Jonathan Dee

"Mark Firth is a home builder in Howland, Massachusetts, in the early 2000s who, after being swindled by a finanical advisor, feels opportunity passing him by. In the paranoid days after 9/11, a New York money manager, Philip Hadi, moves his family to Howland and hires Mark to turn his his house into a 'secure location.' When Howland's first selectman passes away suddenly, Hadi runs for office, and begins subtly transforming the town in his image. The collision of these two men and their very different worlds--rural vs. urban, middle class vs. wealthy --propels [this] novel"--

A Novel

The Locals

Dorian Avers

3.25 
 Besides Chapter 0, the first half of this book felt like a four star to me, the second felt like a three. I hated the first character in New York that we were introduced to. He was scummy and misogynistic. I figure Dee wrote him that way to attract that kind of reader because they might take something useful from this book. I liked in the beginning that we got big chunks of different people's narratives. Some of their opinions I heartily disagree with, but no one was ever 100% right. I think this highlighted that we all are a bit hypocritical, we contradict even ourselves. The second half of the book felt more like a scrapbook. It's like Dee wrote the first half and was satisfied, but then didn't know where to go with it. 
 Not a bad book overall. I did like that we got different opinions, but it was all a bit surface level. This is less of a plot driven book and more about ideas and the day-to-day lives and struggles of normal people.

A rural, working class New England town elects as its mayor a New York hedge fund millionaire in this urgent and inspired novel for our times. Mark Firth is a home builder in Howland, Massachusetts who, after being swindled by a financial advisor, feels opportunity passing him and his family by. What future can he promise to his wife Karen and their young daughter Haley? When a wealthy money manager, Philip Hadi, moves to Howland to escape post-9/11 New York, he hires Mark to turn his his house into a secure location. The collision of these two men's very different worlds -- rural vs urban, middle class vs rich -- propels Jonathan Dee's powerful new novel. After the town's first selectman passes away suddenly, Hadi runs for office and begins subtly transforming the town in his image with unexpected results for Mark and his extended family. THE LOCALS is that rare work of fiction capable of capturing a fraught American moment in real time. It is also a novel that is timeless in its depiction of American small town life.

The Locals A Novel

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