It was ok, I had the audiobook and it was difficult to follow the plot. Maybe the book would be better.

The story tells the story of a small town shaken by the disappearance of a mysterious cult leader. Each chapter focuses on a different character, exploring themes of fear, loneliness, and the search for meaning in a changing America.

I enjoyed the vivid writing and complex characters, but its non-linear structure can feel slow or disjointed. Overall, it’s a thoughtful, atmospheric novel about isolation and the hidden darkness beneath everyday life.

This was a well-written, timely, and sprawling book. I also found it kind of boring. It was very ambitious in its scale and there were a lot of interesting ideas there. It just never fully clicked for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters, unfortunately. I think I'm in a bit of historical fiction rut these days, so maybe that's why the book didn't work for me as much as I would've liked it to. It was definitely a YMMV kind of book though and there was enough promise that I would be interested in seeing what else the author does.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I think the story was good but I felt the story just lacked something and I found it hard to connect to the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

The Californians was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich. I would read more from this author.

I really did enjoy this book. I think all three narrative lines were important, but it felt like modern day was only there to serve the other two plot lines. I wish that would have been a little different but overall it was a good intergenerational saga

In the midst the of a California wildfire, a down on his luck young man decides to steal a couple famous painting from
His ex girlfriend. I liked the premises but I think the book tried to accomplish too much in a short time, and the characters were hard to connect to. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

The Californians, by Brian Castleberry, is an expansive, multigenerational family saga that is at times insightful, and at other times, a confusing tangle of characters and plotlines.
The years covered are over a century, from 1900 to 2024, and are certainly fertile ground for a story that revolves around the evolution of the film industry in California, and the eccentrics involved in film, TV and the visual arts of that era.
In 2024 Tobey Harlan, a temporary waiter, loses everything he owns in a Northern California wildfire. He is heading to stay in his father's house. Once there he plans to steal three valuable paintings and has a plan in place to sell them. A hundred years earlier, Klaus Aaronsohn reinvents himself as Klaus von Stiegl and travels to Hollywood to make silent films. He later directs a popular 1960's TV crime drama,Brackett, starring Tobey’s grandfather. Klaus's granddaughter, Di (Dianne) Stiegel, is an artist in the 1980's NYC art scene. It is her paintings that Tobey is planning to steal.

The book skipped around over various time periods, locations and with many characters, making it hard to follow. It was just not for me.

THank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars
The Californians, by Brian Castleberry, is an expansive, multigenerational family saga that is at times insightful, and at other times, a confusing tangle of characters and plotlines.
The years covered are over a century, from 1900 to 2024, and are certainly fertile ground for a story that revolves around the evolution of the film industry in California, and the eccentrics involved in film, TV and the visual arts of that era.
There is much history here, and as a Californian I was pleased to become immersed in the fascinating story of the movie arts and its evolution from silent pictures to talkies, and reading about the regional quirks of this great state, from Chico in Northern California, to Stockton in the Central Valley, to Palm Springs in SoCal. Additionally, as an art buff, I felt nostalgic and invested when reading about the art scene in New York City, circa 1970s to 1990s. There was much realism to like, and it is interesting to see the stories based on the east and the west coasts converge.
The cast of characters ranges from a likeable, naïve, college-aged Tobey to a range of unpleasant manipulative characters in the Von Stiegel family. This is very much a character-driven story, and once the characters and timelines were sorted out, the saga makes sense and becomes more enjoyable.
I wish the different time periods and transitions from past to present time were less abrupt. I usually enjoy multiple plot lines and some time-jumping, but I found this particular novel challenging in that respect.
This is a worthy effort with fascinating movie and art history. I will definitely look for more works by this author.

Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

This book is so timely which can sometimes be difficult to read but its funny nature made the characters worth sticking around for.

4 Stars – The Californians is a gripping, multi-layered novel that weaves together politics, paranoia, and personal reckoning in 1970s America. Brian Castleberry’s sharp prose and complex characters make for an immersive read, though the nonlinear structure may require patience. A compelling exploration of power and identity.

This book was a mixed bag for me. We have three different timelines. In 2024, Tobey lives in a small town in California that is sadly burned down by a wildfire. In the 1920s, Klaus immigrates from Germany and becomes a major Hollywood player. And in the 1970s, Diane makes her way up through the art world with provocative political pieces. These characters are all connected by family and history, and we meander through their lives.

There were parts of this story that I enjoyed, but overall this was a let down for me. I think my disappointment with this book was that it felt extremely unoriginal. To me, the 1920s Hollywood story has been done again and again, and it didn't feel like Klaus' story had much to say (besides him being a vapid narcissist who was only out for himself and couldn't even acknowledge the damage he did). We didn't spend enough time in Tobey's timeline to feel that connected to him, and there wasn't a satisfying conclusion to any of the threads. Diane's timeline was the most interesting and emotive, and I wish that had been its own book, because the other timelines didn't have any resonance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’m afraid that I completely missed the point of this book. The writing was OK, but I didn’t like the structure. The only segments of the book that interested me at all were the ones about Klaus. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Told through three timelines, the Californians traces two interconnected families as their lives weave in and out of one another’s histories. Connecting through greed, art, ambition and California, these two families can never untangle their lives and destinies from one another, While ambitious in scope and reach with an intriguing premise, I did find the narrative disjointed and tough to follow and connect with. I struggled to care about any of the timelines or follow how they dovetailed with one another.

I’ do think there is promise here though and I would not rule out trying another future outing by this author..

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a story told in three distinct timelines. It starts out strong with Tobey - escaping a wildfire in northern California. Recently released from prison, he lost his girlfriend to a commune that did not accept him, and his apartment and belongings to the fire. He steals three paintings by a famous artist, Di Stiegl, and sells them to his half-brother's tech bro boss. It also tells the story of Di Stiegl, artist who achieved fame and fortune that she did not desire, as well as her grandfather, who arrived in American 100 years earlier. Klaus Aaronsohn a German Jewish immigrant who restyles himself Klaus von Stiegl, a mysterious aristocratic German film director.

I found the story, on the whole, to be slow moving and disjointed. I did not connect to any of the characters. Tobey seems likeable enough but why he does the things he does - who knows. The story was interesting at times, but overall it did not work for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Mariner Books for my advance reader copy.

Brian Castleberry’s "The Californians" is an ambitious, multilayered exploration of art, commerce, and the tangled legacies of two families across the sweep of a century.

The story opens in 2024 with an audacious art heist, orchestrated by Tobey Harlan, the black sheep of a wealthy California real estate family. What begins as a thriller unfurls into an epic tale that skillfully navigates timelines and perspectives, delving into the lives of the Harlans and the Stiegls—two families whose fates are intertwined through art, ambition, and dysfunction. From the early days of silent film to the vibrant yet gritty art world of 1980s New York, Castleberry constructs a narrative as intricate as the histories it portrays.

The pacing of the novel is remarkable, effortlessly shifting between high-stakes drama and reflective moments. Castleberry’s stylistic flourishes—ranging from snippets of blog posts to fragments of Hollywood trade gossip—add vibrancy and texture, mirroring the ever-changing landscape of creativity and cultural critique. Despite its sprawling structure, the narrative remains cohesive, propelled by the fascinating and, at times, flawed characters who inhabit its pages. Each member of the Harlan and Stiegl clans brings depth and nuance to the story, from Klaus von Stiegl, a visionary director with a complicated legacy, to Di Stiegl, whose brilliance as an artist is shadowed by personal demons.

At its heart, "The Californians" is a moving meditation on the price of artistic ambition and the often-destructive pull of wealth and privilege. Castleberry’s commentary on cultural consumption and the erosion of true creativity resonates deeply, while his richly drawn characters ensure an emotional connection that lingers long after the final page. This is an intricate, thought-provoking novel that rewards readers with its ambition, storytelling, and the unflinching honesty with which it examines the intersections of art, family, and legacy.

The plot sounded good. Unfortunately, I didn't like the characters. I could find no reason to finish this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive and read a digital ARC. This opinion is my own.

The narrative centers on Tobey Harlan, a young man abandoned by his girlfriend while a LA fire encroaches upon his home. As he contemplates his next course of action, he decides to abscond with several paintings belonging to his father. The artist Di Stiegel, residing in New York City during the 1980s, is the granddaughter of Klaus Aaronsohn, an immigrant from the silent film era. Tobey steals Di's paintings many years after the 1980s have passed. Although the story exhibits some interesting moments and commendable writing, it frequently appears disjointed and lacks cohesion.

However, with the frequent changes in characters and the lack of return to Tobey and his narrative until the conclusion of the book, it became challenging to maintain interest and follow the connections between the characters. In fact, I found myself needing to restart the book several times, as recalling the details proved difficult if I paused reading for more than a few days. Maybe people who love that slow burn of the plot would enjoy this one.

I had the privilege of reading this Advance Reader Copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books.

very ambitious idea that is kinda weakened by the setup not quite fully working with the chaotic set of scenes all pushed together. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

SoI tried reading The Californians by Brian Casteleberry several times and I just couldn’t engage with the book, it’s a family story, several generations,. I found it very hard to follow. Maybe I will try it again in the future, but not for me.