The Nest CD

Don't put a lot of weight on the bad reviews - this is a very readable book

I almost didn't read this book due to all of the negative (some VERY negative) reviews. Not a good sign. But I did notice the glowing critical reviews, and Amazon put it on sale for an amazing deal one day so I bought it. Regarding the reviewer who made a sarcastic comment about the very long opening sentience, my comment is "have you ever read Hemingway?" - sorry, just an aside. I really liked and enjoyed this novel. No, the main characters are pretty dysfunctional, and I guess somewhat unlikable, especially Leo, but hey, a lot of novels have one of those immoral, lying, slacker narcissists and remain interesting. First and foremost, it was very 'readable.' The author is a very good writer, and has talent for description and dialogue that paints a clear scene for the reader. I agree the plot and characters are not happy or uplifting. The (unhappily married) Leo slips out of a wedding reception, inebriated, with a 19 year old attractive Mexican service worker for a sexual liaison and ends up causing an accident in which the young woman loses her foot.. Leo is one of four siblings, all caricatures, but still interesting in their unique ways. Their mother, a rude alcoholic, is guardian of a trust fund left by her now deceased husband that will leave each of the adult children $500,000 when the youngest child reaches a specific age, which is one year away. Termed by the four children as "The Nest," each make their own open or secret plans for the expected windfall, ranging from sending their children to private upscale universities to getting themselves out of bad financial situations. All of this comes crashing down due to Leo's accident (who, by the way, had let his auto liability insurance lapse) when their mother makes a private settlement with the young Mexican girl (Matilda) so as to both avoid scandal and potential larger legal financial costs if it went to court. This reduces each share for the four siblings to $50,000. Incensed, they look to Leo to make up ...