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Entitlement
A novel of money and morality from the New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind.
Brooke wants. She isn’t in need, but there are things she wants. A sense of purpose, for instance. She wants to make a difference in the world, to impress her mother along the way, to spend time with friends and secure her independence. Her job assisting an octogenarian billionaire in his quest to give away a vast fortune could help her achieve many of these goals. It may inspire new desires as well: proximity to wealth turns out to be nothing less than transformative. What is money, really, but a kind of belief?
Taut, unsettling, and alive to the seductive distortions of money, Entitlement is a riveting tale for our new gilded age, a story that confidently considers questions about need and worth, race and privilege, philanthropy and generosity, passion and obsession. It is a provocative, propulsive novel about the American imagination.
Brooke wants. She isn’t in need, but there are things she wants. A sense of purpose, for instance. She wants to make a difference in the world, to impress her mother along the way, to spend time with friends and secure her independence. Her job assisting an octogenarian billionaire in his quest to give away a vast fortune could help her achieve many of these goals. It may inspire new desires as well: proximity to wealth turns out to be nothing less than transformative. What is money, really, but a kind of belief?
Taut, unsettling, and alive to the seductive distortions of money, Entitlement is a riveting tale for our new gilded age, a story that confidently considers questions about need and worth, race and privilege, philanthropy and generosity, passion and obsession. It is a provocative, propulsive novel about the American imagination.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2024
About the author
Rumaan Alam
14 books1,963 followersI'm the author of the novels Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, Leave the World Behind, and Entitlement.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
August 6, 2024
The way I read the last two thirds of thus novel through my fingers, cringing!!!!
July 10, 2024
"Entitlement" is hypnotic: a brilliant fever dream of the allure of money and what money means. But this is no ordinary tale of grifters and schemers: it's a story of one woman seduced by the world of philanthropy, who begins to confuse what people need with what she wants -- and the unraveling is catnip for a reader like me. I devoured LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND and devoured this one, too. I love Alam's work for a lot of reasons, but I think a big one is this: he understands well the most eerie, uncomfortable corners of the human psyche and brings them to light. This new novel arrives in September. You'll love it.
August 6, 2024
This is a book about race, class, gender, and privilege, but it's not what you think. It’s an entirely unique story where a woman uses her race, class, gender, and lack of privilege to her advantage.
Discussing our finances is one of the most anxiety-inducing situations. In Entitlement, Rumaan Alam goes there. He Takes the reader to the most uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing situation, money.
We follow a main character who uses her job as a philanthropist and friendship with her boss, an older man, to make it something to her advantage. Her actions kept getting progressively more and more rash and made me wince at several points. Her unearned sense of entitlement makes the reader dislike her but like a train wreck, it's impossible to look away.
This is my 3rd read by Alam and I truly believe his work just keeps getting better. I loved Leave The World Behind (the adaptation is amazing as well) but Entitlement is definitely my new favorite by him. It's been almost a week since I finished the book and it's still living rent-free in my mind.
Entitlement by Rumaan Alam will be available on September 17. A massive thanks to Riverhead Books for the gifted copy!
Discussing our finances is one of the most anxiety-inducing situations. In Entitlement, Rumaan Alam goes there. He Takes the reader to the most uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing situation, money.
We follow a main character who uses her job as a philanthropist and friendship with her boss, an older man, to make it something to her advantage. Her actions kept getting progressively more and more rash and made me wince at several points. Her unearned sense of entitlement makes the reader dislike her but like a train wreck, it's impossible to look away.
This is my 3rd read by Alam and I truly believe his work just keeps getting better. I loved Leave The World Behind (the adaptation is amazing as well) but Entitlement is definitely my new favorite by him. It's been almost a week since I finished the book and it's still living rent-free in my mind.
Entitlement by Rumaan Alam will be available on September 17. A massive thanks to Riverhead Books for the gifted copy!
September 5, 2024
Hmm….this was fine. It was much tamer than I expected it to be. I kept waiting for it to go to the next level, especially after reading some reviews mentioning the second half’s cringy-ness and that they were holding their breath at the end, but it never really goes there. This was disappointing because the premise is interesting and the story is set up to go there, it’s ready to go there, but then it ends. I should know by now, however, that this is Alam’s style.
While it was kind of fun to watch our main character become more and more delusional as her entitlement grew, not enough info is given about her character and backstory to understand why she was vulnerable to this. The reasons given felt flimsy and her character at times slipped into satirical, I wasn’t sure how much of her behavior to take seriously.
Unsatisfactory character development, side stories that go nowhere, unnecessary perspective jumps, and just overall not really saying anything other than the obvious. Entertaining enough, but not memorable in any way.
While it was kind of fun to watch our main character become more and more delusional as her entitlement grew, not enough info is given about her character and backstory to understand why she was vulnerable to this. The reasons given felt flimsy and her character at times slipped into satirical, I wasn’t sure how much of her behavior to take seriously.
Unsatisfactory character development, side stories that go nowhere, unnecessary perspective jumps, and just overall not really saying anything other than the obvious. Entertaining enough, but not memorable in any way.
August 2, 2024
Really disappointed by this. I think Alam should be a screenwriter, because he’s able to come up with big flashy storylines predicated on relevant societal ills, but seems completely disinterested in doing the work to establish compelling and/or realistic characters. Brooke felt like a haze, like neither a black nor white woman. She did whatever the plot needed her to and that made it very difficult to get absorbed in what she was doing; it all felt so forced. The other characters were all confused as well. There are issues that arise that don’t go anywhere, and another reviewer commented on how the “staccato” of his sentences doesn’t work and I completely agree. Openings of chapters were particularly awkward. Descriptions were general, and nothing truly “stuck” for me. This is a two star not a one star because I am interested in non-profit work and class and those topics made me interested in the Concept of what I thought this would be. I think the execution was pretty bad but I’m sure this will still sell because Obama Era America.
October 30, 2024
Brooke Orr is sitting in a subway car, hoping that the air conditioning will dry the dripping sweat that resulted from walking during a humid sultry New York City day.Her train has been delayed because of a police investigation at the Forty Second Street station. Brooke is anxious because she will be late for her first meeting with her billionaire boss Asher Jaffe. When the train finally gets to the next stop, Brooke rushes off the train and plunges into the stifling New York heat. She has just embarked on a path strewn with racial bias, generational wealth, envy and greed.
Brooke is a thirty three year old Black woman who has grown up in a privileged, supportive cocoon in Manhattan. She is the adopted daughter of a wealthy white single mother who has an array of multi racial friends.Brooke, a Vassar graduate, has mirrored her mother’s eclectic social circle in her own choice of friends and vocation. She has elected to help the “ less fortunate” by teaching in a Bronx charter school.But Brooke's racial identity and good intentions can not overcome the disconnect with her students caused by the privilege and economics of her upbringing. She then has secured a position at the Jaffe Foundation, whose mission is to divest the fortune of billionaire Asher Jaffee into worthy philanthropic causes.Brooke hopes that her current vocation will restore her self image of well intentioned benevolence.
Brooke's meeting with octogenarian Asher Jaffe initiates a slowly developing relationship fraught with titillation and desire. Brooke is black, intelligent and gorgeous. She radiates an aura of the exotic and unknown that begins to attract Jaffe, who is seeking new experiences and validation through philanthropy.Brooke feels validated and energized by the proximity to unimaginable wealth. Although Brooke and Asher's relationship appears symbiotic, they do not have equal access to influence and power,altering the balance of their association.
Brooke and Asher’s connection can be viewed as a clash of cultural and class values. The dynamic of wealth and race has an insidious effect on their actions and intentions.Brooke gradually realizes that proximity to wealth does not guarantee residence in that world.
At its core, “Entitlement” is a cleverly written polemic examining the corrosive effects of wealth when intersecting with less privileged people and communities.The novel is populated with an array of characters depicting New York City during the last years of the Obama Presidency. The narrative captures the era’s hopes and tensions that would culminate in the increased oligarchical rapaciousness that has challenged the country in the ensuing decade. Alam approaches this subject with observational acuity and ironic wit. At the start of the novel Brooke is delayed in the subway because the police are investigating an attack by the “Subway Pricker,” a man reminiscent of Bearnhard Goetz.He roams the subway, pursuing women with a hypodermic needle.Brooke becomes consumed with fear of attack and infection by this stalker. Yet by novel’s end Brooke has not been attacked and infected by a hypodermic needle. Instead, she has been infected by envy and greed.How ironically delicious.
Brooke is a thirty three year old Black woman who has grown up in a privileged, supportive cocoon in Manhattan. She is the adopted daughter of a wealthy white single mother who has an array of multi racial friends.Brooke, a Vassar graduate, has mirrored her mother’s eclectic social circle in her own choice of friends and vocation. She has elected to help the “ less fortunate” by teaching in a Bronx charter school.But Brooke's racial identity and good intentions can not overcome the disconnect with her students caused by the privilege and economics of her upbringing. She then has secured a position at the Jaffe Foundation, whose mission is to divest the fortune of billionaire Asher Jaffee into worthy philanthropic causes.Brooke hopes that her current vocation will restore her self image of well intentioned benevolence.
Brooke's meeting with octogenarian Asher Jaffe initiates a slowly developing relationship fraught with titillation and desire. Brooke is black, intelligent and gorgeous. She radiates an aura of the exotic and unknown that begins to attract Jaffe, who is seeking new experiences and validation through philanthropy.Brooke feels validated and energized by the proximity to unimaginable wealth. Although Brooke and Asher's relationship appears symbiotic, they do not have equal access to influence and power,altering the balance of their association.
Brooke and Asher’s connection can be viewed as a clash of cultural and class values. The dynamic of wealth and race has an insidious effect on their actions and intentions.Brooke gradually realizes that proximity to wealth does not guarantee residence in that world.
At its core, “Entitlement” is a cleverly written polemic examining the corrosive effects of wealth when intersecting with less privileged people and communities.The novel is populated with an array of characters depicting New York City during the last years of the Obama Presidency. The narrative captures the era’s hopes and tensions that would culminate in the increased oligarchical rapaciousness that has challenged the country in the ensuing decade. Alam approaches this subject with observational acuity and ironic wit. At the start of the novel Brooke is delayed in the subway because the police are investigating an attack by the “Subway Pricker,” a man reminiscent of Bearnhard Goetz.He roams the subway, pursuing women with a hypodermic needle.Brooke becomes consumed with fear of attack and infection by this stalker. Yet by novel’s end Brooke has not been attacked and infected by a hypodermic needle. Instead, she has been infected by envy and greed.How ironically delicious.
July 30, 2024
Main theme as title is a bold move, but Alam goes for it and he sinks it so you can't be mad. It's a very focused story, much more like Alam's earlier two novels than his last one. A story of manners and class, privilege and (obviously) entitlement.
Alam gives us an unlikely protagonist, Brooke, a Black woman raised in Manhattan adopted by a single white mother. Brooke doesn't feel like she has enough. She doesn't have a huge salary. She doesn't have a trust fund like her best friend. And this all feels like a much bigger problem when she starts a new job at a nonprofit, a foundation dedicated entirely to giving away one billionaire's money. Money starts to mean something different to Brooke when suddenly she has the power to give millions of dollars to help save oysters. If oysters can have all this money, why can't she?
What Alam is so good at here is showing you how Brooke feels while also quietly making it clear how wrong Brooke is. She is completely incapable of seeing her own privilege. She is also more than willing to use her status as a young, attractive woman to hold the attention of the elderly billionaire if it's going to help her get what she wants. It is, ultimately, Brooke's race that helps her gain the occasional insight, that reminds her of what it's like to live without privilege.
This book had me constantly cringing, saying "Oh no oh no" with every decision Brooke makes. Goes out on a real quick turnaround ending that I quite enjoyed. I don't often think about novels that are so specific, so much about "issues", but Alam does this so smoothly and brilliantly that I wish we could have a lot more of them.
Alam gives us an unlikely protagonist, Brooke, a Black woman raised in Manhattan adopted by a single white mother. Brooke doesn't feel like she has enough. She doesn't have a huge salary. She doesn't have a trust fund like her best friend. And this all feels like a much bigger problem when she starts a new job at a nonprofit, a foundation dedicated entirely to giving away one billionaire's money. Money starts to mean something different to Brooke when suddenly she has the power to give millions of dollars to help save oysters. If oysters can have all this money, why can't she?
What Alam is so good at here is showing you how Brooke feels while also quietly making it clear how wrong Brooke is. She is completely incapable of seeing her own privilege. She is also more than willing to use her status as a young, attractive woman to hold the attention of the elderly billionaire if it's going to help her get what she wants. It is, ultimately, Brooke's race that helps her gain the occasional insight, that reminds her of what it's like to live without privilege.
This book had me constantly cringing, saying "Oh no oh no" with every decision Brooke makes. Goes out on a real quick turnaround ending that I quite enjoyed. I don't often think about novels that are so specific, so much about "issues", but Alam does this so smoothly and brilliantly that I wish we could have a lot more of them.
September 6, 2024
I'll begin by saying that the hype got me. I LOVED Leave the World Behind - I know many of us did - so the buzz around Entitlement is palpable.
It wasn't long into this book before I asked myself "was this written by the same author of LTWB?" There was absolutely none of what drew me to the quiet, understated suspenseful novel that kept me madly turning pages in 2020. And of course, authors who reinvent themselves with every book are immensely talented, but that's not what is going on here IMO. Entitlement just never gets off the ground, never moves beyond what feels like the same scene over and over and over again.
I struggle with books that from just pages in you know exactly where you're headed, and this is one of them. Brooke is a young woman who takes a job with NYC billionaire Asher Jaffee. She is tasked with assisting him in finding ways to use his fortune for the betterment of others. As their story unfolds, he develops an interest in her that made absolutely no sense to me. The motivations of both the main characters was blurry to me and tainted the whole novel. We understand that Brooke wants more than she has and believes Jaffee has more than his share, but this isn't original nor page turning. The conversations between Jaffee and Brooke were some of the most awkward and contrived I've ever read - nothing about this match up worked on any level.
Descriptions of Entitlement include terms like "slow burn" "unsettling" and "propulsive" and I would not in my wildest dreams use those descriptors. It isn't in the least unsettling (LTWB was!) but this story of haves/have nots is as old as the hills. I was so bored and felt like I read the same scene 100 x and as for slow burn, it was just plain slow, no burn. I was waiting for the burn! It never came.
I have nothing more. One of the biggest let downs of the year. Well, the cover is stunning. Thank you PRH audio for my copy.
It wasn't long into this book before I asked myself "was this written by the same author of LTWB?" There was absolutely none of what drew me to the quiet, understated suspenseful novel that kept me madly turning pages in 2020. And of course, authors who reinvent themselves with every book are immensely talented, but that's not what is going on here IMO. Entitlement just never gets off the ground, never moves beyond what feels like the same scene over and over and over again.
I struggle with books that from just pages in you know exactly where you're headed, and this is one of them. Brooke is a young woman who takes a job with NYC billionaire Asher Jaffee. She is tasked with assisting him in finding ways to use his fortune for the betterment of others. As their story unfolds, he develops an interest in her that made absolutely no sense to me. The motivations of both the main characters was blurry to me and tainted the whole novel. We understand that Brooke wants more than she has and believes Jaffee has more than his share, but this isn't original nor page turning. The conversations between Jaffee and Brooke were some of the most awkward and contrived I've ever read - nothing about this match up worked on any level.
Descriptions of Entitlement include terms like "slow burn" "unsettling" and "propulsive" and I would not in my wildest dreams use those descriptors. It isn't in the least unsettling (LTWB was!) but this story of haves/have nots is as old as the hills. I was so bored and felt like I read the same scene 100 x and as for slow burn, it was just plain slow, no burn. I was waiting for the burn! It never came.
I have nothing more. One of the biggest let downs of the year. Well, the cover is stunning. Thank you PRH audio for my copy.
September 8, 2024
After absolutely loving the author’s book Leave the World Behind I was very excited for this new release. Unfortunately it was a miss for me. If you read the Synopsis, that is the entire book. I kept waiting for a dramatic reveal but that did not happen. I found the story tedious and the main character uninteresting.
Upon further reflection, I feel this would actually make a somewhat enjoyable script. But as a book, it left me feeling empty. It felt like a chore to complete this book which is never a good thing!
(Thanks to the publisher for proving an audiobook listening copy via Libro.fm in exchange for my honest review.)
Upon further reflection, I feel this would actually make a somewhat enjoyable script. But as a book, it left me feeling empty. It felt like a chore to complete this book which is never a good thing!
(Thanks to the publisher for proving an audiobook listening copy via Libro.fm in exchange for my honest review.)
September 30, 2024
Brooke doesn’t need money to cover her basic living necessities, but she doesn’t not want money either. She lives in New York City and works for the foundation of Asher Jaffe, a billionaire committed to giving away his massive fortune in support of worthy causes.
What makes a cause worthy? Who decides worthiness? How much money is a lot of money? Who decides on this threshold? Entitlement subtly explores these questions with the themes of money, class, need vs. desire, and more.
I struggled with Alam’s previous book, Leave the World Behind, due in large part to its extreme inconclusiveness, and at times, seemingly pretentious writing. That said, I appreciated Alam’s distinct style and originality enough to want to give his work another shot. Entitlement has a similar style and while I can’t say I liked the characters, some of whom are indeed, entitled, I wanted to continue reading to see how things would unfold — 3.5 stars
What makes a cause worthy? Who decides worthiness? How much money is a lot of money? Who decides on this threshold? Entitlement subtly explores these questions with the themes of money, class, need vs. desire, and more.
I struggled with Alam’s previous book, Leave the World Behind, due in large part to its extreme inconclusiveness, and at times, seemingly pretentious writing. That said, I appreciated Alam’s distinct style and originality enough to want to give his work another shot. Entitlement has a similar style and while I can’t say I liked the characters, some of whom are indeed, entitled, I wanted to continue reading to see how things would unfold — 3.5 stars
Shelved as 'unable-to-finish'
September 28, 2024DNF at page 53. Although the subject matter appeals to me, I couldn't get past Alam's jarring and glib writing style.
October 7, 2024
2.5, rounded down
November 19, 2024
Okay, so Entitlement is one of those books that feels like watching someone try on a designer suit that doesn’t quite fit, it’s a little uncomfortable, a little mesmerizing, and you can’t look away.
Brooke, the main character, gets this gig working for a billionaire with a saviour complex, and suddenly she’s swirling around in his orbit of “good intentions” that start to look more like a Black Mirror episode on modern philanthropy. Imagine Parasite if it was set in the Hamptons and had way fewer basements but just as much moral rot.
Alam is great at capturing this vibe where every dollar Asher Jaffee “gives back” has these tiny, invisible strings attached, turning his fortune into this low-key puppet show. Brooke’s trying to be this hero—she wants to help people, change things, maybe get a little validation from her mom (don’t we all?), but being this close to insane wealth makes her start feeling… entitled? Like, when does admiration for success flip into a sense of “maybe I deserve a slice of that?” It’s a bit Gatsby meets Inventing Anna, if Anna actually believed she was saving the world.
The writing is a mix of Normal People quiet intensity but with a sprinkle of Succession’s power plays, like watching someone lose themselves one ethical compromise at a time. Alam doesn’t hit you over the head with the “money is evil” trope, but you feel the slow burn of it nonetheless. Brooke starts bending her own moral code, almost like watching Kendall Roy convince himself he’s doing the right thing when we all know he’s not.
The only thing is, sometimes it drags. It’s like Alam wants us to sit in that discomfort forever, and honestly, I’m here for it, but there were moments I wanted to shake the book and be like Okay, I get it—money is weird and powerful, can we move it along!!!
If you’re into books that don’t spoon-feed you answers but leave you wondering if wealth really does corrupt or if we’re just born a little corruptible, this one’s worth your time. It’s for those who love a good moral gray area, who’ve maybe daydreamed about being friends with billionaires but also know that the price of entry is probably your soul.
Thank you to Libro.FM from the very bottom of my heart for the advanced listening copy of this book.
Brooke, the main character, gets this gig working for a billionaire with a saviour complex, and suddenly she’s swirling around in his orbit of “good intentions” that start to look more like a Black Mirror episode on modern philanthropy. Imagine Parasite if it was set in the Hamptons and had way fewer basements but just as much moral rot.
Alam is great at capturing this vibe where every dollar Asher Jaffee “gives back” has these tiny, invisible strings attached, turning his fortune into this low-key puppet show. Brooke’s trying to be this hero—she wants to help people, change things, maybe get a little validation from her mom (don’t we all?), but being this close to insane wealth makes her start feeling… entitled? Like, when does admiration for success flip into a sense of “maybe I deserve a slice of that?” It’s a bit Gatsby meets Inventing Anna, if Anna actually believed she was saving the world.
The writing is a mix of Normal People quiet intensity but with a sprinkle of Succession’s power plays, like watching someone lose themselves one ethical compromise at a time. Alam doesn’t hit you over the head with the “money is evil” trope, but you feel the slow burn of it nonetheless. Brooke starts bending her own moral code, almost like watching Kendall Roy convince himself he’s doing the right thing when we all know he’s not.
The only thing is, sometimes it drags. It’s like Alam wants us to sit in that discomfort forever, and honestly, I’m here for it, but there were moments I wanted to shake the book and be like Okay, I get it—money is weird and powerful, can we move it along!!!
If you’re into books that don’t spoon-feed you answers but leave you wondering if wealth really does corrupt or if we’re just born a little corruptible, this one’s worth your time. It’s for those who love a good moral gray area, who’ve maybe daydreamed about being friends with billionaires but also know that the price of entry is probably your soul.
Thank you to Libro.FM from the very bottom of my heart for the advanced listening copy of this book.
September 29, 2024
I expected much more from this novel after enjoying 'We Leave the World Behind' some years ago. 'Entitlement' doesn't have the subtlety or the tension of its predecessor and it feels as if less effort has gone into it.
It explores the potentially interesting idea of how money creates the irrational feeling of entitlement, but the exploration unfortunately remained superficial.
The main problem for me was that the two main characters - 33 year old independent Brooke and her 83 year old boss the tycoon Asher Jaffee - felt caricatured and didn't behave in believable ways.
It could have worked if there had been brilliant dialogue between the two, but both turn out to be disappointingly flat characters.
On the plus side, the book reads very easily, the writing is very smooth and it still managed to interest me enough to finish it.
It explores the potentially interesting idea of how money creates the irrational feeling of entitlement, but the exploration unfortunately remained superficial.
The main problem for me was that the two main characters - 33 year old independent Brooke and her 83 year old boss the tycoon Asher Jaffee - felt caricatured and didn't behave in believable ways.
It could have worked if there had been brilliant dialogue between the two, but both turn out to be disappointingly flat characters.
On the plus side, the book reads very easily, the writing is very smooth and it still managed to interest me enough to finish it.
Read
October 22, 2024Shelved as 'unable-to-finish'
Made it halfway through and even that was tough. It is rare for me to not finish a book but I found myself avoiding the book because it was so unenjoyable. Not sure exactly why that is, might be the slow pacing or the uber-literary-ness style of writing that felt a bit forced. Not finishing makes me feel guilty and that guilt is usually enough make me push on to the end but in this case continuing to the end felt like a very unpleasant chore and that trumped the guilt.
Made it halfway through and even that was tough. It is rare for me to not finish a book but I found myself avoiding the book because it was so unenjoyable. Not sure exactly why that is, might be the slow pacing or the uber-literary-ness style of writing that felt a bit forced. Not finishing makes me feel guilty and that guilt is usually enough make me push on to the end but in this case continuing to the end felt like a very unpleasant chore and that trumped the guilt.
August 25, 2024
Maybe I just didn’t get this book, but it felt very forced, slow and at the end of it, I thought — “That’s it?” To be fair, I did not enjoy Alam’s last novel (although it was much better than this one), but I did really enjoy That Kind of Mother and Rich and Pretty.
Entitlement is about you guessed it, entitlement and wealth. Here is the publisher’s blurb: “Brooke wants. She isn’t in need, but there are things she wants. A sense of purpose, for instance. She wants to make a difference in the world, to impress her mother along the way, to spend time with friends and secure her independence. Her job assisting an octogenarian billionaire in his quest to give away a vast fortune could help her achieve many of these goals. It may inspire new desires as well: proximity to wealth turns out to be nothing less than transformative. What is money, really, but a kind of belief?”
Spoiler alert: That’s it. The entire book. Maybe I’m a pleb, but I didn’t get anything else from it.
If you read this and can educate me, please do.
October 13, 2024
For a satire, this felt rather tame and safe. In a year of reading scathing and original satirical works of fiction, this one brought so little bite to the table. Oh well, can’t love ‘em all.
September 26, 2024
1.5*
Really disappointed in this follow up to Leave the World Behind, a book I adored, and a movie adaptation that I also enjoyed.
I didn't like the plot, being of the "there are no ethical billionaires" mindset. And the "subway pricker" thing? What a nothingburger.
Strongly disliked both the textual editing and the hearing-thoughts style, especially in the first 100 pages. Found a few sentences that are straight-up nonsensical, and had to reread lines regularly because of the confusion of both who is talking, and who is thinking. Unpleasant.
No idea on how I'm supposed to feel about Brooke, or how the author feels, and didn't think anything was explained, resolved, or made any sense. Depressive episode? Mentally ill? New lifestyle mindset? She's incredibly immature in the way of a young 20 something figuring out the world, but is 33! and it's not really clear why anyone would willingly spend time with her. She sucks.
Matthew is the only redeemable character in the book.
Really disappointed in this follow up to Leave the World Behind, a book I adored, and a movie adaptation that I also enjoyed.
I didn't like the plot, being of the "there are no ethical billionaires" mindset. And the "subway pricker" thing? What a nothingburger.
Strongly disliked both the textual editing and the hearing-thoughts style, especially in the first 100 pages. Found a few sentences that are straight-up nonsensical, and had to reread lines regularly because of the confusion of both who is talking, and who is thinking. Unpleasant.
No idea on how I'm supposed to feel about Brooke, or how the author feels, and didn't think anything was explained, resolved, or made any sense. Depressive episode? Mentally ill? New lifestyle mindset? She's incredibly immature in the way of a young 20 something figuring out the world, but is 33! and it's not really clear why anyone would willingly spend time with her. She sucks.
Matthew is the only redeemable character in the book.
October 23, 2024
This was the longest short book I’ve read. Thin characters and even thinner story.
October 15, 2024
No one writes uncomfy tension the way Rumaan Alam does! I don’t think the setting of this quite did what his last book did for me, but it is clearly a book in keeping with his writing style, which i am a fan of. It’s not a book that i’d recommend to anyone who wants plot
July 28, 2024
Brooke, our protagonist, is a Black woman, raised by white parents, and sick of the world’s inequities. She wants to make a difference. But teaching in the inner city wasn’t all she thought it would be. She takes a job as a project coordinator for an octogenarian white billionaire’s charity organization. He wants to give a lot of his money away, and she wants to help, but what is Brooke entitled to herself?
Alam has cemented himself here as a master of quiet tension and the unveiling of human motivation with layers and layers of nuance. Entitlement is an exploration of ambition and if money can ever have anything to do with selflessness. What makes it great is Alam is able to explore these capitalist themes while also exploring race, gender, age, without it ever seeming “too much”. It is seamless and I couldn’t look away. This isn’t a big book in neither length nor action, but I imagine if you loved Leave the World Behind you will find a lot to enjoy here as well.
I’ll be sharing more thoughts closer to its September 17th; this is a book that deserves time to ruminate on, but I couldn’t wait to pick this one up. Thank you so much @riverheadbooks for this copy.
Alam has cemented himself here as a master of quiet tension and the unveiling of human motivation with layers and layers of nuance. Entitlement is an exploration of ambition and if money can ever have anything to do with selflessness. What makes it great is Alam is able to explore these capitalist themes while also exploring race, gender, age, without it ever seeming “too much”. It is seamless and I couldn’t look away. This isn’t a big book in neither length nor action, but I imagine if you loved Leave the World Behind you will find a lot to enjoy here as well.
I’ll be sharing more thoughts closer to its September 17th; this is a book that deserves time to ruminate on, but I couldn’t wait to pick this one up. Thank you so much @riverheadbooks for this copy.
September 2, 2024
I really struggled to understand the main character’s behavior throughout and also found the way the book characterized characters’ class position deeply weird. Various characters are called “middle class” in a seemingly non-ironic or satirical way for example, but they are obviously VERY rich. In a book about money this is… a problem.
October 2, 2024
I think I might have missed the point of this. A bunch of truly insufferable characters. Maybe the intention was to demonstrate what feeling entitled looks like, but it was annoying to have to spend so much time with them. I was not a fan of the choppy writing style.
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August 27, 2024Truly don't know what to make of this. Unsettling, prickly, verbose. Written in a staccato style that prevents you from ever sinking into the prose, I had two huge WTF moments with this that are really shaking me to my core.
Deliberately provocative, I think. People will be talking, that's for sure.
Deliberately provocative, I think. People will be talking, that's for sure.
October 4, 2024
I have nothing nice to say.
September 19, 2024
In most of his books, Alam is interested in the intersection of class, wealth and race. He’s able to tease out some really interesting ideas as he poses such interesting questions. I loved the way he gently shifted perspective between characters, it was so effective. The character development felt incredibly rushed though and we have a seemingly normal young woman become an entitled brat in next to no time. What effect would close proximity to real money and power have on you?
September 23, 2024
man I wanted to love this so bad, but it just felt like there was so much unmet potential. really interesting ideas but they weren’t nearly as fleshed out as they could have been
November 4, 2024
i just couldn't look away.
fun stuff:
a helen frankenthaler painting is bought as a gift for mrs. jaffe.
fun stuff:
a helen frankenthaler painting is bought as a gift for mrs. jaffe.
September 3, 2024
Jaw-dropping and dripping with originality.
This book is unbelievably riveting.
Brooke is searching for a step up in this world. After a job interview with a New York billionaire goes surprisingly well, she begins a quest to achieve something, something she believes only money can provide, but what exactly is it?
Asher Jaffey, in his final years, has decided to give away his fortune in an effort to “do something worthy”. He hires Brooke and tasks her with this philanthropic mission. While their complicated relationship deepens, Brooke grapples with her own personal pursuits, creating an unsettling atmosphere where manipulation seems to take over every moment—propelling the plot forward.
There is such a dark and sinister feeling to what is happening. I simply cannot explain how the author creates such intensity. All I could think was “this is not going to end well”. I loved the interactions between Brooke and Mr. Jaffey, specifically as they examine art. There is a compelling comparison to their shared love for art as is their shared desire for meaning. I also found the fear of the Subway pricker, a crazed individual randomly attacking passengers on subways with a syringe, a very creative subplot.
I felt such a physical response to this book. I was practically holding my breath in those final pages. There is no way I could see that ending coming. Yet I felt a bit unsatisfied with it… awaiting that moment of reckoning for both characters was almost unbearable. I think this will make a great choice to read along with others as everyone will likely have completely different takeaways from the story and how it ends.
Overall, I’m not sure what category I would put Entitlement into, but the title in a way says it all. It definitely makes you think about privilege, power, wealth, humanity, and the pursuit of legacy. It is original, thrilling and thought-provoking. It will be a fantastic book for discussion, one of my favorite books of 2024, and a book I will never forget.
Thank you @riverhead for my gifted copy.
This book is unbelievably riveting.
Brooke is searching for a step up in this world. After a job interview with a New York billionaire goes surprisingly well, she begins a quest to achieve something, something she believes only money can provide, but what exactly is it?
Asher Jaffey, in his final years, has decided to give away his fortune in an effort to “do something worthy”. He hires Brooke and tasks her with this philanthropic mission. While their complicated relationship deepens, Brooke grapples with her own personal pursuits, creating an unsettling atmosphere where manipulation seems to take over every moment—propelling the plot forward.
There is such a dark and sinister feeling to what is happening. I simply cannot explain how the author creates such intensity. All I could think was “this is not going to end well”. I loved the interactions between Brooke and Mr. Jaffey, specifically as they examine art. There is a compelling comparison to their shared love for art as is their shared desire for meaning. I also found the fear of the Subway pricker, a crazed individual randomly attacking passengers on subways with a syringe, a very creative subplot.
I felt such a physical response to this book. I was practically holding my breath in those final pages. There is no way I could see that ending coming. Yet I felt a bit unsatisfied with it… awaiting that moment of reckoning for both characters was almost unbearable. I think this will make a great choice to read along with others as everyone will likely have completely different takeaways from the story and how it ends.
Overall, I’m not sure what category I would put Entitlement into, but the title in a way says it all. It definitely makes you think about privilege, power, wealth, humanity, and the pursuit of legacy. It is original, thrilling and thought-provoking. It will be a fantastic book for discussion, one of my favorite books of 2024, and a book I will never forget.
Thank you @riverhead for my gifted copy.
October 10, 2024
Wealth and privilege, an underbaked, underwhelming plot and characters that are vapid vessels for themes™ rather than fully fleshed-out individuals with interior lives. I needed a more compelling story than conversations around money, even if the only point was to portray their entitlement. I don’t care to read about people buying designer clothes and houses in my fiction… It’s not that deep!
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