3.75 ⭐️

This was an interesting one. A cool concept, a solid and hypnotic writing style, some very interesting themes. I mainly had a good time reading this. I really struggled to empathise with any of the characters and so, ultimately, I’m not sure this book fully succeeded in making me care about it, but it was very easy and fun ride regardless so not a bad experience at all.

I was a bit disappointed with this, because I loved Leave The World Behind. Brooke starts working for a billionaire who wants to give away all his money before he dies, but she starts to become more greedy for herself.

Brooke, and her mother, were both awful people but I quite like books with terrible characters and the book certainly made me think.

What nearly turned it into a so-so for me was the nothing ending - it just fizzled out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is a novel that explores the seducive allure of money, and how it is the ultimate privilege. Brooke is a normal Black American woman, not poor but certainly not rich enough to live comfortably in Manhattan. But when she gets a new job distributing funds for a wealthy philanthropist, her previous beliefs and relationships become compromised. While I liked the way this novel made me think, it was confusing at times, particularly the way the narrative shifted constantly between the interior thoughts of different characters.

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam is a sharp, incisive novel that explores themes of privilege, identity, and the complexity of relationships in contemporary society. Set against the backdrop of a summer in the Hamptons, the story centers on a group of characters whose lives intersect in unexpected and revealing ways. At its heart, Entitlement examines the personal and societal forces that shape individual actions and attitudes, particularly focusing on issues of class, race, and the divide between those who have power and those who don't.

The novel delves into the inner lives of its characters, exploring their deep insecurities, desires, and the ways in which they navigate their entitlement—both real and perceived. Alam’s writing is sharp and observant, capturing the nuances of modern life and the tensions that simmer beneath the surface of social interactions. With its exploration of privilege, race, and the assumptions we make about each other, Entitlement is a thought-provoking and timely read for those interested in social dynamics and the human condition.

I really enjoyed Leave the world behind so was keen to read this. It is still very good stylistically but is a very different book and not as immediate as the other. I persevered nonetheless and would recommend as it sticks with some similar themes and ideas but tells them out very differently.

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam is a sharp and thought-provoking exploration of privilege, power, and the complexities of contemporary society. Alam skillfully weaves a narrative that delves into the lives of characters grappling with their own sense of entitlement, both personal and societal. With his incisive prose and keen social observations, Alam examines how wealth, status, and identity shape relationships and influence decision-making. The story is filled with tension and introspection, challenging readers to reflect on the ways privilege affects everyday interactions and the subtle dynamics of control. Entitlement is a compelling and timely read that offers a nuanced look at modern life and the uncomfortable truths that come with it.

I was a huge fan of Leave the World Behind so this was a highly anticipated release for me.. It's a very different read but i was obsessed with the book just as much .
For some reason I love reading books about privileged people , especially those in New York . I appreciate this will not be everyone's type of book though so if you don't like reading about money and wealth then stop now !
It's a novel that asks a lot of questions about wealth and would be a great one for a book club. As a reader you get to see the psychological transformation of someone who has more than many people but suddenly feels she deserves more , she feels entitled to someone else's money and is this right or wrong??!!.
I loved the Manhattan setting and can already see that this would be a great one to be adapted . The writing is smart and its such an original read , Alam has now become an auto read author for me

I was disappointed by this. It’s built on some promising ideas, a modern-day morality tale, Icarus is now Brooke a beautiful youngish ambitious Black woman, and flying too close to the sun is replaced with thinking that being taken under the wing of her billionaire boss means that she too can live a lifestyle of designer clothes, limousines, fancy restaurants and, most of all, her own piece of real-estate.

So far, so good and I appreciate what Alam was trying to do with the book. Unfortunately, in practice it falls flat. There is too much scene setting at the beginning, too much exposition. In Leave the World Behind the writing and the characterisation was so exquisite that I would have been happy if the whole book had been about the clash between the holidaying family and the owners of their holiday home and never progressed to the thriller/horror element. This book could have done with a bit of a rocket but by the time anything happened it felt like a bit of a damp squib.

None of the characters elicit much sympathy and, despite attempts to introduce some surrealism (the ‘Subway Pricker’ is at large, injecting women on the Subway with a hypodermic), Brooke’s descent into maniacal greed doesn’t feel real, justified or even particularly dramatic.

There was a scene at the very end of the book that had dramatic power but it was too little too late for me in a book that felt more of a collection of talking points than a living, breathing story. 2.5 but I've rounded up to 3 because he's still a brilliant writer.

A little slow and hard to really get into, but would still recommend for fans of Succession as it features rich people behaving badly and has a generally ominous air that I did enjoy.

Rumaan Alam is one of my favorite authors, and I will automatically buy anything he writes. I thought Entitlement was such a clever way into a tale as old as time. Loved it.

I loved Rumaan Alam's prescient Leave The World Behind and so was excited to read Entitlement. Focusing on some similar themes - class, race, wealth, privilege - I nevertheless found it a more difficult read and struggled to engage with the characters. I think this was a 'me' problem, though, and I think it will appeal to many readers.

While the book has a fascinating premise, of young disadvantaged person burning up when close to power and money, it lacks subtlety and for me descended into chaos far too randomly at the end. Brooke takes a job where she really wants to do some good in the world, but finds that Asher, the ageing billionaire and philanthropist she latches onto has more complex motivations. Brooke's attempts to improve a local school that doesn't want her largesse, and her flights of fantasy about what Asher's obligations to her are end in a series of odd episodes and wilful misunderstandings where Brooke appears to go instantly and irretrievably off the rails. Confusing, disturbing and not quite hitting the mark, it's an interesting read but not really a satisfying one.

I expected much more from this novel after enjoying 'We Leave the World Behind' some years ago. 'Entitlement' doesn't have the subtlety or the tension of its predecessor and it feels as if less effort has gone into it.

It explores the potentially interesting idea of how money creates the irrational feeling of entitlement, but the exploration unfortunately remained superficial.

The main problem for me was that the two main characters - 33 year old independent Brooke and her 83 year old boss the tycoon Asher Jaffee - felt caricatured and didn't behave in believable ways.

It could have worked if there had been brilliant dialogue between the two, but both turn out to be disappointingly uninteresting.

On the plus side, the book reads very easily, the writing is smooth, and it still managed to interest me enough to finish it.

Entitlement is a hypnotic exploration of the seductive power of money and philanthropy. The story follows a woman who becomes enthralled by the world of giving, blurring the lines between her desires and the needs of others. The unravelling of her journey is utterly captivating.

Alam masterfully delves into the eerie corners of the human psyche, shedding light on uncomfortable truths. His writing keeps you engrossed, making this a compelling read that lingers in your mind.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Brooke accepts a job with the Carol and Asher Jaffee Foundation with the dream of being able to make a difference. Asher Jaffee is a millionaire and has created the Foundation to give away as much of his money as possible to worthy causes - anything goes. Being this close to so much money starts to change Brooke's view of the world and herself. Brooke begins to feel her own sense of entitlement for these things and starts to make decisions beyond the remit of her role. How far is she willing to go...

I liked the different themes in this book around class, race, money (or lack of it), and how these things impact on our relationships with family, friends and those we work with. I did get a bit bored with the story as it seemed to drag on with no propulsion for most of the middle. The ending was interesting with the final showdown between Brooke and Asher in his country home but it lacked the drama I needed to feel satisfied.

I'd really enjoyed the storytelling in Leave the World Behind and the creeping sense of dread that was laced through that, so had been hoping for similar gripping narrative this time. Obviously it's a totally different story in Entitlement (although some of the themes are similar), however it could have been written by a totally different author. I really struggled to finish this one.

This novel centres on Brooke and her struggle to find her place in the world. She is black, adopted by a campaigning white mother and with a white adopted brother. She is not interested in black sisterhood, she sees herself as an individual who wants her own little place of silence and solitude. Having failed as a teacher, she has landed a job working in a foundation set up by an elderly billionaire to get rid of his money before he dies. The book has a quality of a parable, not quite realistic but definitely compelling. Exploring themes of capitalism, charity, race, class and yes, entitlement, Rumaan Alam keeps a tension throughout and left this reader contemplating the themes beyond the final page.

A thought provoking read but I found the writing style a bit disjointed and the book not as enjoyable as I'd hoped.

This was a fast starter for me, drifted in the middle and then CAPTURED me in its end. A clever look on race, class, gender and privilege. Rumaan Alam yet again delivers the societal awakening many of us need
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Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy

'Entitlement' is a thought-provoking novel about money and power which centres around the relationship between Brooke Orr, a 33-year-old Black woman, and her employer, wealthy white billionaire Asher Jaffee.

The novel is set in New York City towards the end of the Obama administration. After several unfulfilling years teaching at a charter school, Brooke has recently started working for the Asher and Carol Jaffee Foundation, an philanthropic organisation dedicated to giving away all of the wealth that Jaffee has accumulated through his business ventures. Brooke becomes Asher's protégé, initially tasked with overseeing a conservation project to reintroduce oysters into New York Harbor, and then seeks to persuade Asher to donate to an arts program set up for underprivileged Black young people. But the more aware she becomes of Asher's extreme wealth, the more she starts to believe that she deserves some of it for herself.

This novel explores what it means to exist in a world driven by money where even owning an apartment is an impossible dream for many inhabitants of NYC, and the ways in which this fixation with money can warp all of our interactions and relationships with others. I found it an engaging and frequently unsettling read; at times, I struggled with the omniscient third-person narrator's rapid switching between perspectives, but the disconcerting effect was perhaps deliberate.

I have seen this novel compared with Henry James and Edith Wharton's 'money novels', and it also reminded me of Forster's 'Howards End' which is deeply concerned with the ways in which money affects all our exchanges with others. In its exploration of the interplay of race, gender and wealth, it also reminded me of an earlier novel for this year, Kiley Reid's 'Come and Get It'. This is novel which gives us plenty to think about and discuss. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending an ARC to review.

I was expecting more from this book given the authors previous work Nevertheless it was very thought provoking. A very interesting premise when Brooke a thirty three year old ex teacher begins work for a foundation headed up by Asher Jaffee who in his eighties wants to give away his money to worthy courses. The entitlement lies in the old adage power corrupts and ultimate power ultimately corrupts..Extreme wealth can be enormously corrupting as we found out. hard to find an empathetic character.