Trust, by Hernan Diaz, is a thought provoking, multilayered historical novel that is truly unique and will stay in the minds of readers long past 2022. This will be an excellent book club pick and will evoke lively discussion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting book, but I found the last half much more interesting and enjoyable than the first. The fact that by the end of the book the husband and wife had switched positions was unexpected .

This is a creative and insightful story. It starts out as a portrayal of the Rasks, Benjamin and Helen. From the 1920s through the 1930s, Benjamin is one of the most successful investors that Wall Street has ever seen. When he managed to grow his wealth even as the Depression hits, people began to question his methods and his impact. Helen has a dramatic backstory leading up to her marriage, but since then has seemed to largely confined herself to philanthropy. From this initial narrative, the book then offers three other perspectives, from different individuals and different times, that may be related to the truth behind the Rasks' story. Through each each part of the story, the book explores how facts can be manipulated, the role that people play in shaping their own stories, and how we are all prisoners, to different degrees, or our own perceptions.

The approach to storytelling in this book is creative and the unspooling of the mysteries at the center of the story (or is it stories?) kept me fully engaged.

Highly recommended!

While I think this is not a book for everyone, I enjoyed it. I particularly liked the structure--each layer revealed to add to the story. It's very original and well written. I think some readers may bog down in the financial narrative but the end is a reward for staying the course.

Really interesting book in the way it's crafted and structured. While I could predict where the last section was going to go by midway through the 3rd section, it still felt intensely GRATIFYING. As someone who typically snoozes when financial jargon appears, I had trouble with the 2nd section -- but realized later that this was sort of the point. I really love books with layers and multiple POVs and unreliability, that poke at what truth is, and so this did not disappoint.

This is just perfect. Stories within stories within stories, examining power and gender and capitalism. Completely compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I saw a Twitter video of someone “unboxing” Trust by Hernan Diaz and the fancy cover opens to reveal four different title pages to the four distinct books contained within the novel. Having read a digital ARC, I did not get that fun, but I did enjoy the unusual format. It begins with a novel within the novel — Bonds — about Benjamin Rask, the scion of the wealthy financial family in New York, and his wife, Helen. Then Diaz gives readers an unfinished memoir of someone who resembles Rask, and finally another memoir that contains multiple stories that tie the parts together. Sound confusing? At times it is, but Diaz handles it all with a deft touch and fine writing that makes the convolutions feel effortless. Trust is a story about the relationship between memory, money, and history — and who controls these things. I highly recommend this book to readers not scared off by the intricate structure.

In The Distance is one of my favorite books, and I am glad to say Hernan Diaz wrote another complex beautiful book. I wasn’t sure what was happening at times, and that was exciting vs. frustrating (as one might expect). I plan to read it again as soon as I can get my hands on the physical book. I love ebooks but in this case I felt like I needed to do some flipping back and forth. Loved it!

Hernan Diaz is a masterful writer. This novel is a few novellas within a novel. His storytelling is confident and bold. The narrative follows the idea of wealth in early America. I'm reminded of Henry James, Edith Wharton and other classic American authors -but Diaz has his own voice. Grateful to Riverhead.

Beautiful story, but a little too much detail on finances for my taste. Those who enjoy trading in stocks and bonds and follow the market would probably not have this problem.

This a beautifully written novel. A story within story containing a novel, an unfinished autobiography, a memoir, and a diary. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire reading experience and I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Knocked me sideways. Twisted my senses and made me take constant new looks. I’m going to make people read this just so I can talk about it- it’s one of THOSE.