Prodigious, sweeping tale narrated by a young film-maker, Rushdie’s latest centers around a wealthy family that emigrated to America to escape a nefarious and tragic past. The three sons and current wife of the family patriarch, who has taken the name Nero Golden, are particularly memorable and well-detailed, each dealing with his or her own secrets and conflicts which shape the family dynamics. Set in 2008 to present day, and focusing on the recent political turmoil in the U.S., Golden House touches on a diverse array of topics such as gender identity, autism, crime, art, vengeance, gun control, political correctness, integrity (or lack thereof), the role of fate, death, just to mention a few. It asks the question “Can destiny be escaped via reinvention?”

The author liberally inserts cultural, literary, and movie references, which may be unfamiliar to some readers, possibly requiring a bit of research to glean the author’s full intent. I found the first quarter of this book to be a bit slow, but still interesting, as it introduced and fleshed out the characters. I found Golden House both an entertaining mystery and culturally relevant social commentary.

Recommended to readers who enjoy inventive, erudite fiction and an intellectually stimulating writing style. This novel is due to be released in September 2017. Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for providing an advance copy in return for candid feedback. See more of my reviews on Goodreads or www.bookbalcony.com .

A sweeping tale of the Golden family leaving an unnamed country coming to settle in the Greenwich village section of NYC. Their backstory is quite interesting and it unfolds in brilliant prose over 400 pages. The novel starts with a narrator in the first person plural, and just as I was wondering if this would continue throughout the novel, in chapter four, Rushdie pulls the curtain and reveals the true narrator that carries the reader through this large novel. "I’ve been hiding behind the first person plural, and may do so again, but I’m getting around to introducing myself. I am." After a paragraph of intentions, then simply, "Call me René." René is a resident of the gardens that this mysterious Golden family has now inhabited. He is an aspiring filmmaker and immediately thinks of the Goldens as interesting subjects to center his film around.

René is drawn to them for what they don't reveal historically as much as their current lives and interests. They arrive in NYC on the day of Obama's first inauguration. So, Rushdie places the scope of the novel from then right through the recent election cycle of 2016. He skewers America for its' politics referring to one candidate as the Joker, "The origins of the Joker were disputed, the man himself seemed to enjoy allowing contradictory versions to fight for air space, but on one fact everyone, passionate supporters and bitter antagonists, was agreed: he was utterly and certifiably insane."

In a novel this epic one must pay close attention and the reward for doing so is satisfying because Rushdie's use of language is superb. He has many allusions to movies, music, books, and personalities, some contemporary others more obscure that clearly demonstrate his intellect or research skills, probably both. He offers his takes on culture, politics, gender, identity, family, love and more. The story of this Golden family gets flushed out through the examination of the sons. Petya, the oldest agoraphobic Asperger suffering video game creator. Apu, the second son, the playboy free-spirited artist and third son D, short for Dionysius, who is in a struggle to find himself and really live as his true self. One funny line amidst a more serious discussion of gender and freedom to choose, when asked how he could afford (theoretically) a million dollar apartment,

"'Oh, I’m now a transbillionaire' came the reply. 'I identify as rich and so consequently I am.'"

This look at D typifies the beautiful writing contained in these pages, "When I think about D at this critical juncture I am reminded of Theodor W. Adorno: “The highest form of morality is not to feel at home in your own home.” Yes, to be uncomfortable with comfort, uneasy about the easy, to question the assumptions of what is usually, and happily, taken for granted, to make of oneself a challenge to what for most people is the space in which they feel free from challenges; yes!"Later we get a fourth son,(won't spoil) and new wife. René has wormed his way into the Golden family and gets the sons to open up about their lives.And eventually Nero Golden, the father fills in the historical blanks.

Some readers may find this novel challenging for its references by the dozens, for its genre bending, is it mystery, tragedy, contemporary or historical? It's all of the above and the payoff is you'll have read a great novel and that has to make one wholly satisfied. So take the challenge and enjoy! Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing an advanced ebook ahead of publication which is Sept. 5, 2017.

This was a breath of fresh air, a taste of what novels can be.

I have been rather indiscriminate and random in my book picks lately and have been reading some pretty average stuff. From page one I realised that <i>The Golden House</i> is one of the top end of the spectrum.It is intelligent, relevant and speaks to my love of quizzes. There are so many references to cultural, historical and political phenomena that make me feel smart for recognising them, yes, it speaks to my intellectual vanity.

The novel is narrated by Rene Unterlinden, a young film-maker who decided that the Golden family will be the focus of his big project. At first he often hides behind a first person plural perspective, speaking as 'the neighbours' who all speculate and gossip about the new tennants and slowly learn more. Later when he gets more and more involved (at some point involved would be an understatement) with the Goldens the story becomes more detailed and personal.

We start of with 4 Golden men, at that point we know that their names are invented and their origin unknown. All we know is that they suddenly had to disappear somewhere and ended up in New York. Along the way we get better acquainted with each of them and learn more about their history. At first the Goldens seem powerful, influential and above all untouchable. They seem to have the type of power that places them beyond reach of the law and their enemies, but chapter by chapter they reveal their personal weaknesses and nobody can escape their fate/nature.

This book is incredibly contemporary, starting the day Obama was elected president and ending eight years later after the next president takes the throne.​

Fundamentally, The Golden House is a tragedy. Hopefully that doesn't count as a spoiler. When I try to find words to describe the novel's scope, the first thing that springs to mind is "full of stuff"--as in, sweeping, epic, bursting with references to culture and movies and the present day. (Among other things, it's narrated by a filmmaker with an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema.) For me, this was both impressive and unfortunate, in terms of the effect it had on how much I liked the book. As a 2017 reader, the allusions are mostly timely, but the name dropping is so constant that I wondered through the first half of the book how it would stand the test of time. I still don't know.

The book's atmosphere is surreal, intentionally and as expected from Rushdie, to highlight the surrealism of the current state of the world, and specifically the current state of India and the US. You feel like you're reading through a fog.

At one point, the book quotes the famous "Appointment in Samarra" fable. It's toward the end, but it could just as easily have been anywhere in the book. It really does encapsulate things: a family rushing to avoid disaster, not fully understanding what that disaster is, not fully understanding that it finds you where you go.

I will say to the book's credit that its ending is the entire reason I'm feeling so lofty and philosophical about this review.

The story of Nero Golden and his family is told by a character in first person omniscient point of view. It is a pedantic rant against those who believe that wealth puts them above the law. It is a relevant story for us today which society has historically chosen to ignore. It compares and comments upon the present day political scene we are watching unfold daily in the media. That commentary kept me reading. I would recommend this book to those who like reading slowly through historical, cinematic, and literary references.

Nero Golden a billionaire with a past, is the father of three motherless son's Petronius (Petya), Lucius Apuleius (Apu), and Dionysus (D) all of whom chose their names upon immigrating to the US after they have to escape their homeland. Their story is told by Rene an aspiring film maker that blends fact and fiction with layers of social commentary throughout.
This book was not only entertaining in the way it approaches certain topics, one of the funniest is the way Rushdie decides to characterize the 2016 election (I won't spoil), or the serious complexity of gender identity, autism, gun violence, self censorship, truth, etc...
The story is entertaining, but for me the reason this gets 5 stars is because it made me look at things a little differently in some places, and let me know I wasn't alone in others. Not sure how to review the story itself without spoiling so I will conclude by saying this is definitely a book of the times told by a master storyteller. Well done.
Thank you Random House for providing me with this arc through netgalley.

Set in current day New York City (starting in 2009 and proceeding forward) Nero Golden and his three sons relocate from India, keeping their past shadowed, able to start with a clean slate to be who they present themselves to be. Their true origins and history have been conveniently left behind in a place far from NYC, both in distance and opportunities.
The narrator is a young friendly neighbor, Rene, who, while working on his great film project, ingratiates himself into the Golden family. His personality is inquisitive, refreshing and comical at times, but as the novel progresses, his thought and speech processes tend to morph into a platform for some nefarious purpose.
The writing is detailed and elegant, very descriptive and easy to read. Many times I felt that I was listening to the conversation, being in an active environment as the events unfolded. The downside of this is I was unable to get up and walk away when the topics evolved into the same melodramatic thrumming and senseless belching I hear all day, every day in today’s troubled society of Left vs. Right. I try desperately to have “no dog in that fight” each day in real life, so I was a bit saddened that it crept into my recreational time of relaxing reading. I say “crept” in the same manner the blood “crept” from the elevator in “The Shining”.
Although I enjoyed the lyrical writing, the plot was a bit slow. It would be better suited for people who enjoy poetry and don’t expect the normal layout of your cookie-cutter novel. I was a bit let down with the ending; I felt I had worked hard and deserved better. But I can surely see that this would be a very enjoyable, relaxing and intriguing read based on current-day America for other readers with varied tastes. I would have trouble recommending it to people I know, but I highly recommend it to the legions of audiences in reader-land who have finer tastes than mine.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for making it available.)

This book is very well written. For fans of satire and political books.

A delightful family tale in which the house and current politics play as big a role as the characters.

4.5 Stars

“The Golden House” was my first book from Salman Rushdie, his thirteenth novel to date. It begins 20 January 2009, with Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, setting the stage by reminding us of the economic ruin following the mortgage crisis that President Obama inherited.

On the same day, Nero Golden, his three sons, Petronius, or Petya, Lucius Apuleius, or Apu and Dionysius, or D, arrive in the US from an unnamed country of origin, moving into a new abode in the “Gardens,” an exclusive area of Greenwich Village where all of the 22 houses are linked connected by their garden hidden away from the city.

Petya, 40, an agoraphobic, and an alcoholic, and Apu, 41, an attention-seeking artist, were born slightly less than one year apart, they share the same mother, and even the same zodiac sign. Dionysius has no recollection of his mother, and is still a relatively young 22. Eventually, Nero Golden, in his early 70s, brings into their new home a new wife, Vasilisa, a Russian expatriate.

Their neighbor, René, who loves the gardens, all things of beauty, is drawn to the Goldens; in them he sees a story that needs to be told. His passion is filmmaking; he sees himself as the artist painting their murky lives as he sees them, so that others will see them clearly, as well.

”He leaned forward when standing or walking, as if struggling constantly against a strong wind only he could feel, bent a little from the waist, but not too much. This was a powerful man; no, more than that—a man deeply in love with the idea of himself as powerful.”

Relatively early on in this novel, the era of Obama at the helm draw to a close, and the elections for the 45th President are on everyone’s minds, including the media.

”He was dangling his wickedness under our noses, reveling in it, challenging us to see it, contemptuous of our powers of comprehension, convinced of his ability easily to defeat anyone who rose against him.”

Rushdie’s observations from our past political election are quite accurate, if perhaps coloured by his personal vision. His many thoughts, regarding this man who would become President, with his “colored hair” and bearing, leaving no doubt of his opinions on this topic.

”Sometimes, watching him, I thought of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, a simulacrum of the human that entirely failed to express any true humanity.”

I would not describe reading this as a challenge, but rather a story you can’t really allow your attention to wander, or get sidetracked. Every sentence seems to carry more importance than most contemporary fiction, and Rushdie isn’t an author who injects wide spaces, long pauses between thoughts, so this book feels more extensive than most, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Pub Date: 05 Sep 2017

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House

When the opening sentence in a book takes up almost half a page, my usual reaction is, “How pretentious.” When I encountered such a sentence in The Golden House, I thought, “What a beautiful opening.”
My admiration did not diminish as I avidly followed the story of The Golden Boys and their enigmatic father as narrated by their neighbor, aspiring young filmmaker Rene, who hopes to turn the lives of the Goldens into a film but through circumstances finds himself playing a crucial role. This is a highly complex novel, but through Rushdie’s genius it is very accessible, and the reader does not have to “work hard” to become totally immersed and thoroughly enjoy it.
The setting is a rich brocade of history and place. The Macdougal-Sullivan Gardens District of New York is a real neighborhood, and the history provided is genuine. The book opens as Barak Obama takes office, which seems a bit too recent to be called “history”, but few Americans probably remember much about the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in November, 2008, and Rushdie provides a forceful picture for us. Even ancient history becomes relevant, since Golden not only takes a Roman name for himself (Nero Julius) but also saddles his sons with classical names, against which they rebel. Petronius becomes Petya (which we are told suggested Dostoyevsky and Chekhov); Lucius Apuleius insists on being called Apu; and Dionysius simply becomes D.
The quantity of allusions to literature, both ancient and modern, and movies could be intimidating, but Rushdie does a masterful job of giving the reader enough context to understand the reference without doing a “data dump”.
Rene envisions the scenes of his movie as he tells his story and uses appropriate cinematic terms. This is a very nice technique that helped make them especially vivid.
So let’s talk about the story. After all, that is why we read novels. A great deal of the first part of the book is devoted to background and letting the reader get to know the very unusual characters, but my interest never flagged, and I just became more immersed and more interested in what would eventually happen. The suspense kept building, and then Rushdie threw me for a loop with some surprises and a very satisfactory ending. The careful attention to the other aspects of the writing craft did not come at the expense of the plot.
The Golden House is prefaced by an epigram from filmmaker Francois Truffaut, “La vie a beaucoup plus d’imagination que nous” (Life has more imagination than we do.) . Maybe not, but in The Golden House Salman Rushdie does a good job of challenging that observation.

Seriously, Rush die is just not my kind of writer. Every book of his that I pick up is just waaaay over my head, or whatever the problem is, I cannot figure it out. Just a truly all over the place chaotic book that makes me thunk either people.lie about his work when they review it, or something is wrong with ME.

Lukewarm best describes my experience with The Golden House. I had high hopes for this book and it never grabbed me the way I wanted it to. While there were fleeting moments of brilliance, they weren't able to do more than keep me reading, hoping for more.

Skillfully written in charmingly ornate and clever sentences, interestingly peopled and plotted, this novel is nonetheless rather bloodless, as I find much of Rushdie's work to be. Something about the act of reading it becomes a chore, as if the author were assaulting you with his enormous brain on every page, never letting you settle in with the story.

This is some serious, epic Greek tragedy. At its heart is the question of "Can a man be both good and evil?" and yet it is also about the role of the storyteller and the unmasking of America. As always, his wordplay is a twisty, tangled delight, filled with a myriad of literary and cinematic references that gladdened the heart of this lifelong reader girl and degree holder of a Masters in Film Theory.

This is a long book, over the top in many ways, but so so clever. I was totally caught up in the lives of the Golden family - Nero and his three sons all cloaked in mystery that the intrepid Réné is hellbent on unraveling for his own artistic pursuits. And so, the narrator becomes part of the story.

And Rushdie's commentary on American politics was brilliant. I suspect this book will earn him as many enemies as fans, but I adored it.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

**This review will be posted on Goodreads and Booklikes on September 10 as well as being featuring on my Curl Up With a Good Book Sunday that day.

Rushdie is at his best with this latest novel. Turning his critical eye toward the Trump era.

Politics, culture, a mysterious neighbor who moves into a posh neighborhood...riveting.

I wanted to read this book because I heard a lot of talk about it. I must admit that I lost interest just as fast as I started reading. I just could not get into the story. I really feel like it is lacking something. Overall, I was not happy with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and the author Salman for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow – I didn’t expect to be reviewing an author of this standing in my first six months of being a book reviewer!

I won’t give you chapter and verse or any spoilers, I also haven’t read any of the authors other books to compare this to, but this was an interesting read to say the least! This isn’t my normal genre of book and this book didn’t really warm me to wanting to read any more from it. I probably won’t read any of his other books either.

I do have a massive amount of respect for the level of detail in this book, it’s obviously took a long time to write and is very intelligent read. I was not expecting what I got with this book!