May 20, 2024
In Jade’s inventive if implausible debut, five privileged New Yorkers join a weekend-long astrology retreat in a Victorian mansion on Long Island’s North Fork. Each guest is seeking wisdom from the stars: Aimee is looking to rekindle her spark with her writer husband, Adam, who’s been brought along by his attorney sister, Margot; obstetrician Farah is reconsidering both her marriage to local politician Joe and her friendship with Aimee. None of the guests know that Rini, the astrologer, plans to bring each of their overlapping conflicts to a head, for reasons that gradually click into focus. As the weekend progresses, Rini manipulates her clients to ensure their latent resentments—familial and professional—escalate in predictable fashions until things take a turn for the dangerous. Rini’s Machiavellian moves, ostensibly rooted in her sincere consultations with the stars, are too transparent, and Jade fails to convince readers that her characters wouldn’t see right through them. Those willing to suspend their disbelief may be charmed by the novel premise, but seasoned genre fans are likely to be disappointed. Here’s hoping Jade’s sophomore effort is an improvement. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management.
October 1, 2024
Jade's drama-filled debut finds a group of privileged New Yorkers gathering for an astrology-themed retreat that will reveal dangerous secrets simmering beneath the participants' carefully maintained facades. Mom-fluencer Aimee hopes to reignite her flagging relationship with her writer husband, Adam, while Adam's sister Margot desperately seeks answers about her inability to conceive. Meanwhile, obstetrician Farah, Aimee's best friend, wonders if her feelings for Aimee might morph into something more. Added into the mix is Eden, who is polyamorous and throws a wrench into the works with an explosive affair. A full ensemble of seven narrators provides intimate windows into the motivations of the characters, who are wrapped up in themselves and don't see that astrologer Rini has plans for them all. While the performances are skillful, the women's voices are close enough that listeners may have trouble distinguishing among them. Careful listening is required to keep the names straight, as some of their personalities are similar too. It's billed as a psychological thriller, but this twisty tale might be better characterized as relationship fiction gone terribly wrong. VERDICT The fraught relationships, deeply held secrets, and mysteries of astrology might pique the interest of listeners seeking suspense about betrayal and revenge.--Sarah Hashimoto
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