In “Next to Heaven,” James Frey masterfully peels back the manicured lawns and pristine facades of New Bethlehem, Connecticut, to reveal the rotting core of American privilege. This gripping novel expertly blends elements of noir, psychological thriller, and social commentary to create a darkly entertaining exploration of wealth, power, and the lengths people will go to protect both.
A World of Beautiful Monsters
The story revolves around a cast of deeply flawed but magnetically compelling characters. At its center are Devon Kensington McCallister and Belle Hedges Moore, two women born into extreme privilege who orchestrate a “key party” that sets devastating events in motion. Frey demonstrates his storytelling prowess by making these potentially unlikeable characters fascinating through their complexity and humanity, even as they scheme and destroy.
The male characters are equally well-drawn, from Billy McCallister, a hedge fund titan whose cruelty matches his billions, to Alex Hunter, a former NFL quarterback desperate to maintain his image as “Alexander the Great” while his life crumbles around him. Charlie Dunlap, the hockey coach with a penchant for married women, provides both comic relief and tragic depth.
Style and Structure: A Master Class in Tension
Frey’s prose is a revelation. He employs a unique style that combines staccato sentences, repetitive phrases, and stream-of-consciousness passages to create a hypnotic rhythm that pulls readers through the story. His approach to punctuation and structure might seem unconventional, but it serves to heighten both the tension and the emotional impact of key scenes.
The novel’s structure is particularly effective, with multiple viewpoints weaving together to create a rich tapestry of deception and desire. The way Frey handles time – jumping between past and present, building context and suspense simultaneously – shows remarkable skill.
Themes and Social Commentary
The novel explores several interconnected themes:
- The illusion of perfection in wealthy communities
- The price of privilege and the cost of maintaining it
- Gender dynamics and power structures in marriage
- The commodification of relationships
- The thin line between justice and revenge
Frey’s examination of these themes is nuanced and unflinching, avoiding easy moral judgments while still maintaining a clear ethical perspective.
The Dark Heart of the American Dream
What sets “Next to Heaven” by James Frey apart from similar novels in the genre is its brutal honesty about wealth and power in America. The book suggests that the American Dream itself might be built on violence – both literal and metaphorical. Through the microcosm of New Bethlehem, Frey illustrates how the pursuit of perfection often leads to destruction.
Masterful Character Development
Some of the most compelling elements of the novel include:
- The complex friendship between Devon and Ana, her housekeeper
- The tragic arc of Grace Hunter’s marriage
- Teddy Moore’s journey from impotence to redemption
- The evolving relationship between Detective David Genovese and Katy
Minor Criticisms
While the novel is overwhelmingly successful, there are a few areas where it could be stronger:
- Some readers might find the pacing in the middle section slightly uneven
- A few minor characters could be more fully developed
- Certain plot points rely perhaps too heavily on coincidence
- The resolution, while satisfying, might feel too neat for some readers
Impact and Resonance
“Next to Heaven” by James Frey feels particularly timely in our current moment of wealth inequality and social unrest. Frey’s unflinching examination of privilege and power speaks to contemporary concerns while telling a timeless story of revenge and redemption.
Final Verdict: A Triumphant Return
James Frey has created a masterwork of contemporary fiction that manages to be both entertaining and profound. While not perfect, “Next to Heaven” by James Frey succeeds brilliantly at what it sets out to do – expose the dark underbelly of American privilege while telling a compelling story of revenge and redemption.
Personal Note
As someone fortunate enough to receive an advance reader copy of this novel, I found myself completely engrossed in New Bethlehem’s world of beautiful monsters. Frey’s latest work represents a significant evolution in his craft while maintaining the raw emotional honesty that made his earlier works so compelling. This is a novel that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.