I’ve not read Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind or watched the Netflix movie but I do remember it being much admired predisposing me to read Entitlement when it popped through my letter box. Alam’s new novel follows a young black woman as she navigates the world of the super-rich in her new job working for a philanthropic foundation.
He caught his own reflection in the face of this girl so unlike him that most people, common people, stupid people, would strain to see it.
Brooke was brought up by her adoptive white, liberal mother surrounded by a band of ‘aunties’. Vassar-educated, and idealistic, perhaps naïve, she’s stalled in her teaching career. She’s accepted a job at a foundation set up by the self-made billionaire Asher Jaffee to give away his fortune, a decision triggered by the death of his daughter. When Brooke is introduced to Asher, still working four days a week in his eighties, he’s impressed by this young woman who seems to speak her mind when others demur, telling her to follow her dream of sparking a love of the arts in underprivileged children. It begins with a cheque Asher gives to Brooke, a compensation for the lavish lunch he’d planned before she suggested a diner. Insulted, Brooke at first turns it down but he insists. Little by little as she becomes more accustomed to the way the wealthy live, the ease with which they spend the kind of money most people can barely imagine, her integrity slips, exacerbated by the release of her best friend’s trust fund. Why shouldn’t she buy her own apartment, have a stake in the future, enjoy the delight of a cashmere jumper? Then, an invitation to a birthday party results in an epiphany.
Would a passerby know Brooke needed a saviour, or would they see two Black people and assume they belonged together, not pause to reconcile her Club Monaco trousers with his cup of change.
I enjoyed Alam’s novel for its themes rather than his writing style which isn’t to my taste. The press release quotes The Sunday Times’ comparison with Don DeLillo which felt about right to me. Brooke is an interesting character: a privileged young woman whose integrity and ideals, two of the traits which had elicited Asher’s respect, are tainted by proximity to extreme wealth. Asher’s philanthropy comes under scrutiny, a far from selfless decision given his desire for legacy not to mention the tax advantages. While money – what it buys, what it means, how it divides us – is the novel’s overarching theme, race also plays its part, always in the background and coming to the fore in an ending which felt a little strained to me. I’m beginning to sound a bit lukewarm about this one but I thought it had much to say about Western society’s values and I’m glad I read it. If that DeLillo comparison suits you, it’s a novel I’d recommend but it got in the way for me and has rather put me off reading another Alam.
Bloomsbury Books London 9781526674180 336 pages Hardback
Oh dear. The DeLillo comparison definitely puts me off. One to consider if the book crosses my path, but no more than that, however thought-provoking it might be.
Glad I mentioned that comparison then. A shame as it had some interesting things to say.
Interesting, I think we’re on the same page with Alam. I read Leave the world I enjoyed the themes, it made me think but I’m not entirely on board with his writing style. Yet I’m still intrigued by the sound of this one.
It’s a particular style I have trouble with – somewhat overbearing. His themes are certainly thought provoking, though. Maybe worth reading as you already know what to expect.
I’ve had one big success and one big failure with DeLillo (Libra and White Noise, respectively), which rather leaves me in the middle about Entitlement! The premise sounds really promising, though.
I’ve read White Noise and struggled through Underworld so that’s it for me. The premise is an interesting one and he handles it well, if that helps.
I read Underworld years ago and that’s it for DeLillo, so I’m not sure about this one! The themes are interesting ones for sure.
Underworld’s a bit of a trudge, isn’t it. The themes are what kept me going with this one.
The DeLillo comparison does it for me, too, so thank you for that public service!
You’re welcome!
Hah, another reader here who’s distinctly put off by the Don DeLillo comparison and that IS good to know. DeLillo was huge when I was working at Waterstones back in 1993 and I tried once and in fact that was a never-again for me. I do think the themes of Entitlement are very interesting – maybe they’ll make a movie of this one too? I could watch it rather than read it.
I remember that! He’s a bit if a slog, isn’t he. Watching it rather than reading it is a good plan.
This sounds a lot more interesting to me than Leave the World Behind but having had a close look at the latter, I suspect I’d agree with you about Alam’s writing style.
Definitely a distraction from themes which are well worth exploring. It’s put me off reading anything else by him.