This month I thought we could all do with a bit of glitz and glamour, which is stylishly provided by Amor Towles in his debut novel Rules of Civility…pour yourself a Martini and loose yourself between the pages.
Set in New York City in 1938, Rules of Civility tells the story of a watershed year in the life of Katey Kontent, an uncompromising 25 year old. Armed with little more than formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, Katy embarks on a journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool through the upper echelons of New York society in search of a brighter future.
Towles evokes the time period seamlessly, successfully portraying the energy returning to New York City after the depression years and before the beginning of WWII. With nods at The Great Gatsby & Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Fans of the recent Boardwalk Empire will also relate but this is certainly no Sex and The City). The characters are solid and have been given wonderfully witty dialogue reflecting the language of the time.
“I eventually grew into my legs and ultimately prized them. I found I liked being taller than the other girls”
It is the story of the rise and fall of fortunes, the fickleness of love and the growing understanding of how chance encounters and snap decisions can change a life forever.
Rules of Civility is sure to become many peoples ‘New Favourite Book’
