The Nest

A family saga with well-defined defined characters and all the drama that the loss of an anticipated legacy can bring. The Plumb family siblings, in spite of their background of entitlement and wealth, are emotionally starved and this is the tale of their painful journey towards compassion for each other and ultimately acceptance of themselves. Very satisfying and beautifully observed.

If you like literary soap opera this is for you. It is a .novel about one quite well off but still struggling New York family who just about manage to keep afloat in the book and art world. Almost every paragraph contains a witty turn of phrase but the cynicism is kept in check by the author's real love for her characters, even the blackest sheep of the flock.

The Plumb family have always relied on the Nest – a fund set up by their wealthy father that means that when the youngest child turns 40 they can all have their inheritance. However, when one of the Plumb children gets caught in a compromising situation their mother pulls rank and uses the Nest to fund his recovery…much to the chagrin of the other siblings. The Nest is a brilliant story of how the other half live and how the sense of privilege transcends down the family line. It is an interesting look at sibling relationships and the dynamics of family life. It also makes you asses what you hold dear or see as important. The Nest is a very good read. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is available now.

I along with practically everyone who reads couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of THE NEST (Ecco) by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney when it was published. Talk about hype, this novel easily has had the best marketing plan so far this year. You couldn’t check out a magazine or a newspaper without seeing a story about the Plumb family siblings. Let me tell you, if you haven’t read THE NEST yet, you are in for a real treat. I have been known to laugh out loud while reading a novel, but from page one I was howling – yes, I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I was! The Plumb family, who take dysfunction to a new level, are waiting to receive their pieces of their trust fund, known as “The Nest,” in hopes that their inheritance will solve all of their financial problems. But when the oldest Plumb, Leo, hops into his Porsche with cater-waiter, Matilda, at a Hamptons party for some extracurricular activities. Bingo, car crash, maiming Matilda! The money has to come from somewhere. So Leo takes a major dip into “The Nest.” Overnight, two-million dollars becomes 50-grand a piece for each Plumb! OUCH! A year later, Melody, Beatrice and Jack Plumb gather to confront their reckless older brother, Leo, fresh out of rehab about when he’s going to pay back “The Nest.” Meant by their deceased father to be a modest mid-life supplement, the Plumb siblings have watched The Nest’s value soar along with the stock market and have been counting on the money to solve a number of self-inflicted problems. The siblings are expecting Leo to pay “The Nest” back, and now they aren’t sure if he will. Melody, a wife and mother in an upscale suburb, has a huge mortgage and looming college tuition for her twin teenage daughters. Jack, an antiques dealer, has secretly borrowed against the beach cottage he shares with his husband, Walker, to keep his store open. And Bea, a once-promising-writer, can’t seem to finish her overdue novel. Can Leo rescue his siblings and, by extension, the people they love? Or will everyone need to reimagine the futures they’ve envisioned? Leo, Melody, Jack, and Beatrice must grapple with old resentments, present-day truths, and the significant emotional and financial toll of the accident, as well as finally wake up to the choices they’ve made in their own lives. This is a story about family, power, the potential of friendships and the ways we depend on one another and inevitably let one another down. It’s quite impressive how Sweeney is able to juggle so many characters and create their distinct personalities. It’s hard to believe this is first novel, but I read somewhere that her husband is the head-writer for “Conan,” so humor must run in the family. I look forward to reading what Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney writes next. [...] For what it’s worth, I see a lesson in THE NEST. Never depend on inheriting money from re...

Yes, the Plumb family is in dire need of help from the good doctor. I picture the dysfunctional brothers and sisters, each clutching an official Dr. Phil hanky, telling their version of the plunder of an inheritance from a family trust they call The Nest. Lest anyone think that I watch this TV program every day, let me disavow you of that notion. I will admit, however, that watching a dysfunctional family implode fulfills a morbid fascination of mine (is there a functional family out there?). Reading about such families is even more entertaining. The Plumb paterfamilias had established a small trust for his four children. Common with many trusts, the child will not receive money until he or she turns forty. Although it is folly to count on money from an inheritance, Mrs. Plumb and her adult children, except for Leo, make many iffy financial decisions based on expectations from The Nest. Leo, while running his now-extinct literary magazine, carefully amassed a small fortune in an offshore bank, unbeknownst to the family. Leo, the charming black sheep and catalyst of the story, causes a major car accident when driving a young undocumented Hispanic server home from a wedding. As a result, the young woman's foot is amputated. To keep this juicy tale from the media, Mother Plumb and the family attorney negotiate a large financial settlement using money from - you guessed it - The Nest. When word gets out to Leo's siblings, all hell breaks loose. Unless Leo the Scoundrel can make The Nest whole, his brother and sisters will net far less money than what they are desperately counting on. Will Leo pony up from his secret stash? Will his brother lose his antique store? His overextended sister lose her home? Will Leo fly in on his white steed? I am not telling. Nothing can drive even a functional family apart faster than a will or trust. Siblings that are thick as thieves find themselves arguing over the ownership of salt and pepper shakers, never to speak again. Father Plumb and his attorney must have erroneously assumed that his family would play fair. The lawyer must have had a screw loose if he created a trust that could be secretly raided. And when it comes to money, the gloves often come off. Maybe it was not Cynthia Sweeney's intention, but, for me, The Nest is great black comedy. Each character continues to dig deeper and deeper holes. Botched business ventures, sneaky teenagers, raided college funds, writer's block and even September 11th find their way into the story of the unluckiest family on the planet. And it is unlikely that any nefarious deeds would have come to light had a drunken and cocaine-addled Leo simply driven his Porsche solo from the wedding reception. I really, really enjoyed The Nest. Stories about shenanigans with wills and trusts are not new, but Cynthia Sweeney puts her unique spin on t...