Book Review: The Heirs

The Heirs by Susan Rieger

I am torn about my feelings about The Heirs by Susan Rieger. The writing is exceptional. There were multiple times I reread lines because they were so full of meaning. Rieger expresses common ideas in a new way – a way that makes you nod your head in agreement.

Yet, while I loved the writing style, I am conflicted about the overall plot and characters. Generally, my favorite reads are family dramas – modern versions of Anna Karenina. And, this is what this novel sets out to do. What may have persuaded me to read this book was the comparison on the book jacket made to Edith Wharton – another all time favorite writer of mine. However, maybe this comparison was too much and set me up to be a little disappointed.

Rather than reading like a family drama, it reads more like an in-depth character analysis as each chapter focuses on one of the family members (or someone closely related). The chapters move seamlessly back and forth through time, and readers get a glimpse into the true behavior and feelings of the Five Famous, Fierce, Forceful, Faithful, Fabled, Fortunate, Fearless Falkeses.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Rieger focused on developing the characters rather than just writing a drama-soaked plot. And, their family is intriguing. I wanted to learn more about them.

My main concern is that the characters are terribly flawed – so much so that I had a hard time liking any of them. At the end, I was disappointed in most of the main characters. I wanted so badly to root for someone, but I was ultimately saddened by how these characters seem to only love themselves and their family. Everyone who is not a Falkes is easily discarded.

What was a beautifully written and moving novel left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I want to believe people are better than the Falkes. But, at the same time, their weaknesses and fallacies are common – as symbolic patterns surface throughout. Stubbornness, pride, and entitlement are things that we ignore or look past, but when a writer as talented as Rieger forces them into our viewpoint, we can no longer pretend these things are benign.

For more information, please see:

·         More Info

·         Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.