Inspired Read: The Nest

He hesitated. Above him, an ear-splitting screech. He looked up to see three enormous crows, perched on the bare branches of one of the few trees that had already dropped its leaves. They were all squawking at once, as if they were arguing about his next move. Directly beneath, in the midst of the stark and barren branches and at the base of a forked limb, a mud-brown leafy mass. A nest. Jesus.

Leo checked the time and started walking.

In Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s debut novel The Nest, Leo, Beatrice, Jack, and Melody Plumb are four siblings whose relationships with each other are, to put it gently, strained and complex. They’ve spent much of their adult lives waiting for the day the youngest, Melody, turns 40, so they can take possession of “The Nest,” a joint trust fund their father set up when they were younger. All of the siblings, namely Melody and Jack, are relying upon their share of “The Nest” to end their financial woes and help them move their lives in a new and better direction.

But there is one issue: Leo, the oldest, finds himself in some trouble which has put “The Nest” in danger just months before Melody’s 40th birthday. The Plumb siblings are frantic at the thought they might not get the financial support they are counting on, and cannot believe that as always, their older brother has let them down. And so begins the dysfunctional family tale.

If you haven’t seen this book flashed across your social media or taken notice of it for its especially photographic front cover, then you’ve probably been living under a rock. It seems like everyone has wanted to get their hands on The Nest. And with good reason. I thought Sweeney’s debut novel was the perfect breezy summer read, one where I polished it off in a matter of a few days. It’s one of those books that reads so smoothly, you’re stunned it’s already the middle of the night…and yet, you’ll finish JUST ONE MORE chapter.

I didn’t necessarily think the characters possessed a lot of depth, maybe because the story is told from multiple points of view, but it didn’t seem to matter. The writing was strong and self assured, and the story line was entertaining and at times very tender. I found it very refreshing – to read a novel that illuminated how much money can hinder or even destroy our lives or the relationships we should value most. And it was refreshing to read a novel where the characters were almost completely unlikeable!

This story is a realistic view on life. There’s real challenges for real people with real solutions and in the end we become part of a perfect idiosyncratic family! And love every moment! I can already see the movie version!