by Paul Murray
First published 2004
Charles Hythloday spends his days at Amaurot, his family estate, watching Gene Tierney films and avoiding the modern world. At twenty-four, he lives like an aristocratic gentleman with afternoon drinks and canapés prepared by Mrs. P, the Bosnian housekeeper. His sister Bel brings home Frank, a hulking boyfriend who bets on greyhounds and talks constantly about pubs and fights. Charles finds Frank suspicious, especially when household antiques begin disappearing. The siblings soon discover a bigger problem. They are not as wealthy as they believed. With the family fortune collapsing, Charles faces something he never imagined: getting a job. He ventures into Dublin's streets, completely unprepared for real life. The city proves equally unprepared for Charles.
Genres: 20th-century, contemporary, adult-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-commentary
Setting: Amaurot, Dublin
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
424 pages · Hardcover · Random House