4.07: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (With Guest Host Melissa Faliveno)

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On this episode, host Dave Pezza is joined by Melissa Faliveno, author of the essay collection, Tomboyland. Melissa and Dave recently chatted about The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel.

Published on March 24, 2020 by Harper Collins, The Glass Hotel is Mandel’s fifth novel, and the follow up to her 2014, National-Book-Award-shortlisted novel Station Eleven. Set in various time periods between the 1950s and the late 2010s as well as various locations, including New York City, Toronto, and British Columbia, The Glass Hotel tells the story of a young woman named Vincent whose life takes an abrupt and difficult turn after mother drowns near their home in an obscure portion of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Soon Vincent’s path crosses that of Jonathan Alkaitis, an investment genius, who plunges Vincent into his luxurious New York City lifestyle as well as the financial drama surrounding it.

Emily St. John Mandel weaves an unbridled and harrowing story that effortlessly spans vast swaths of time and place. With a terrifically specter-like narrative, Mandel creates a fantastical and at times disorienting feeling of déjà vu as she masterfully bridges her characters from city to city, year to year, and the blurry places in between.

Please enjoy our discussion of The Glass Hotel, which is sponsored by Libro.fm.