Mutual Interest

Reviews

Wolfgang-Smith is nothing short of virtuosic in her wry and witty world-building . . . This is a novel of families won and lost, love, envy, and betrayal told in a remarkably fresh and entertaining way, with immersive period detail and compelling emotional stakes. Mutual Interest is essential reading. This queer love story set in post–Gilded Age New York, from the author of Glassworks, explores sex, power, and capitalism through the lives of three queer misfits. You’ll soon fall in love with the cast of odd and honest souls. We never expected to be so captivated by the ins and outs of the early 20th-century soap market, but we were hanging on every word. Sharp and lively . . . Mutual Interest is a clever and powerful evocation of the consequences of hidden lives and suppressive social norms. Place[s] fascinating . . . inspiring, queer stories into the conventional Gilded Age narratives of wealth and power . . . Mutual Interest brilliantly explores the freedom that wealth affords its queer characters—and the limitations that even wealth can’t overcome. Enchanting . . . Richly details the fashions, milieu and class structures, immersively and tenderly breathes life into the complicated realities of queer life in the period. Olivia Wolfgang-Smith writes with gusto, confidence and humor, and it’s a magical combination. Vivian Lesperance is a delightful, brilliant woman vying to enter a society that has no room for her, and I rooted for Vivian every step of the way. But it's the love story that beats at the heart of this novel that won me completely: Squire and Oscar forever and ever. A glittering portrait of post-Gilded Age New York, Mutual Interest is also a timeless queer love story and a meditation on power, capitalism, and the flow of history. Wolfgang-Smith’s writing is as wise as it is witty; this novel is a revelation and a joy. A sumptuous delight . . . as witty as it is deadly serious, as joyous as it is razor-sharp. I loved every single brilliant page. The alluring world of Mutual Interest is populated by a remarkable, defiant cast of characters . . . Olivia Wolfgang-Smith has created something towering, labyrinthine, and utterly captivating. Wolfgang-Smith explores tensions in the private lives of three queer misfits turned business titans in her stunning latest . . . Wolfgang-Smith’s sharp, sardonic narration brilliantly brings to life both the Gilded Age and her unforgettable protagonists. It’s a virtuosic performance. Wolfgang-Smith approaches historical fiction as a costume ball, affecting a fizzy, omniscient narration: At the book’s most fun, it’s Edith Wharton or Henry James, with more camp and a winking tone . . . All’s queer in love and industry: a memorable tale uniquely told. Scintillating . . . The enticing prose is enhanced by its polished historical setting. Moving from the late 1890s into the early twentieth century, the omniscient narration details opulent parties, clandestine gay clubs, soap factories, and chaotic silent film sets . . . Explores turn-of-the-century alliances, ambitions, and the complications of concealing one’s queerness within a narrow social code. For those (like me) eagerly awaiting The Gilded Age Season 3 . . . Mutual Interest follows a lavender marriage that blossoms into a business partnership, charting the ascent of a wellness brand as thoughtfully as it renders the love stories (both platonic and romantic) that shape its history. Wolfgang-Smith’s remarkable skill with story and language brings readers into queer life in the early days of the twentieth century. A queer take on the classic Gilded Age historical novel. [Wolfgang-Smith] excels at balancing mirth and menace . . . Her writing sparkles with the glitter and edge of Art Deco beveled mirrors. An epic tale of sapphic romance and financial scheming set in Gilded Age New York. Hernan Diaz’s Trust but make it gay? Narrated in the sly-eyed style of Plain Bad Heroines? I am absolutely buying what this book is selling, an epic and intimate tale of three secretly queer aspiring business titans who band together—and in the case of two of them, marry—to build an empire. Puts a queer spin on empire and capital in a complex tale of three individuals with overlapping needs. A delightful Gilded Age historical fiction romp about marriage ambition and building a life outside of traditional expectations. A high-drama romp through wealthy New York society in the early decades of the 1900s. With witty asides and tongue-in-cheek philosophical rambles, larger-than-life characters and vivid, melodramatic scenes, it reads a bit like a dishy soap opera. Expand reviews