by
Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
If there’s one thing that every family can agree on during Thanksgiving is that families are complicated. Love or hate them, the ties that bind you tremendously influence your identity. After all, family is the root of our heritage and plays an enormous part in shaping our personalities.
For the Plumb family, that fact goes on without saying. In Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s debut, “The Nest,” the Plumb family has their fair share of dysfunctional family dynamics. During a chilly afternoon in New York City, siblings Melody, Beatrice, and Jack Plumb gather to confront their reckless older brother, Leo, after his release from rehab.
Months before his release, an inebriated Leo was seen driving behind the wheel with a nineteen-year-old waitress as his companion. The accident that follows has endangered the Plumb’s joint trust fund, adequately called “The Nest,” which they were to receive just a few months away. Meant as a midlife supplement, each sibling watched the value of The Nest soar, hoping it would heal numerous self-inflicted problems. With Leo’s recklessness threatening their supplement, conflict grows between the siblings.
Melody hopes to use some portion of The Nest for her unwieldy mortgage and college tuition for her twin daughters. Jack, an antique dealer, secretly borrowed money from the beach cottage he shared with his husband to keep his business afloat. Bea, who once had a promising career as a short-story writer, just can’t seem to finish her novel. Brought together like never before, the Plumb siblings must deal with old resentments, the modern-day truths, the emotional and financial toll of the accident, and their own personal choices.
A powerful book on family, friendship, and the ways we depend on each other—the Nest offers readers an entertaining story with remarkable humor and heart. Find out how money can affect relationships, what happens to our ambitions as we grow older, and the unbreakable ties with our loved ones.
While the story may not exactly take place on Thanksgiving, the ongoing themes certainly make up for it and enable us to examine our family dynamics. Of course, nothing is as enjoyable as watching some good-old family drama, even between out-of-touch wealthy New Yorkers. If you love drama, humor, heart, and more—the Nest is your best read this holiday. The author does a great job of keeping her wit in check, and the characters are dynamic and entertaining.
The Nest is available on Amazon. A movie adaptation is also currently in the works.