope, examining how even the most privileged among us struggle to keep up with changing times.

For anyone who loves watching the mighty fall (with style) or just enjoys smart social satire that doesn't take itself too seriously, The Sandersons Fail Manhattan delivers. It's sharp, funny, and just mean enough to feel honest.

4.5/5 stars - A deliciously sharp satire that proves money can't buy self-awareness.

In The Sandersons, William is a wealthy man trying to secure a promotion and get his daughter into Yale, while his wife Ellie struggles to fit in and their shy daughter Zoey befriends a strange new girl who claims to be a goblin. When a trans student at their daughters’ school goes missing, the Sanderson family becomes entangled in a city-wide search, grappling with cultural tensions and their own personal crises. A sharp, darkly comedic exploration of privilege, identity, and family dynamics.

I LOVED this one! It was a delicious riff on wokeness and performative virtue, full of snark and aggravation that was perfectly paced to keep you on edge throughout the course of everyone's (mis)adventures. I thought the writing was excellent - biting and sharp, while remaining fully human and relatable (even in the darker, more annoying and difficult moments). It's a thoughtful book, but also an entertaining story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

Fun and quick read with all the drama you can imagine in a Manhattan family. Loved the ending and was a bit surprised. This is definitely a book to pick up for the summer.

Author, Scott Johnston is a smart guy - Yale graduate- funny - witty -
….a very enjoyable- intelligent-writer. He makes me laugh - think - and feel a little ‘old’…..
Ha…. or vicariously young!

I can now say I’m a Scott Johnston ‘fan’.
I need books like this sometimes …
SMART FUN!!!

“The Sandersons Fail Manhattan” is the second book I’ve read by Johnston.
“Campusland” was satirically hilarious…
And
“”The Sandersons Fail Manhattan” is definitely not chopped liver either!

We meet the wealthy New York Sandersons family.
….William(Will) …. rising to the top Bedrock Capital … a Yale alumni. It’s important that his daughters attend Yale too.
….Ellie (wife/mother) …. grew up in Chicago from a military family. ‘Not’ a Yale alum … nor does it matter to her where her daughters go to college. Happiness for them is all that matters.
….The Two daughters are:
….Ginny … (a senior) - top student .. expected to go to ….
where else? That’s right! Yale.
….Zoey …(a freshman) ….
Zoey is quiet…sensitive …. and one of my favorite characters in this story.
Both daughters attended the elite Lenox High School for Girls.

There are enough storylines, dialogues, and thought provoking social & political-correctness - and sexual-identity intrigues to keep any reader interested ….

When I was in High School… I was pretty square. A cheerleading straight-lace-virgin.
I knew NOTHING of what these young kids know today…
I didn’t even think about ….
Trans…
Gay….
Tattoos….
Sex…. (I told ya - I was pretty square)
BIPOC? (Black Indigenous and People of Color)
Polysexual …
eco-sexual …
Demi-boy …
If you are not familiar with any of these terms … look them up.
I did.

Oh this story is good … an awakening to my 72 year old self.

However … new terminology or not — I got the point!!!!
… Growing up is challenging…
…. Our world is changing fast
….new rules and appropriate behaviors are happening as I type this.
….

There are themes of social injustice, pressure to succeed, to fit in…
Protests and advocates are explored by ‘examples’ …

….Terrific wokeness satire humor
….Feels real….
….Characters to love … a few to loathe…
….Heartfelt experience!!

A few out of excerpts:
“I’m sure it doesn’t come as a shock that there’s a bit of Old World snobbery inside these walls”.

“You must understand, we’re under a great deal of pressure here”.
“Pressure? You guys are Yale. You’re the ones who ‘apply’ the pressure.”

“You mean he was bisexual?
“Bisexual? No, he’s—where have you been? Did you completely sleep through diversity training? There must be hundred genders at last count.”

“Once Julian declared himself as anything other than straight, he was untouchable. He had blanket immunity”.

“Schools now keep careful count of not just their BIPOC’s
but also, they’re nonbinaries, their LGBTQ ‘pluses’. “

Clover ‘needed’ - ‘wanted’ - to find a way to get into a good quality school. So she decided to …
…. “kill several birds with one stone. Three in fact.
Bird number one is get into a good school. I knew adopting a ridiculous persona. Could seal the deal. Schools eat this shit up. Colleges will too.
“But goblincore? Is that even a real thing?
“Oh yeah. Google it.”
“I’m still confused. It’s not about race… is it even a gender thing?”
“Excellent question, young Skywalker. While the ‘plus’ in
‘LGBTQplus’ has been expanding at light speed. It doesn’t yet include mere lifestyle choices. You still need a gender angle. I thought, briefly about going with poly sexual myself, which would have been easy since I like boys and I could just pretend all the other genders were on my radar. But I didn’t want to borrow from that dumbass Julian. That’s when I discovered a connection between the
goblincore and eco-sexuals”.

“Eco-sexuals are people engaged in amorous relationships with nature. Trees and waterfalls and flower beds and such. And yes, it’s also a thing.”
“Wait, you don’t actually—“
“Don’t be ridiculous”.
“But that’s what you’re claiming to be?”
“I see you’re catching on, said Clover”.
“Oh, said Zoey, taking all this in. It had been a long time since a conversation had so fully captured her attention.”
“It gets me firmly under the
‘plus’ umbrella. Goblincore-slash-ecosexual. It’s an immunity twofer”.
“Clover giggled at her own joke”.

Lots of jokes - great laughs -
…. but seriously?
There are some significantly important themes to ponder!

3.5 Glowing Stars - Almost 4 but during the middle of the book I got a little bored.

This book was humorous but real. It shows that if you want money and notority you will do anything to get it. It is about the inclusiveness which is bought. When rich George Sanderson marries Ellie, a military brat. The daughters both get to attend Lenox School which is a highly prestigous school in Manhattan. When the school decides to start including other genders and natures by allowing more people to in and being even more competitive. This was a decent and funny read. You get to hear about people who are one with nature, to people jumping off bridges. But Elle and her girls rose above and proved that money isn't as powerful as family.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love books that take place in New York and this book did a wonderful job examining the power dynamics at play. I wasn’t sure what to expect but ended up loving this book. Highly recommend!

The Sandersons Fail Manhattan is a sharp, witty satire that takes a clever jab at the world of New York’s elite. Scott Johnston’s writing is both biting and humorous, and he doesn’t hold back when it comes to exposing the absurdity of privilege and ambition. The Sanderson family’s quest to maintain their social status while everything around them crumbles is both hilarious and painfully relatable in a way that makes you cringe and laugh at the same time. It’s a perfect read if you enjoy social commentary wrapped up in a bit of chaos.

What I loved most was how Johnston keeps the tone light despite the darker undertones of ambition gone wrong. The characters are over the top but somehow still believable, and the dialogue is snappy and full of sharp one-liners. It’s one of those books that feels like a guilty pleasure but also leaves you thinking about the lengths people go to for social validation. If you’re looking for a satirical take on the intersection of family dysfunction and high society, this one’s definitely worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. The Sandersons Fail Manhattan is a darkly humorous look at the effects of inclusiveness on the upper crust in NYC and its elite private schools. George Sanderson was born of money - family money - and he marries Ellie, a woman who grew up with military parents and moved around regularly and never established roots. Their two daughters attend Lenox School for girls, an exclusive private school with a fee of $65000 a year tuition. Things start to erode when the school's board decides that their admissions to the Ivy League schools are suffering due to lack of inclusion - transgendered, homosexuals and other colors of the rainbow. The concept of political correctness is at its peak in pitch-black biting prose as things fall apart for the Sandersons and their tight-knit community of money and privilege. This story had me laughing and rolling my eyes at the same time. A good read for anyone who likes satire and viewing the world of the super elite - a world in which some of us will never know.

The Sandersons Fail Manhattan is a hysterically funny, delicious satire that manages to offend almost every group of people possible and skewers countless new trends. It has been correctly compared to Bonfire of the Vanities but there’s a new generation here with hangups of their own.

Will and Ellie Sanderson are a couple on the edge of social success in Manhattan. Will is a money manager at Bedrock Capital and donor to worthy causes. His wife Ellie has raised two teenage daughters who attend the Lenox Hill School for Girls, a stop on the way to an Ivy League education. She volunteers at school events and is on the wait list for the Mayflower Club, one of the last exclusive clubs with only women members. Life has progressed as generations of Sandersons have expected. However, there’s a whole new code of social behavior and Will is about run straight into it.

There is so much more here but I don’t want to spoil it for readers. However, when a “cultural strategist” asks Bob Ellison how he identifies, he answers “As Bob.” This does not go well. Clover, a new student formerly known as Amy, identifies as a member of the subculture goblin core and is an eco-sexual. There you go. Tongue-in-cheek funny, revealing disturbing cultural problems, The Sandersons Fail Manhattan will stay with you long after you read the final pages. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Scott Johnstone for this ARC.

This was very funny. We have rich people and their problems and lots of satire. The writing blew me away. The characters were and setting were on point. This is a book to read NOW!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC of 'The Sandersons Fail Manhattan.'

A satirical comedy of manners focused on the uber-wealthy of Manhattan, their private schools, persistence in maintaining the status quo through Ivy League college legacies, and all through the lens of post-George Floyd murder DEI.

I see this one likened to Tom Wolfe's 'Bonfire of the Vanities' and, honestly, given everything that's happened in the past month or so., it feels like this is historical fiction in the same way as 'Bonfire of the Vanities' now is. The speed of events, for me, means that this novel has missed its window.

It goes on too long, in my opinion - there a several layers too many of increasingly silly attitudes and plays involved and you feel like saying out load, 'OK, enough, I get it, I get it!'

Those gripes aside it's clever and consistently funny and takes swipes at both sides of the 'woke'/political correctness divide and it feels like the author reveals some quite strong bias towards the more Trumpian side of the debate.

The Sandersons Fail Manhattan captures the sharp wit, biting satire, and social commentary that I love!. Rather than demonizing movements or communities, author Scott Johnston skewers those who exploit social justice narratives for their own gain, making this novel more than just a send-up of modern culture—it’s an examination of the power dynamics at play in today’s social landscape.

What Johnston does exceptionally well is crafting multi-dimensional characters who feel both real and exaggerated, drawing readers into the absurdities of ultra-wealthy Manhattan life while exposing the pitfalls of reactionary culture. Through multiple narrators, we experience a hilarious yet unsettling deep dive into high society’s fragile alliances, the hypocrisies of performative activism, and the chaotic intersection of wealth, power, and modern social movements.

At the heart of the novel is William Sanderson, an investment banker on the verge of a career breakthrough, his wife Ellie, desperate to secure her place in New York’s elite, and their two daughters—Ginny and Zoey, navigating a world that’s shifting faster than they can understand. When the prestigious Birchwood Academy admits its first trans student, only for her to suddenly vanish, the ensuing social and media frenzy threatens to upend the Sandersons’ carefully curated existence, forcing them to confront what they truly stand for—or risk losing everything.

This novel is laugh-out-loud funny, painfully relevant, and thought-provoking in all the right ways. With its razor-sharp satire reminiscent of Bonfire of the Vanities, The Sandersons Fail Manhattan is one of the best social novels I have read! If you want a with a fresh perspective on cancel culture, identity politics, and the way power shifts in modern America—all while making you laugh (and cringe) along the way this is The Book for you!#stmartinspress #thesandersonsfailmanhatten #scottjohnston

3.5 stars

The Sandersons of New York City are very wealthy. Will Sanderson is rising to the top of Bedrock Capital, he just needs to take one more step before he makes the executive committee. Wife Ellie isn’t from NYC and takes it all in stride, other than trying to fit in and raise their two girls. Ginny is a senior at the posh Lenox School for Girls, a lauded private school where William is on the board; it is vitally important to William that Ginny go to Yale since “that’s where Sandersons go.” Shy Zoey is Ginny’s younger sister and is also at Lenox, she befriends one of the school’s new students, brought in the enhance gender diversity.

Can the Sandersons navigate this year, where everything they have known turns on its head?

This was a bit BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES-lite. It’s a pity that this didn’t come out before Trump took office because it made more sense in a world where the orange menace wasn’t attacking trans rights every fifteen minutes. Now it already feels a little dated (and that’s depressing.)

Ellie is a little too perfect and Easter is maybe a bit of a cliche, as are her parents, but I enjoyed this well enough.

OMG, I really related to this great satire of the bizarre competition that Manhattan kids and families deal with in trying to get into the “right” schools. I am on my second round as I await my grandson’s college acceptance.

The Sanderson’s became part of the elite independent (private) school strata when Ellie and William move to Manhattan. The book focuses on the time when college madness entered their lives as their older daughter awaited her MUST DO admission into Yale. As they were tensely trying to ensure her admission, the ULTRA-WOKE furies of the Upper Eastside, Elites swirled around them.

Obviously, as with any fine author, Johnston takes the seeds of reality and expands them into a darkly funny, realistic view of Manhattan 1% ers slogging through the horrors of college competition. Theirs made worse by a highly manipulative head of school and very dishonest people trying to take advantage of the insanity.

I did enjoy the book. Sitting here now with fingers crossed waiting for EARLY DECISION results, this really resonated.

Thank you Netgalley for this incredibly, frighteningly realistic novel.