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City People
From Perfectly Impossible author Elizabeth Topp comes an unforgettably searing novel about a band of mothers who are forced to reckon with themselves after the unexpected loss of one of their own.
When beautiful and successful Susan Harris jumps from the roof of her apartment building, she sets a tremor through her New York City mothers’ group that forces them all to look at one another with new cynicism: How could this have happened right under their noses? To one of them? Between her death and the harrowing private school admission season on the horizon, these women are forced to explore the hard truths about themselves.
Vic, a single mom with literary aspirations, is shocked and confused by the unexpected death of her best friend.
Bhavna, a makeup executive, tries to process Susan’s death while sacrificing everything to get her son into the school of his dreams.
Kara’s sister died by suicide years earlier, so she’s been down this road before—or so it seems.
Penelope and Amy are navigating a business deal when Susan dies, but is it worth the toll on their families?
And how will Chandice, battling cancer, come to terms with Susan’s death?
For these women, the loss of a fellow mother forces them to reexamine who they really are while the futures of their children hang in the balance.
When beautiful and successful Susan Harris jumps from the roof of her apartment building, she sets a tremor through her New York City mothers’ group that forces them all to look at one another with new cynicism: How could this have happened right under their noses? To one of them? Between her death and the harrowing private school admission season on the horizon, these women are forced to explore the hard truths about themselves.
Vic, a single mom with literary aspirations, is shocked and confused by the unexpected death of her best friend.
Bhavna, a makeup executive, tries to process Susan’s death while sacrificing everything to get her son into the school of his dreams.
Kara’s sister died by suicide years earlier, so she’s been down this road before—or so it seems.
Penelope and Amy are navigating a business deal when Susan dies, but is it worth the toll on their families?
And how will Chandice, battling cancer, come to terms with Susan’s death?
For these women, the loss of a fellow mother forces them to reexamine who they really are while the futures of their children hang in the balance.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2023
2601 people are currently reading
5215 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Topp
5 books85 followersElizabeth Topp’s debut novel, PERFECTLY IMPOSSIBLE, went on to become a number one Amazon bestseller in literary fiction. Topp penned her first short story as a second grader at the Dalton School and continued studying creative writing at Harvard College and Columbia’s School of the Arts, where she earned a master of fine arts in nonfiction writing. Topp coauthored her first book, Vaginas: An Owner’s Manual, with her gynecologist mother while she worked as a private assistant, a job she still holds. Topp lives in the same Manhattan apartment where she grew up with her partner, Matthew; daughter, Anna; and their cat, Stripes. CITY PEOPLE is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
July 25, 2023
idk about this one tbh. the vibe just didn't sit right with me.
a couple things:
1. the relentless focus on how "selfish" susan was to commit suicide? the way how every character in the story is AWFUL when it comes to actually letting her family and loved ones grieve? i mean, sure, i get it if it was done intentionally, but i didn't clock this book at one of the "everyone here is awful and should be treated as unreliable narrator" types (but by the end it was DEFINITELY feeling that way) because we had SIX VIEWPOINTS so i was sure at least one of them would be tolerable. right? wrong lmao
2. about the six viewpoints. six is too many unless you're writing a 1000+ page fantasy epic, and even that's stretching it most times. it was just too scattered tbh
3. i just didn't have it in me to like a single character i'll be honest and while i don't mind unlikeable characters per se, i DO mind reading 300+ pages about ONLY unlikeable characters. well, actually, i liked isaac, but everyone treated him terribly soooo....yeah. unlikeable characters, the lot of them.
thanks to little a & the author for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.
a couple things:
1. the relentless focus on how "selfish" susan was to commit suicide? the way how every character in the story is AWFUL when it comes to actually letting her family and loved ones grieve? i mean, sure, i get it if it was done intentionally, but i didn't clock this book at one of the "everyone here is awful and should be treated as unreliable narrator" types (but by the end it was DEFINITELY feeling that way) because we had SIX VIEWPOINTS so i was sure at least one of them would be tolerable. right? wrong lmao
2. about the six viewpoints. six is too many unless you're writing a 1000+ page fantasy epic, and even that's stretching it most times. it was just too scattered tbh
3. i just didn't have it in me to like a single character i'll be honest and while i don't mind unlikeable characters per se, i DO mind reading 300+ pages about ONLY unlikeable characters. well, actually, i liked isaac, but everyone treated him terribly soooo....yeah. unlikeable characters, the lot of them.
thanks to little a & the author for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2023
Elitism, at what cost? (Upper East Side, Manhattan, present-day): New York City is a state of mind.
It’s the state of minds of seven Mommy characters (professionals, singles, SAHMs/stay-at-homes) that drive Elizabeth Topp’s acutely perceptive second novel, City People.
Turning the reader into a psychological detective, you’ll find yourself combing the electric prose for the subtler emotional clues that lurk beneath the façade of upper-class perfectionism – looking the part, hiding truths, ignoring, repressing, denying them – all for the all-mighty, insanely competitive, coveted world of private school admissions as the ticket to a guaranteed future of “wealth, power, prestige” when one of the Mommies commits suicide, leaving her two young children, ages five and two, behind, along with her husband.
Two plot points, one unfolding infecting the other. Some Moms more than others. Their reactions – or not – reveal their pasts, secrets, agendas.
The fact that Susan was a psychologist emphasizes how difficult it can be to recognize the warning signs that someone you know is in crisis.
Susan’s husband, aware of his wife’s history of mental illness, isn’t the focus. It’s the other six women through proximity of their preschool age children attending the same elite private school, and all competing for a slot for their child to be admitted into the next step in climbing the educational ladder of privilege: entry into one of the most elite K-12 private schools in New York City. Fictionally named Kent; in real life The Dalton School where Topp graduated from.
Topp has taken to heart the write-what-you- know canon. Using it deliciously, voyeuristically to give us an inside scoop into a rarified world most of us haven’t been privy to. She’s lived on the Upper East Side her entire life in the same pre-war apartment, and, as noted, draws from her real-life experiences of attending The Dalton School that she projects onto Vic, who thinks it’s the most elitist school in the world. Depending on which rankings you look at, it’s in the top tier in New York City. Topp through Vic makes it clear the school has changed a lot since she went there. The reason Kent seems inspired by Dalton and not another top NYC private school is inclusion of its “anti-racist curriculum.” Founded in the early 1900s on progressive values of Equity and Diversity, today it boasts its inclusiveness. Tuition costs of over $61,000 a year; “over 20%” receive financial aid.
One of the truths made clear early on is that these women weren’t really friends with Susan, even Vic who thought she was. Readers who are mothers can relate to how they may or may not have become friends with their children’s school playmates. For two of the mothers – high-powered corporate types and women of color, race and ethnicity become an issue. One of the many reasons Topp’s exposé reveals an underbelly of resentment, anger, and rage despite acting like all is well.
All is definitely not well. How could it be when Susan tells us in a one-page prologue she’s finally at peace having decided her children will be better off without her? How does someone come to conclude they’re a burden to their children? It’s one of the signs of suicide, shown in this video by a suicide prevention group, bethe1.com, Topp recommends, among other resources: https://youtu.be/J0KCRW3DzXA.
The skillful unraveling begins with Vic, who’s shocked to hear Susan’s died. The next Mom’s voice is Kara, who barely knew Susan and yet she immediately grasps the unstated cause of death. Why doesn’t Vic? Topp silences her voice for a while, cleverly using the structure of her rotating-character-voices novel to reflect why. When Viv realizes Kara was right from the start, she must confront how good a friend was she? Her self-doubt expands, deepens to the core of her identity. How could a four-time novelist fail at the very thing she prides herself on: understanding characters?
Topp’s uncanny juggling of the psyches of seven women is another strength. Perhaps she became a pro at multi-tasking through her other occupation as a personal assistant to one of the city’s major philanthropists. Aren’t you dying-to-know more about another opaque world that inspired her debut novel, Perfectly Impossible? Count me in as I rushed to buy a copy. Yes, City People is that stirring.
Topp could be a psychologist. Better yet, she’s an incisive social and cultural commentator, astutely attuned to people’s hidden emotions.
An interesting, realistic element – a transit strike – makes its way through these women’s stories, impacting how they handle the madness of the private school admissions process when one of their group has perhaps warned them in a horrific way:
Vic: the so-called good friend. Struggling with writer’s block and how she’d pay for Kent, if her daughter was accepted since she’s separated and faking that she doesn’t need any help.
Kara: the outsider from the Midwest pretending to be one of them. For the hoops she jumps through, the obsession she descends into, the aloneness she’s left to deal with over three-crazed weeks, she’s the character you’ll likely empathize with the most.
Chandice: the former corporate lawyer going through a medical crisis. Hits the right buttons when it comes to being a strong Black women who feels patronized by and not sold on Kent’s diversity commitment. Recent race eruptions at The Dalton School add fuel to controversial fictional realities.
Amy: the mysteriously guarded single mother. With family ties to Taiwan, she has a lot at stake to prove herself despite the incredible wealth she already has.
Penelope: the most scrupulous. Has more “access to privileged information” than the others, which we don’t appreciate until we do. Addicted to an anti-anxiety drug enabling her to project perfect coolness along with her perfectly put together designer outfits.
Bhavana: has made a career on beauty. From India, she’s taken her mother’s village impoverishment to the ultimate extreme, wanting the “best of everything.” Long-term user of people for personal gain.
Provocative, City People leaves you asking more questions than you started with.
Do you have a special friend? Does she/he pick up on your moods, show they care? Do you consider yourself a good friend?
Do you know or wonder what it’s like to be a Mom always on edge, always assuming “worst-case scenarios” that keep you in a constant state of depleting, free-floating anxiety?
Do you believe a private school education is superior to a public one? If yes, would you go so far as to shelve your true self, lose your identity, so your child could join the elitists? How do you think that might gnaw at your state of mind?
“Grief is a cruel kind of education. You learn how ungentle mourning can be, how full of anger,” writes award-winning writer, essayist, feminist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her 2021 Notes on Grief.
How ungentle the lives of these seven women are. Desperate to have it all, tearing them down. Was it worth it? Topp’s message.
It’s the state of minds of seven Mommy characters (professionals, singles, SAHMs/stay-at-homes) that drive Elizabeth Topp’s acutely perceptive second novel, City People.
Turning the reader into a psychological detective, you’ll find yourself combing the electric prose for the subtler emotional clues that lurk beneath the façade of upper-class perfectionism – looking the part, hiding truths, ignoring, repressing, denying them – all for the all-mighty, insanely competitive, coveted world of private school admissions as the ticket to a guaranteed future of “wealth, power, prestige” when one of the Mommies commits suicide, leaving her two young children, ages five and two, behind, along with her husband.
Two plot points, one unfolding infecting the other. Some Moms more than others. Their reactions – or not – reveal their pasts, secrets, agendas.
The fact that Susan was a psychologist emphasizes how difficult it can be to recognize the warning signs that someone you know is in crisis.
Susan’s husband, aware of his wife’s history of mental illness, isn’t the focus. It’s the other six women through proximity of their preschool age children attending the same elite private school, and all competing for a slot for their child to be admitted into the next step in climbing the educational ladder of privilege: entry into one of the most elite K-12 private schools in New York City. Fictionally named Kent; in real life The Dalton School where Topp graduated from.
Topp has taken to heart the write-what-you- know canon. Using it deliciously, voyeuristically to give us an inside scoop into a rarified world most of us haven’t been privy to. She’s lived on the Upper East Side her entire life in the same pre-war apartment, and, as noted, draws from her real-life experiences of attending The Dalton School that she projects onto Vic, who thinks it’s the most elitist school in the world. Depending on which rankings you look at, it’s in the top tier in New York City. Topp through Vic makes it clear the school has changed a lot since she went there. The reason Kent seems inspired by Dalton and not another top NYC private school is inclusion of its “anti-racist curriculum.” Founded in the early 1900s on progressive values of Equity and Diversity, today it boasts its inclusiveness. Tuition costs of over $61,000 a year; “over 20%” receive financial aid.
One of the truths made clear early on is that these women weren’t really friends with Susan, even Vic who thought she was. Readers who are mothers can relate to how they may or may not have become friends with their children’s school playmates. For two of the mothers – high-powered corporate types and women of color, race and ethnicity become an issue. One of the many reasons Topp’s exposé reveals an underbelly of resentment, anger, and rage despite acting like all is well.
All is definitely not well. How could it be when Susan tells us in a one-page prologue she’s finally at peace having decided her children will be better off without her? How does someone come to conclude they’re a burden to their children? It’s one of the signs of suicide, shown in this video by a suicide prevention group, bethe1.com, Topp recommends, among other resources: https://youtu.be/J0KCRW3DzXA.
The skillful unraveling begins with Vic, who’s shocked to hear Susan’s died. The next Mom’s voice is Kara, who barely knew Susan and yet she immediately grasps the unstated cause of death. Why doesn’t Vic? Topp silences her voice for a while, cleverly using the structure of her rotating-character-voices novel to reflect why. When Viv realizes Kara was right from the start, she must confront how good a friend was she? Her self-doubt expands, deepens to the core of her identity. How could a four-time novelist fail at the very thing she prides herself on: understanding characters?
Topp’s uncanny juggling of the psyches of seven women is another strength. Perhaps she became a pro at multi-tasking through her other occupation as a personal assistant to one of the city’s major philanthropists. Aren’t you dying-to-know more about another opaque world that inspired her debut novel, Perfectly Impossible? Count me in as I rushed to buy a copy. Yes, City People is that stirring.
Topp could be a psychologist. Better yet, she’s an incisive social and cultural commentator, astutely attuned to people’s hidden emotions.
An interesting, realistic element – a transit strike – makes its way through these women’s stories, impacting how they handle the madness of the private school admissions process when one of their group has perhaps warned them in a horrific way:
Vic: the so-called good friend. Struggling with writer’s block and how she’d pay for Kent, if her daughter was accepted since she’s separated and faking that she doesn’t need any help.
Kara: the outsider from the Midwest pretending to be one of them. For the hoops she jumps through, the obsession she descends into, the aloneness she’s left to deal with over three-crazed weeks, she’s the character you’ll likely empathize with the most.
Chandice: the former corporate lawyer going through a medical crisis. Hits the right buttons when it comes to being a strong Black women who feels patronized by and not sold on Kent’s diversity commitment. Recent race eruptions at The Dalton School add fuel to controversial fictional realities.
Amy: the mysteriously guarded single mother. With family ties to Taiwan, she has a lot at stake to prove herself despite the incredible wealth she already has.
Penelope: the most scrupulous. Has more “access to privileged information” than the others, which we don’t appreciate until we do. Addicted to an anti-anxiety drug enabling her to project perfect coolness along with her perfectly put together designer outfits.
Bhavana: has made a career on beauty. From India, she’s taken her mother’s village impoverishment to the ultimate extreme, wanting the “best of everything.” Long-term user of people for personal gain.
Provocative, City People leaves you asking more questions than you started with.
Do you have a special friend? Does she/he pick up on your moods, show they care? Do you consider yourself a good friend?
Do you know or wonder what it’s like to be a Mom always on edge, always assuming “worst-case scenarios” that keep you in a constant state of depleting, free-floating anxiety?
Do you believe a private school education is superior to a public one? If yes, would you go so far as to shelve your true self, lose your identity, so your child could join the elitists? How do you think that might gnaw at your state of mind?
“Grief is a cruel kind of education. You learn how ungentle mourning can be, how full of anger,” writes award-winning writer, essayist, feminist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her 2021 Notes on Grief.
How ungentle the lives of these seven women are. Desperate to have it all, tearing them down. Was it worth it? Topp’s message.
October 3, 2023
I slugged through this thing. It was depressing as hell. Selfish people doing and thinking selfish things. 6 POVs!! SIX!
I’ve not read this author before and considering the many times I contemplated this going in my DNF pile, I don’t expect to read her again. Just UGH.
I’ve not read this author before and considering the many times I contemplated this going in my DNF pile, I don’t expect to read her again. Just UGH.
October 16, 2023
Book obtained for free through Amazon First
Most of the characters were irritating.
Chandice was the only decent person in the book.
Vic is an author with writer’s block who is running out of money and bemoans the possible need for a new career as a high school teacher or a waitress as if the two are interchangeable
Penelope hands out klonopin like tic tacs and blames all of her unhappiness on her family and her inability to play a role in the family firm. (Admittedly, Penelope does have a pretty awful family) She seems to take more klonopin than she should be able to get her hands on given how tightly the DEA regulates benzos. Got a problem, pop a klonopin…friends have problems, give them a klonopin.
Amy cares more for her career than her child.
Bhavna is all focused on career success and getting her child into Kent
Kara in obsessed about Susan’s suicide and continuously spies on Susan’s husband and family after Susan’s suicide.
Susan’s death is in the background to the women’s quest at all costs to get their children into the Kent school which will provide kids and their parents with the network necessary for future success. Many of them are ignoring the fact that they don’t know how they will pay the tuition if their child does get admitted.
I didn’t like that the quest for Kent seemed be mostly the moms’ aspirations when in real life both parents are probably equally focused on the goal.
There are a few surprises with whose kids get into Kent, whose kids don’t, and who turns down the golden opportunity. the turn down of the Kent acceptance almost redeemed the character.
Most of the characters were irritating.
Chandice was the only decent person in the book.
Vic is an author with writer’s block who is running out of money and bemoans the possible need for a new career as a high school teacher or a waitress as if the two are interchangeable
Penelope hands out klonopin like tic tacs and blames all of her unhappiness on her family and her inability to play a role in the family firm. (Admittedly, Penelope does have a pretty awful family) She seems to take more klonopin than she should be able to get her hands on given how tightly the DEA regulates benzos. Got a problem, pop a klonopin…friends have problems, give them a klonopin.
Amy cares more for her career than her child.
Bhavna is all focused on career success and getting her child into Kent
Kara in obsessed about Susan’s suicide and continuously spies on Susan’s husband and family after Susan’s suicide.
Susan’s death is in the background to the women’s quest at all costs to get their children into the Kent school which will provide kids and their parents with the network necessary for future success. Many of them are ignoring the fact that they don’t know how they will pay the tuition if their child does get admitted.
I didn’t like that the quest for Kent seemed be mostly the moms’ aspirations when in real life both parents are probably equally focused on the goal.
There are a few surprises with whose kids get into Kent, whose kids don’t, and who turns down the golden opportunity. the turn down of the Kent acceptance almost redeemed the character.
October 26, 2023
Unnecessarily Long and with no True Finish
At times reading this book was just about trying to get through the too-drawn out pages and hope that something, anything, would happen. Loose ends in the book were never tied up, and even the central characters were not known to the reader to fully grasp the story. For a book this long, I finished feeling that nothing really even happened.
At times reading this book was just about trying to get through the too-drawn out pages and hope that something, anything, would happen. Loose ends in the book were never tied up, and even the central characters were not known to the reader to fully grasp the story. For a book this long, I finished feeling that nothing really even happened.
March 18, 2023
City People begins with the suicide of Susan Harris, one of a group of close knit mothers at all New York City preschool. All are desperate to have their children accepted by the prestigious (Steven Spielberg directed the promotional video!) Kent school and all are hiding serious secrets. On the outside Vic, Bhavna, Kara, Chance, Amy and Penelope all look like typical, well groomed, exprensively dressed Manhattanites. As they negotiate their way through grief for Susan, we see what is below the manicured surfaces. Self-doubt, anxiety, financial problems, addiction, adultery and more dominate their thoughts and actions. As competition for placement at Kent increases, problems bubble to the surface and make these women see what is most important in their lives. It’s not what they thought.
City people opens and ends with events leading up to Susan Harris’ death. The disconnect between her troubled thinking and her behavior has been made tragically clear in a conversation her babysitter has with Vic. Life’s pressures have also seriously affected some of the other characters and we see how it will affect Susan’s own family. While suicide does not dominate this domestic drama, the author ends with a crisis hotline. 5 stars.
Thank you To NetGalley, Little A and Elizabeth Topp for this ARC.
City people opens and ends with events leading up to Susan Harris’ death. The disconnect between her troubled thinking and her behavior has been made tragically clear in a conversation her babysitter has with Vic. Life’s pressures have also seriously affected some of the other characters and we see how it will affect Susan’s own family. While suicide does not dominate this domestic drama, the author ends with a crisis hotline. 5 stars.
Thank you To NetGalley, Little A and Elizabeth Topp for this ARC.
November 6, 2023
Bleh
I'm not really sure why i stuck it out and finished this book.... Still
not certain what the point is of this book. I just hate not finishing things, so I slogged my way through.
I'm not really sure why i stuck it out and finished this book.... Still
not certain what the point is of this book. I just hate not finishing things, so I slogged my way through.
October 18, 2023
This was one of my two free selections for October from Amazon First Reads. So disappointing. A group of six miserably unlikeable characters each desperate to get their child accepted into an ultra elite hideously expensive and exclusive New York private school. Lots of diversity boxes checked off with this group. Lots of virtue signaling by the author.
Interesting and timely with reference to the current educational environment, particularly the admissions process and the focus on diversity rather than merit, and the tendency to slap the label ‘racist’ on anything and everything. It is my contention that to make ANY decision based on ANY criteria other than merit and qualification is wrong. It is racist to decide based on skin color. It is sexist to decide based on sex. It is discrimination to decide based on gender or sexual orientation or sexual confusion or whatever else is used as a basis other than merit and qualification. Anything else is demeaning to the applicant.
All of the 6 characters had stress and problems in their backgrounds. All of them were real downers. Right down to the first and last chapters which were solely descriptions of a character’s suicide. Way too depressing and nothing to redeem it, in my opinion. Skip this one.
Interesting and timely with reference to the current educational environment, particularly the admissions process and the focus on diversity rather than merit, and the tendency to slap the label ‘racist’ on anything and everything. It is my contention that to make ANY decision based on ANY criteria other than merit and qualification is wrong. It is racist to decide based on skin color. It is sexist to decide based on sex. It is discrimination to decide based on gender or sexual orientation or sexual confusion or whatever else is used as a basis other than merit and qualification. Anything else is demeaning to the applicant.
All of the 6 characters had stress and problems in their backgrounds. All of them were real downers. Right down to the first and last chapters which were solely descriptions of a character’s suicide. Way too depressing and nothing to redeem it, in my opinion. Skip this one.
October 17, 2023
If I had to use just one word to describe this novel, it would be JUICY. There’s absolutely no shortage of drama in this book, friends. City People by Elizabeth Topp follows five New York City moms who are all desperate for one thing—getting their preschoolers into one of the most prestigious private schools in the city. I wouldn’t necessarily call these women a group of friends—acquaintances is probably a better word for their dynamic.
On the morning of the much-anticipated private school tour, tragedy strikes. Susan, one of the moms does not attend the tour, and they later find out that she jumped to her death from the roof of her apartment building. Sadness, shock, and confusion ripples through the group, and they start to second guess if they really knew Susan at all. Did they miss any signs?
I absolutely loved the format of this novel and the author’s writing style. Two big events connect this group of women, yet on top of the stress regarding school admissions, and grieving the loss of their fellow mom, each woman is also dealing with their own personal issues behind closed doors. As the chapters switch from one woman to the other, loads of secrets, lies, and harsh truths come to the surface.
This isn’t your typical light and fluffy #momlife story. It tackles some serious topics like suicide, mental health, addiction, adultery, illness, financial issues, racism, and privilege. It definitely felt a little dark and heavy at times. The cast of characters was a tad large, yet they were all very well-developed, and I was consistently invested in each of their storylines. Overall, I was extremely impressed by this novel and it entertained me from start to finish. I’m excited to read more from Elizabeth Topp! City People releases on November 1st, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!
On the morning of the much-anticipated private school tour, tragedy strikes. Susan, one of the moms does not attend the tour, and they later find out that she jumped to her death from the roof of her apartment building. Sadness, shock, and confusion ripples through the group, and they start to second guess if they really knew Susan at all. Did they miss any signs?
I absolutely loved the format of this novel and the author’s writing style. Two big events connect this group of women, yet on top of the stress regarding school admissions, and grieving the loss of their fellow mom, each woman is also dealing with their own personal issues behind closed doors. As the chapters switch from one woman to the other, loads of secrets, lies, and harsh truths come to the surface.
This isn’t your typical light and fluffy #momlife story. It tackles some serious topics like suicide, mental health, addiction, adultery, illness, financial issues, racism, and privilege. It definitely felt a little dark and heavy at times. The cast of characters was a tad large, yet they were all very well-developed, and I was consistently invested in each of their storylines. Overall, I was extremely impressed by this novel and it entertained me from start to finish. I’m excited to read more from Elizabeth Topp! City People releases on November 1st, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!
did-not-finish
October 27, 2023DNF at 23%
This book is just weird and I have such an intense dislike for most of the characters that reading about them is a chore. This is just not for me, so I'm out.
This book is just weird and I have such an intense dislike for most of the characters that reading about them is a chore. This is just not for me, so I'm out.
October 19, 2023
I’m so conflicted about this book!!!
Likes:
-couldn’t put it down
-loved all the different POVs
-appreciated the message re: the assumptions and judgments we make about others (and how we’re often wrong)
-a great character study of several characters
-incredible vocabulary!! I had to look up several words 😂
Dislikes:
-so many primary characters that it was a bit hard to keep track if I wasn’t very mindful of who said what.. you def want to read this book relatively quickly to keep track
-not as much of a plot with forward movement, but I surprisingly didn’t mind this much as I loved all the female perspectives
Hates:
-I wish I hadn’t read the epilogue. The epilogue alone needs a HUGE trigger warning. The book obviously centers around a suicide, but it wasn’t until the epilogue that I felt truly distressed. I called a friend in tears. On one hand, that means the writing was so strong and relatable that I cried. On the other, give a woman a warning!!
Would I recommend it to a friend?
I don’t know! Probably, but only in pretty specific circumstances. It’s such a unique book!
Do I want to read it again?
Actually, yeah! But I’d skip the epilogue next time.
Likes:
-couldn’t put it down
-loved all the different POVs
-appreciated the message re: the assumptions and judgments we make about others (and how we’re often wrong)
-a great character study of several characters
-incredible vocabulary!! I had to look up several words 😂
Dislikes:
-so many primary characters that it was a bit hard to keep track if I wasn’t very mindful of who said what.. you def want to read this book relatively quickly to keep track
-not as much of a plot with forward movement, but I surprisingly didn’t mind this much as I loved all the female perspectives
Hates:
-I wish I hadn’t read the epilogue. The epilogue alone needs a HUGE trigger warning. The book obviously centers around a suicide, but it wasn’t until the epilogue that I felt truly distressed. I called a friend in tears. On one hand, that means the writing was so strong and relatable that I cried. On the other, give a woman a warning!!
Would I recommend it to a friend?
I don’t know! Probably, but only in pretty specific circumstances. It’s such a unique book!
Do I want to read it again?
Actually, yeah! But I’d skip the epilogue next time.
October 11, 2023
When you have SIX different points of view telling the story? Yikes. Waaaayyy too many characters to keep track of, especially in the beginning. At least one of them (Bhavna) could have been completely eliminated and it wouldn’t have made a difference.
I saw reviews where people were upset about the characters calling Susan’s suicide selfish, but having just lost a mom in my small community to suicide, that’s realistic. People DO think that, especially in communities where mental health isn’t discussed openly.
The story was predictable, dragged out, and most things were wrapped up in the final few chapters. (Here is where some tiny spoilers come in to play.) We never got to the “or so it seems” part of Kara’s story in relation to the death of her sister. I saw the affairs with Chandice’s husband coming from chapters away. Same with Vic’s. While I enjoy a good Manhattan Elite story, I thought this book was just boring.
I saw reviews where people were upset about the characters calling Susan’s suicide selfish, but having just lost a mom in my small community to suicide, that’s realistic. People DO think that, especially in communities where mental health isn’t discussed openly.
The story was predictable, dragged out, and most things were wrapped up in the final few chapters. (Here is where some tiny spoilers come in to play.) We never got to the “or so it seems” part of Kara’s story in relation to the death of her sister. I saw the affairs with Chandice’s husband coming from chapters away. Same with Vic’s. While I enjoy a good Manhattan Elite story, I thought this book was just boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
Quality story told from multiple points of view
I love almost any book that takes places in NYC. City People: A Novel, did a good job showcasing the many different kinds of people who live in the city and their different struggles. My favorite part of this book was learning more about the crazy intensity of trying to get your child into a top tier private school. After listening to Serial Productions, Nice White Parents podcast, I was extra intrigued with this process. As you may expect from the synopsis, mental health, suicidal ideation and death by suicide are the huge parts of this story. The details of Susan's death are slowly revealed in a truly insightful but painful way. If you are someone who struggles please always remember you can call 988 for help!
I love almost any book that takes places in NYC. City People: A Novel, did a good job showcasing the many different kinds of people who live in the city and their different struggles. My favorite part of this book was learning more about the crazy intensity of trying to get your child into a top tier private school. After listening to Serial Productions, Nice White Parents podcast, I was extra intrigued with this process. As you may expect from the synopsis, mental health, suicidal ideation and death by suicide are the huge parts of this story. The details of Susan's death are slowly revealed in a truly insightful but painful way. If you are someone who struggles please always remember you can call 988 for help!
November 2, 2023
Maybe a 2.5. Too many viewpoints. Too much ridiculous elitism. Write a book people can relate to, not one where people are fighting to get their kid into a prestigious kindergarten which will lead them to Yale. I didn't feel like all the loose ends were tied up very well. I have a hard time walking away from a book once I've started it which is the only reason I finished.
November 2, 2023
It’s a really well written book. Lots of twists and really good character development. I’m pretty sure I had many existential crisis while reading it so for that I recommend with caution.
November 7, 2023
I was excited to read this book when I saw it on Amazon First Reads, but it was very boring all the way through. Not really a plot and no characters that were like able.
April 1, 2024
This book was a little boring and more than a little depressing, though I am generally fascinated by super rich people competing over super rich things like fancy elementary schools. It centers on a group of moms who are all desperate to get their kindergarten-aged kids into an exclusive private school. When one of them dies by her own hand, they all question how well they know each other and what is really most important. Sadly, none of them really seem to grow much over the course of the book.
The chapters alternate between characters so the reader gets a pretty deep view into each one of them. None of them were all that likable, which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but I just didn't think that they evolved as the story continued. There were also many controversial views around suicide, which could be a trigger for some. The ending was non-climactic and the book just ended. Some characters did make decisions that would change their current circumstances, but some didn't. I actually felt that the book was a lot longer than it actually was because not a lot actually happened after Susan's death, which takes place in the prologue.
Overall, this one wasn't my favorite, though I do like these kinds of books in general. I just felt that these characters weren't all that memorable. Thanks to Amazon for providing me a copy of this book via the First Reads program.
The chapters alternate between characters so the reader gets a pretty deep view into each one of them. None of them were all that likable, which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but I just didn't think that they evolved as the story continued. There were also many controversial views around suicide, which could be a trigger for some. The ending was non-climactic and the book just ended. Some characters did make decisions that would change their current circumstances, but some didn't. I actually felt that the book was a lot longer than it actually was because not a lot actually happened after Susan's death, which takes place in the prologue.
Overall, this one wasn't my favorite, though I do like these kinds of books in general. I just felt that these characters weren't all that memorable. Thanks to Amazon for providing me a copy of this book via the First Reads program.
May 16, 2023
Elizabeth Topps's new novel, City People, grabbed my attention from the first page. I love New York books, and this one hit all the high points of money, prestige, success, and secret sorrows. Susan Harris, one of the mothers of a group of prestigious preschool moms, kills herself, and off we go! Each of the women in this group has their chapter, and the book kept me glued as I wanted to know about the secrets they were trying to keep out of sight.
I was especially intrigued by Amy and Ming, who, while running a very high-end hedge fund, kept their secrets in public behind the language barrier of Mandarin. Their private lives unfolded beautifully as well. Kara is the mother of two and trying desperately to appear rich. Penelope is the frustrated daughter of a wealthy family who wants to be seen. Her secrets are the most realistic and sad to read. Each mother suffers in some unique hell, but they all have one goal, to get their children into the illustrious private school, Kent. Even the staff of the Kent School are players in a make-believe perfect world.
I loved this novel for the reality of wealth put on display by ET. I recommend this for everyone who follows the rich and famous, wondering about the real story of all that wealth and power.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. The publication date is September 12, 2023
I was especially intrigued by Amy and Ming, who, while running a very high-end hedge fund, kept their secrets in public behind the language barrier of Mandarin. Their private lives unfolded beautifully as well. Kara is the mother of two and trying desperately to appear rich. Penelope is the frustrated daughter of a wealthy family who wants to be seen. Her secrets are the most realistic and sad to read. Each mother suffers in some unique hell, but they all have one goal, to get their children into the illustrious private school, Kent. Even the staff of the Kent School are players in a make-believe perfect world.
I loved this novel for the reality of wealth put on display by ET. I recommend this for everyone who follows the rich and famous, wondering about the real story of all that wealth and power.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. The publication date is September 12, 2023
October 19, 2023
I’m still crying as I write this review.
First: trigger warnings- suicide and mental health are topics throughout this book. Be aware. Some may want to read this book with a close friend or avoid it altogether together.
This is the story of wildly successful women, a mommy group, and how they are all lacking. You can see how loathsome they all are, and how this surface-level knowing of others affects themselves and others.
You go through this almost floating over each character and how these common events and situations affect each differently. Most of them are selfish and despicable. Some grow and learn. Some don’t.
This book is like many stab wounds to the heart. It would make for a great discussion as you break down each character and their story. My heart was truly broken at the end at how raw and sad life can be. I hope this can ultimately encourage us as people to be there for each other in a way these characters were not.
One of the best books I’ve read all year, maybe longer.
First: trigger warnings- suicide and mental health are topics throughout this book. Be aware. Some may want to read this book with a close friend or avoid it altogether together.
This is the story of wildly successful women, a mommy group, and how they are all lacking. You can see how loathsome they all are, and how this surface-level knowing of others affects themselves and others.
You go through this almost floating over each character and how these common events and situations affect each differently. Most of them are selfish and despicable. Some grow and learn. Some don’t.
This book is like many stab wounds to the heart. It would make for a great discussion as you break down each character and their story. My heart was truly broken at the end at how raw and sad life can be. I hope this can ultimately encourage us as people to be there for each other in a way these characters were not.
One of the best books I’ve read all year, maybe longer.
March 20, 2023
A fast-paced and absorbing read about the dysfunctional lives of a group of mothers with children at the same pre-school in Manhattan. On the surface they present flawless façades, but when one of their number ends her life, the women are forced to examine both their own blindness to her suffering, along with their own priorities and fixations. This book asks the question: in their determination to gain admittance to Kent school, have they lost sight of what really matters? This story brings up many current issues around racism, wokeness and what it's like to be privileged or someone who strives to be, and reveals that whichever end of the spectrum you belong to (and everything in between) there is vulnerability and suffering, and that having children makes the intensity of modern life even more precarious and confronting. With thanks to NetGalley and Little a for my review copy.
February 6, 2024
Vibes: Desperate Housewives meets Succession. An interesting and gripping read.
CW’s: suicide, sexual assault, addiction, drug use, difficult family relationships, racism
CW’s: suicide, sexual assault, addiction, drug use, difficult family relationships, racism
November 2, 2023
This book was a wild ride. If some books are love letters to NYC, this book was definitely not that (a hate letter?). I also don’t know how realistic this whole private school admissions shtick is but this book made me thankful to be a public school teacher, away from this madness. The characters were all so unlikable, but that was the point (I think?) and I thought we didn’t need 6 narrators, but by the end I was able to keep track of who was who.
October 19, 2023
One of the free offerings from Prime Free this month. Sorry to say it, but this book was SO bad. I mean, really, really bad. That's all.
February 14, 2024
From Perfectly Impossible author Elizabeth Topp comes an unforgettably searing novel about a band of mothers who are forced to reckon with themselves after the unexpected loss of one of their own.When beautiful and successful Susan Harris jumps from the roof of her apartment building, she sets a tremor through her New York City mothers’ group that forces them all to look at one another with new How could this have happened right under their noses? To one of them? Between her death and the harrowing private school admission season on the horizon, these women are forced to explore the hard truths about themselves.Vic, a single mom with literary aspirations, is shocked and confused by the unexpected death of her best friend.Bhavna, a makeup executive, tries to process Susan’s death while sacrificing everything to get her son into the school of his dreams.Kara’s sister died by suicide years earlier, so she’s been down this road before—or so it seems.Penelope and Amy are navigating a business deal when Susan dies, but is it worth the toll on their families?And how will Chandice, battling cancer, come to terms with Susan’s death?For these women, the loss of a fellow mother forces them to reexamine who they really are while the futures of their children hang in the balance.
Love this story. So wonderfully written.
Love this story. So wonderfully written.
March 4, 2024
And 2* is generous. I agree with all the other reviews saying it’s a book with deeply unlikeable characters living very superficial lives, for whom the pinnacle of achievement is to get their bratty kid into a snooty school. Diversity is shoehorned in (racial/gender/class/financial - yep, it’s all there). I got to the end hence not 1*, but wish I hadn’t bothered as the payoff wasn’t worth the effort. Not a great pick for an AFR, won’t be looking for this author again sadly.
December 1, 2024
I did not hate this book and it had a lot of potential. With that being said I felt like there were so many main characters it was hard to keep track until like 2/3 into the book. So many open ended story lines, I wanted to know more of each of them. All the women in this story lack any sort of friendship or kindness to one another.
March 8, 2025
I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this book completely miss the point. Everyone makes assumptions about everyone else’s lives being perfect, then tries to trick everyone else into thinking they are too. The reason they’re all unreliable narrators is because no one really knows each others’ motives or circumstances. They’re all building separate narratives in their head.
I enjoyed this even though it was depressing and some of the chapters felt too long.
I enjoyed this even though it was depressing and some of the chapters felt too long.
November 29, 2023
What was the point…?
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