Customer Reviews

The Darlings: A Novel

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

At a time when the attention of the country is on the Occupy Wall Street Movement and the 99%, Christina Alger's book centers on that elusive 1% -- the truly wealthy. And she does it so well.

It was no surprise for me to read that she had worked as an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and as an attorney at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr. Only a true insider could have written a book as authentic as this one. It's page gripping and authentic, thrilling and gasp-inducing. In short, it's a winner.

The family that is about to be thrust into a Bernie Madoff-type storm is the Darlings: Carter Darling, the CEO of a prestigious hedge fund, his son-in-law Paul who accepts a position as the head of his legal team, his daughter, Merrill, a sharp attorney in her own right who is married to Paul, and several other well-drawn characters.

When a tragic event occurs in the opening pages, the Darlings are suddenly thrust into the middle of a red-hot scandal and a regulatory investigation, with the SEC and the media breathing down its neck. Paul - who deep down is a good guy - will soon be asked to choose between saving his own hide and protecting the family. It's all part of the dog-eat-dog world of the financial world gone haywire...a time when trips to Aspen are being cancelled, summer homes are on the market, and jobs are going the way of the dinosaur.

Christina Alger does not take the easy way out. The financial world is complicated and she refuses to dumb it down...which is not to say the book is inaccessible. You don't need to know much about finances to "get it." She casts her net expertly, demonstrating the interactions between the private fund, the fund-of-funds, the SEC, the press, the prosecutors and the highest echelons of New York society.

From the inner workings of the investment world to their private bedrooms...from their homes in the thick of Manhattan to their private getaways in the Hamptons...this is a book that sunk its hooks into me and wouldn't let go. It's a must-read for anyone who wonders what really happens when a financial scandal goes down.

It only took 3.5 years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers for a novel to come out that had me on the edge of my seat as much as I was in the fall of 2008. Cristina Alger nailed it and created characters as real as the people walking up and down the streets of new york city every day. The interplay between "family" and "business" felt so real that until the end I could not put this book down. Enjoy!

Note: One reader though there were spoilers here; I don't think I said anything spoilerrific, but just be forewarned.

Normally, I probably would not have picked this up, despite the lovely cover. When offered a review copy from Penguin, I figured why not, since I can be a bit narrow in my reading tastes these days (YA, YA, YA). Yet again, I am glad I did. The Darlings was a good read, even for one such as myself, who does not follow anything about the economy (more than my own bank account anyway).

The entirety of the story, with the exception of the epilogue, takes place within just one week. I love that Alger set it up this way, because it really drove home how quickly a situation can devolve to a snafu. On Monday, everything was good, and in a matter of days two companies were pretty much destroyed (or likely to be so).

Also, I want to give Alger props for managing to write sympathetic characters. I was definitely out to hate everyone in this book, because I can likely never (realistically) dream of having as much money as these guys would still have if the company bit it. I know life's not fair, but that does not mean I have to like it.

Actually, pretty much every character in here was at least a little bit likable. Certainly, by the end, there were some folks I was not a huge fan of, but I didn't hate anyone entirely (except maybe for Jane, who didn't get much screen time). I couldn't hate Carter because of how much he cared for his family, and because he apparently resembles Cary Grant. My favorite characters were definitely Paul and Merrill, who seem least messed up by the world they're living in. I would also really like to find out what happened to Marina.

The Darlings is a well-written story set in the economic landscape of post-9/11 New York City. Expect love, betrayal, and plot twists. Enjoy!

The Darlings provides a glimpse into the world that we all want insight into while keeping you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Once I got started, I could not put the book down as Cristina Alger really intertwined the inner workings of Wall Street with the high society of New York in a way that made this a quick read and left you feeling like you knew the characters intimately and were an insider in their world. Can't wait for novel #2 from Cristina Alger!

After three separate friends recommended this book to me, I gave it a try and it did not disappoint. After having a front row seat to some of the financial carnage in 2008, this is the first book I have read that accurately captures the atmosphere and frenetic pace of that period. It is a fast-paced story, with great characters and wonderful anecdotes about NYC and the financial elite that live there. If you are looking for an exciting book to crank through, this is a great choice.

Great read! Loved this book. Fast moving, great characters, couldn't wait to find out how the story would unfold. Couldn't put it down. Recommend this book highly and am looking forward to Ms. Alger's next novel.

This book was an incredible page turner and I don't think I have ever read a book like this that I absolutely could not put down! The story line was captivating and even though I know nothing about the investment banking business, I found I could follow it all and feel involved as she told the story. I have already recommended the book to about 10 of my friends! I hope Ms. Algers writes another book again soon!

I absolutely LOVED The Darlings. The characters were so rich and compelling; and Alger's prose style kept me engrossed in the wonderfully built narrative. This book is a wonderful read, and I cannot recommend it enough!

This book was an great read - at times I forgot I was reading fiction, and I love that. The characters were beautifully developed and somehow they were all tied together seamlessly in the end. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book, and by the end, I was sad to put it down. I'm begging for a Merril and Paul sequel. Christina Alger is clearly very talented and I can't wait to read what she writes next!!!!!

This book is an intelligent, biting and pithy portrayal of 2008 and the years of froth and happy self-delusion that preceded it. Cristina Alger has a keen intellect, a sharp wit and an addictive writing style. Her characters are believable, lovable and despicable, often all at the same time. Her insights into New York society, wall street and human motivations are spot-on. The book is intellectually engaging yet thoroughly readable; I defy you to put it down once you have entered the Darling's web!