Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier - review

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Title: Good Rich People

Author: Eliza Jane Brazier

Genre: Psychological thriller

Pages: 336

My rating: ★★★☆☆

Other notable works by author: If I Disappear

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“I never believed there was such a thing as a good rich person. It seemed like a contradiction in terms, a conflict of interest.”

Life is a game, and when you win, you get to keep playing. This belief is one of the few things Lyla and Demi share in common. Lyla is one half of a beautiful, disgustingly wealthy couple, and Demi is… not who she says she is. Lyla’s husband, Graham, and his mother, Margo, like to take in self-made tenants under the pretence of giving them an opportunity, only to end up ruining their lives. Why? Simply because they are bored, and to them it's a fun game. Only this time, it’s Lyla’s turn to play in order to prove herself to the family. She’s pitted against Demi, a born survivor, and what ensues is a battle of the wills.

First off, before diving into this book, you should prepare yourself mentally. You are about to enter a world in which every character is absolutely bonkers and not much makes logical sense. Only when you accept the reality of this world will you be able to appreciate it more. And no, it’s not the part about rich people playing with other people’s lives that I find unrealistic (unfortunately, that I can believe happens in the real world), it’s pretty much everything else.

That being said, I enjoyed the book and found it chock-full of funny and quotable lines such as:

“Margo’s plastic surgery isn’t perfect. If you look closely you can see her original face.”

“How rude. I hate when people don’t want to know everything about me, especially things I can’t tell them.”

“I want to enjoy myself but can’t, which could probably be the title of my memoir.”

It’s humorous and completely over the top. And while there is an underlying commentary about the disgusting gap between the wealthy and the poor (and the homelessness being ignored in LA), it didn't come off as too deep.

It’s a fun read if you like twisted humour. Otherwise, maybe steer clear.