Tripping Arcadia
Books | Fiction / Gothic
3.4
Kit Mayquist
From debut author Kit Mayquist, a propulsive and atmospheric modern gothic with all the splendor of The Great Gatsby . . . and all the secrets, lies, and darkness that opulence can hideMed school dropout Lena is desperate for a job, any job, to help her parents, who are approaching bankruptcy after her father was injured and laid off nearly simultaneously. So when she is offered a position, against all odds, working for one of Boston’s most elite families, the illustrious and secretive Verdeaus, she knows she must accept—no matter how bizarre the interview or how vague the job description. By day, she is assistant to the family doctor and his charge, Jonathan, the sickly, poetic, drunken heir to the family empire, who is as difficult as his illness is mysterious. By night, Lena discovers the more sinister side of the family, as she works overtime at their lavish parties, helping to hide their self-destructive tendencies . . . and trying not to fall for Jonathan’s alluring sister, Audrey. But when she stumbles upon the knowledge that the Verdeau patriarch is the one responsible for the ruin of her own family, Lena vows to get revenge—a poison-filled quest that leads her further into this hedonistic world than she ever bargained for, forcing her to decide how much, and whom, she's willing to sacrifice for payback. The perfect next read for fans of Mexican Gothic, Tripping Arcadia is a page-turning and shocking tale with an unforgettable protagonist that explores family legacy and inheritance, the sacrifices we must make to get by in today’s world, and the intoxicating, dangerous power of wealth.
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More Details:
Author
Kit Mayquist
Pages
368
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2022-02-22
ISBN
059318520X 9780593185209
Community ReviewsSee all
"Starred rating to come because I can't quite nail down my final thoughts. About a third of the way through this novel I wanted to call it quits but stuck it out instead due to my extreme reluctance to DNF any book. While I enjoyed this modern, queer gothic novel, I was just left wanting more - more character development, mainly. <br/>Lena's motivations throughout are hard to nail down and when she comes to conclusions, like poisoning the family patriarch, the reader feels shut out of her decision making entirely. Maybe another round of editing is all this book needed as I did enjoy Kit Mayquist's style and am looking forward to whatever he puts out next."
G
Grace
"I was soooo excited to read this book and when I read the first 10% I thought it was going to be one of my favorite books of the year for sure. The premise was so fascinating and the characters were so interesting and I zoomed right through the first half. After the plot started to unfold, though, I kept being disappointed. It wasn't as dramatic or even as melancholy as I expected from a book that claims to be a "gothic novel." I just felt like it was SO CLOSE to being good at every turn, that by the time it ended, I was really disappointed. It was a perfectly fine read, I don't regret it, but I don't think I would recommend it either. I really love the author and can't wait to read their future work — really really love the style — the plot just didn't do it for me!"