June 2012

GILDED AGE, a debut novel by Claire McMillan, is set in Cleveland, “the Rust Belt,” and shows a stylish side to that city that I never expected. Readers meet Ellie Harr, who makes her return to her native city after a divorce in New York and stint in rehab. But she learns that what while her beauty is dazzling, her sexual reputation matters as much as her family heritage and bankbook. Her more grounded childhood friend is living a respectable Cleveland life, and the divide between their worlds exacerbates Ellie’s troubles all the more.

Chapter by chapter, Ellie unravels as she becomes more and more outrageous as her contemporaries settle in, and thus tongues start wagging. Couple this with a series of faux pas that are wildly public, and Ellie suddenly finds herself very much in the cold. Visually rich, atmospherically well-conceived and chock full of characters who are memorable, GILDED AGE is a hands-down great summer read. Do note that it is referenced as a contemporary re-telling of THE HOUSE OF MIRTH by Edith Wharton. While classics rarely charm me, I find myself wanting to get my hands on THE HOUSE OF MIRTH for a comparison. Great choice for book clubs!