The Nest (novel)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nest
First edition
AuthorCynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Published22 March 2016 (Ecco Press)
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
ISBN978-0-06-241421-2

The Nest is the bestselling debut novel by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, published on March 22, 2016. The book debuted on the New York Times best seller list at #3 in Hardcover Fiction for April 10, 2016, and rose to #2 the following week, when it also debuted at #3 on the combined print and e-book list.[1][2]

Plot and main characters[edit]

Leo, Melody, Jack and Bea are four siblings of the Plumb family who live in and around New York. They are due to receive money from a trust fund, which they call the "Nest", when Melody, the youngest, turns 40. However, Leo's reckless actions at a wedding party means that funds need to be withdrawn from the Nest prematurely. This causes tension between the four siblings.[3]

  • Leo, former director of a popular magazine and website
  • Jack, antiques dealer and husband to Walker; Jack is secretly in debt
  • Bea, a writer associated with the "Glitterary Girls" set
  • Melody, helicopter parent mother to twin daughters who are preparing for college admissions

Reception[edit]

The literary imprint Ecco obtained world English rights to the book for a seven-figure deal.[4][5][6]

According to Los Angeles Times, "The Nest is an addictive, poignant read with an enticing premise: four adult siblings fighting over the trust fund they're all counting on to bail them out of their particular disappointments and self-inflicted disasters."[7] The Washington Post slated the book as "a comedy of filial greed and affection." The New York Times reported "Ms. Sweeney writes like a pro when it comes to moving her chess pieces around a crowded board."[8][9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ (10 April 2016). Hardcover Fiction, The New York Times (behind Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben and Private Paris by James Patterson)
  2. ^ (10 April 2016). Combined Print & E-Book Fiction, The New York Times
  3. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (17 March 2016). The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney: EW review, Entertainment Weekly
  4. ^ "Ecco Buys Debut Novel 'The Nest' for Seven Figures". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  5. ^ Alter, Alexandra (2016-06-10). "The Author of 'The Nest' on How She Got Up the Courage to Write". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  6. ^ Weiss-Meyer, Amy (31 March 2016). "'The Nest': A Tale of Family, Fortune, and Dysfunction". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  7. ^ Times, Los Angeles (24 March 2016). "Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney reflects on family, her midlife turn to fiction and the bidding war over her first novel, 'The Nest'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  8. ^ Charles, Ron (2016-03-14). "'The Nest' review: What happens when that nest egg cracks?". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  9. ^ Maslin, Janet (2016-03-27). "Review: In 'The Nest,' a Family Pot to Split Sets Sibling Relations to a Slow Boil". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-15.