One night, at an exclusive and remote hotel on the tip of Vancouver Island, someone etched with acid the following words on the large picture window in the bar: “Why don’t you swallow broken glass.”  Who was the message for and what did it mean? No one at the hotel that night, was completely sure, but the repercussions of those words are far reaching and immeasurable.

For Vincent, the bartender at the hotel, it means a sudden change in her life circumstances, as the owner of the hotel, Jonathan Alkaitis, invites her to New York to live with him.

For Leon Prevant, a shipping mogul on vacation with his wife, it becomes an opportunity for him to meet Alkaitis, learn about his hedge fund and becoming an investor.

For Paul, the night houseman who is also a half brother to Vincent, it becomes the reason he must leave, as the hotel manager suspects him of having something to do with the incident.

For Ella Kaspersky it was a warning shot across the bow, but did the person the message was intended for ever receive it?   

Emily St. John Mandel is a gifted story teller. She also has a away of creating mystery, and suspense by the weaving the past and the present which leads us into the future.  Her characters are insightfully and creatively drawn and yet with some opacity, as if they are allowing you to see them thus far and no farther. Instead of being a barrier, this opacity, seems to draw the reader in deeper into the story, yearning to learn more. Like Station Eleven, which I truly enjoyed, Mandel has created a rich world full of  interesting characters who must face the consequences of their choices.

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian, Keith and Ken

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in ebook format from the library.