The Review

A Reese’s Book Club pick: Ellery Lloyd’s The Club delivered elements I anticipated, yet also surprised me in unexpected ways. The novel offers a gripping premise: an exclusive, high-stakes members-only retreat, Island Home, – similar to “Soho House” – where secrets, scandals, and ambition collide.

To be completely honest, the first half is pretty slow, likely due to the gradual pacing and the time spent setting up the characters and the retreat’s elaborate world. It wasn’t until about halfway through that I really started to pay attention and be drawn in. The novel alternates through various POVs—a structure that adds depth but occasionally feels overwhelming, particularly when juggling subplots involving the strained personal lives of staff members and the high-stakes scheming of celebrity guests. However, in the end, I did find this beneficial as it provided a holistic understanding of what has been occurring on Island Home.

Where the book shines is in its incisive commentary on the performative nature of celebrity culture and the toxic allure of exclusivity, but it falters by leaning too heavily on familiar tropes and not delving deeply enough into the moral complexity of its characters. Throughout the novel, it is easy to spot the similarities between “Island Home” founder and Jeffrey Epstein. While the inspiration is understandable, the fact that this was picked as a Reese’s Book Club selection might feed any conspiracy theorist—similar to The Obamas producing Leave the World Behind. However, the bulk of the characters often feel more like archetypes than fully realized individuals. This makes it harder to connect emotionally, even as the drama ramps up.

Overall, I don’t know if I would necessarily call this a “Mystery Thriller” because there is little emphasis on solving a mystery or maintaining a consistent sense of suspense. Instead, it feels more fitting as a Dark Drama, as the focus lies on unraveling complex character dynamics and the unsettling realities of the Island Home’s exclusive world. There wasn’t much of a mystery to be solved, but there was a whole lot of drama.

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Short Review (AKA TLDR)

Another novel I finished a while ago, I just haven’t gotten around to marking completed.

A Reese’s Book Club pick: “The Club” was both what I was expecting it to be, but also nothing like I expected. “The Club” is an exclusive members-only vacation/country club – similar to “Soho House” – and the newest location “Island Home” is about to open.

The first half is pretty slow. It wasn’t until about half way through I really started to pay attention and be drawn in.

The novel alternates through various POVs – which was beneficial as it provided a full idea regarding what was happening at Island Home.

I don’t know if I would necessarily call this a “Mystery Thriller” and instead classify it more as a Dark Drama. There wasn’t much of a mystery to be solved, but there was a whole lot of drama.