Overview

What happens when four full-grown siblings have to share an inheritance? That’s the question Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney asked and answered in The Nest. This 368-page book was published in 2016 by Ecco, and has received much praise since then. It’s even a New York Times bestseller. And yet, the Goodreads rating for it is a 3.48, which isn’t terrible at all, but surprisingly lacking compared to the hype.

Let’s dive in a little deeper and find out why that is.

Synopsis

The Plumb family, based in New York, is a mess. Melody, Beatrice, Jack and Leo meet, and things get immediately get tense. Turns out Leo, the older brother, has just been released from rehab. A few months earlier, a car accident involving Leo and a 19-year old waitress put the family inheritance, “the nest,” in jeopardy.

What began as a modest mid-life aid by their father, turned into something massive with the stock market, and now, the Plumb kids need it desperately to solve a number of problems that could have been perfectly avoided—like drugs.

Will they need to re-imagine the future? Will things turn out the way they want, or will Leo be able to save the nest?

Pros

There’s a lot to consider with The Nest. There is plenty of criticism about the case (see below), but despite this, the novel has a good grasp of what it’s trying to convey: a message telling readers to fly. Stereotypes and painful illustrations aside, the book is about jumping off the ledge to see if you can genuinely make it on your own. It’s about survival without having to depend on parents—at any age. These siblings are adults, all depending on a nest to bail them out of their problems.

The use of four siblings is clear: they’re the baby birds that have stayed far too long. Despite all of them leading their own lives, they are still very much awful at being responsible adults. And the accident Leo has in his Porsche is what makes everything hang in the balance.

Cons

The problem with this novel that most readers comment on is that the novel isn’t original. How many stories about family inheritance are there? How many times is the oldest brother a reckless, drug-fueled wreck with a fancy car and an overly young girl?

The stereotypes are also a major issue here, with almost racist stereotypes in use. Matilda Rodriguez, a Hispanic girl, calls others “mami or papi,” while the street smart black girl goes around saying “that’s tight.” Not only is it the wrong decade, it’s also rather rude.

But it’s not just the racist stereotypes, it’s the homophobic ones too. The gay sibling, Jack, enjoys casual sex in nightclubs, and dodging AIDS.

The Verdict

This is one of those books that you don’t absolutely need to read, but you’re grateful for doing so. You can chuckle at the use of stereotypes, or marvel at the terrible character development, but in the end, there’s a plot there that’s somewhat salvageable. It can help those who feel lost, or insecure. It can lend a hand to those who feel they’ve messed up one too many times. And it can certainly remind a few readers that siblings should be a major part of life.