Stephanie Clifford (1)

“Everybody Rise” is a cautionary tale about the perils of a young well-to-do girl who tries to fit into the world of the truly wealthy in the years just before the 2008 financial crash in Manhattan. Stephanie Clifford provides an unvarished look at class, money, and ambition among the privileged – and even though this is a novel, not an expose, she gets the details right.

The main character, Evelyn, whose family is worth a few million dollars (because her father earned it) is pushed by her mother, and then by her own desire, to get in with the “old money” crowd from her boarding school days. These are the people worth scores of millions, made generations ago (since few of them currently work) – rich in property, heritage, and trust funds. The U.S. may be a meritocracy for some, but the old money families in this book play by their own set of rules.

Other reviewers have likened this novel to “Bonfire of the Vanities” and “Prep”. I’d agree, and add in a dash of “The Great Gatsby.” (As a small aside, I love that the title comes from the Stephen Sondheim lyrics of “Ladies Who Lunch.”)

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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