Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier has an interesting premise, and satire and social commentary couched in this premise could make for a powerful book. At times, it is entertaining. However, in these games, none of the characters are likable. There is no one to root for to win this game, and the book is dark and at times disturbing. The story does not carry the power that the premise holds.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/02/good-rich-people.html

Reviewed for NetGalley. ( )

Interesting book. A thriller. But commentary on rich and poor. ( )

Another book this week with truly awful characters. The premise of this book is that the very rich can do anything, including getting away with murder. Their money just makes unpleasantries go away. In this novel, the owners of a house rent out their guest house to wealthy tenants, just to destroy them. The question is, are there any good rich people?
The story centers mainly on Lyla, married to the wealthy Graham, and Demi, their tenant.
Skip it, in my opinion. ( )

Wow. I wanted to start with something smart and intelligent about this book, but all I came up with is "wow". A mix between "The Hunger Games" and any book about a serial killer. For Graham, he is a puppeteer and he creates the story.

Eliza Jane Brazier crafts a book that truly sickening, twisted, and thrilling. I'd love to say that I fell in love with her characters, but I didn't. However, if I had, you should be worried about me - they are seriously sick individuals. If Brazier hasn't already, she should try her hand at writing script for television or movies... Seeing her stories come to life would make a grotesque visual, but there are lots of people who love that (granted, here I am as one of the people who enjoy reading books like this one...)

Looking at some of the other reviews before I read it, I saw a lot of 3 and 4 star reviews, but as I read them, I realized that they are not fans of sick and twisted books. I, however, am. Honestly, I enjoyed this book. It's going to be one of the books I recommend to the thriller die-hards in my life. If you like your books to be fairy good natured, this isn't the one for you. Its fabulous at evoking a physiological response.

Thank you Berkley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion!

Good Rich People is the story of Lyla, a young woman who married into fabulous wealth, wealth, wealth with a capital B. Her husband, Graham, is unnaturally handsome and she is both in love with and infatuated with him. Sadly, his focus is centered more on his mother than his wife. The house they live in is a physical representation of their lives. On the top of the hill, overlooking the ocean is his mother’s mansion with descending gardens representing the circles of hell. Their home is carved into the mountain and breaks out of the cliff with breathtaking ocean views. Right below them is another home carved out of the mountain, a guest house his mother rents to tenants.

And Graham and his mother love their tenants. More accurately, they love to play games with their tenants, competing against each other to enthrall and ruin them. They hate the up-and-coming, the strivers, and are entertained by lifting them up only to cast them down. But now they think it’s Lyla’s turn to play and the tenant is not who they think she is.

Good Rich People is not the easiest book to get into,. It’s written in the present tense. I have a deep distaste for writing in the present tense. Most of the time, it just feels so unnecessary and pretentious. I was [this] close to giving up but stuck with it and was well-rewarded. I mean this book is hilarious and compulsive. I read it in one sitting. And really, I am not sure anyone in this book is good, and maybe that is why it has to be in the present tense. If it were told by Lyla and Demi in the past tense, they would have already justified and excused things that they just flat out confess in the present tense.

Good Rich People is mean and the people are despicable, mostly. Graham and his mother are cartoonishly evil but all of that is what makes the book work. I enjoyed it far more than I probably should have.

I received an e-galley of Good Rich People from the publisher through NetGalley

Good Rich People at Berkley | Penguin Random House
Eliza Jane Brazier author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2022/01/31/9780593198254/ ( )