This was a fascinating dive into California life with a cast of really well-drawn characters. The writing was strong, and there were a lot of little moments that really stuck with me. It did meander a bit in places, but overall, I thought it was a thoughtful and engaging read. If you’re into character-driven stories, definitely check it out!

I got this book as an audiobook ARC from Net Galley.

I feel like this book was trying to be too much. It was a multi-generational story but at least two of the characters are really hard to root for ( I think Di was ok ). We start with Toby who is driving south to escape a fire ravaging northern California. I thought that plot was starting ok and then we jump back in time to Diane and then Klaus and it takes us so long to return to Toby that you have to take a beat to remember what was going on with him. The whole book jumps around like this. The jumps are too spread out and too sudden (at least in audio book) so that you have to reorient yourself each time.

Mostly, I just didn't get the point of this book. I can see the relation from the "end" of the story to Dianne and I guess loosely to Klaus but it just didn't really come together. To me, it was just starting to be something when it ended. I would have loved to see the next thing that happens.

This book tells fictional stories spanning over 100 years in America, from the times of silent films to the more recent wildfires in California, interweaving and connecting the stories of parents and their children. I was initially very interested in the first more current timeline introduced when Toby is fleeing the wildfire, but then the other stories are introduced and after a long while I was left wondering if I would ever hear about Toby again. The timelines are initially confusing - it is not immediately evident how they connected to each other and some captured my attention more than others. I liked the commentary on our current politics throughout the book and it is quite obvious where the author stands on these issues. It did feel jarring at times switching between timelines and stories. Overall, I did enjoy this one but it was just a bit long and some of the stories dragged for me. I also felt there was a lack of resolution at the end with some of the characters. I would still recommend this if you enjoy multigenerational family stories and historical fiction. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators did an excellent job of voicing each character and keeping my attention throughout. Thank you to NetGalley, Brian Castleberry, Mariner Books, and Harper Audio for the gifted ALC in an exchange for an honest review.

The Californians is a sweeping epic through the rise of California with the movie industry through its current state of wildfire wreckage, told through generations of interconnected families that are a microcosm for the profligacy and decadence of the state. We start and end with people fleeing the fires, as neighbors become unlikely road trippers in search of refuge, which leads to an attempted art heist and all the backstory connecting the half siblings that are painter and subject/owner of the painting, an unlikely duo. Telescoping back through time to how they got their, and all the movements in entertainment and politics that put them there. It's a great read to show the changes and undeserving victors to the spoils, and their choices of what to do with their power.

It was ok, I had the audiobook and it was difficult to really follow along with the plot and storyline. Maybe the book would be better.

The Californians was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich. I would read more from this author.

I really did enjoy this book. I think all three narrative lines were important, but it felt like modern day was only there to serve the other two plot lines. I wish that would have been a little different but overall it was a good intergenerational saga

I really liked the book and the description of the story is really interesting but the pacing felt a little off. i felt like I didn't get to know the characters well and not much happens in the book until around the 40% mark. that being said I think it was a great story and I did enjoy the book and would recommend.

The Californians is an exploration of family, friendship, politics, and art. In 2024, Tobey has lost his apartment and all of his belongings to a California wildfire. He finds himself staying with his father, who is being investigated for fraud, tempted to steal artwork made by Di Stiegl, a controversial artist and family friend. In the 1980s, Di has dropped out of college and is trying to make her way as an artist in New York City, but she feels lost. She finds inspiration in the films made by her grandfather, Klaus von Stiegel, who was known for his artistic eye and innovative works. Klaus was coming up as a director of silent films in the 1920s when the industry began to transition to sound film. The transition was a bumpy one for Klaus and his industry friends, and the book traces his rocky career and family life over the years. A multigenerational story that spans decades with a particular emphasis on film and artwork.

This story is told through multiple perspectives and throughout time. I think that the transitions from perspective to perspective were a bit jarring as a reader. It helped that there were three narrators for the audiobook, who all did an excellent job, but it made it a bit more difficult for me to keep track of all the characters and how they were related. I did enjoy the historical and artistic elements of the story, but it felt like Klaus' perspective got a bit repetitive at times. Di's was definitely my favorite and I wish that there had been more about her and her artwork. Tobey wasn't a huge character in the story, but he helped to stick the narratives together and bring the story into the modern day. I think that fans of historical fiction, and particularly historical fiction set in California, will enjoy this one, as well as people interested in art and the creation of artwork.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I got nearly 20% in and still wasn’t entirely sure what situation led the main character to flee his home. Either I missed it because the narration wasn’t engaging enough to hold my attention, or it just wasn’t clearly explained. I kept hoping it would come together, but it never really hooked me.

This wasn't for me.
The plot weaving through various timelines was interesting but at least from an audio standpoint, I wasn't able to get into it.
The audiobook narrators did a wonderful job but for whatever reason I kept wanting to hurry it along and get to the end.

The first portion with Toby and Paul was intriguing due to the timeliness of what was happening and the end felt satisfying but quick.

Overall, I think there is a general fiction audience for this story. It's just not this gal.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for access to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This story is very ambitious and covers many themes. Unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. I really loved the narrator and would listen to more by this narrator.

I’m afraid that I completely missed the point of this book. The writing was OK, but I didn’t like the structure. The only segments of the book that interested me at all were the ones about Klaus. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I really liked this audiobook and thought it was done well. At first, I felt a little confused with the different time frames/storylines but thought it all came together pretty well and was a good read.

Unfortunately I didn't really connect with this story. With that being said, I did like the narrators voices, but I still kept getting bored of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the alc.

This book trapped by attention for the synopsis. I have such high hopes. On audio I found it so difficult to follow the story line. There was just too much going on. But will try this book again in physical form

I really liked the idea of this book, but it just tried to do too much. It was hard to get invested in some of it because it moved so much.

I’m not sure how to specify what didn’t work for me about this book because the writing is actually really good. I think it started strong and the character, Tobey, who we began our journey with was being developed in a very compelling way. The present setting in California with a fire taking an entire city down was very poignant. But then the characters changed, and the timeline changed, and leaving Tobey behind for good. After that I just wasn’t connecting with the characters and had to rewind multiple times, my mind having drifted away.

Maybe I’m just getting worn out of so many characters and multiple timelines. It’s so rare these days to have a historical fiction with just one timeline, I’d embrace that structure! I’m sure this style will work for plenty of people, it just wasn’t great for me.

The audio was multi cast and done well. Thanks to HarperAudio for the alc via Netgalley!

Ambitious in scope, this epic fell short for me. Spanning across one hundred years, Castleberry covers the transition from silent films to “talkies” in Hollywood, the AIDS pandemic in New York City in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and modern-day wildfires in California. Alternating between three different POVs, we see how the idea of reinvention has always been a pivotal part of the American Dream.

Tobey is fleeing the fires consuming his home in Southern California, but more so his failures as he and his stepbrother cook up a hair brain scheme to steal his grandfather’s paintings to make a quick buck. His perspective is limited in this story in that it really serves to frame the two characters in the middle.

Klaus von Stiegel, a German Jew immigrant in NYC, reinvents himself as minor aristocracy in Hollywood and finds success as a director. Though his silents films are brilliant and have a somewhat cult following, the emergence of “talkies” briefly leaves him hopeless. Again, he continues to find ways to stay relevant working in Mexico and then again in fickle Hollywood in television.

Di’s childhood is traumatic, with an absentee father, a manic-depressive mother, a reclusive grandfather and dead grandmother. Raised by her father’s most recent girlfriend, she is quick to leave California behind to reinvent herself in New York City. It is in the gritty city she finds herself and she thrives as an artist, finding both critical success and financial stability.

The Californians aimed for an expansive, multifaceted look at the American Dream and the concept of reinvention, but ultimately, it didn’t quite land for me. The shifting perspectives and time periods could have offered rich depth, but the execution fell short, especially with characters that didn’t resonate or connect emotionally. It's tough when the characters are well-written but still feel off-putting, especially when you’re looking for some empathy or connection with at least one of them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and author Brian Castleberry for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Californians is out on March 10th. All opinions are my own.

This book is a slow moving book. It deals with a multi-generational dysfunctional family. Every generation has an artistic genius and a member who is consumed with family wealth. It is interesting to see how they interact with each other during the different eras. I do appreciate the acknowledgments to the socio-political elements of America that influenced these characters. I know the intent was probably to have a distaste for this family, especially in light of how out of touch they are with the typical person. I really didn’t like any of the nor could I manufacture sympathy for them.