It's impressive when a novel draws you so fully into its story only to pull the rug out and make you question the validity of what you're reading. Diaz presents four different manuscripts about Wall Street tycoon Andrew Bevel and his brilliant wife Mildred in a way which makes you reassess and question the legitimacy of what came before each part. Every section creates a persuasive picture of these figures and their role in financial affairs which led up to the Great Depression. Though the novel continuously reframes the same characters and events it shows them from radically different angles. Far from being convoluted or repetitive, this gives a dynamic understanding of how narrative can be shaped to fit the ideologies and points of views possessed by different authors. Moreover it's captivating how it lulls the reader into the magnetic glamour and power of these individuals who are at turns sympathetic and suspicious, seductive and repulsive, the saviours of America and the scourge of the nation.
Diaz cleverly plays off from the double meaning of words such as “trust”, “bonds” and “futures” which refer to financial arrangements as well as human relationships. In doing so, he shows how business isn't simply a matter of mathematical equations because there are real world implications and its motives are often based in human emotions. The novel interrogates a capitalist system which allows high proportions of a nation's wealth to be in the hands of relatively few people. The way the story plays out makes us question the honesty behind the stated moral imperatives of moguls who claim to be acting in the best interest of the general population and their country while also increasing their own power and wealth. Crucially, the story also depicts an example of a man driven by communist ideas who earnestly endeavours to query the system and spread news of an alternative ideology. However, his schemes seem as egotistically driven as the financial leaders he scorns. Threaded through the stories of these domineering men on either side of the political divide is a virulent misogyny which leads to the suppression of women's voices. So it feels only fitting that the final two narratives of this novel are handed over to female characters who relate their points of view in a memoir and diary entries.
The novel is deeply compellingly in its series of dramatic reveals which cleverly prompt the reader to piece together an understanding separate from any single one of these narratives. But I think it's also a valuable exercise in questioning how we view history and the motives behind certain stories – especially those that are spun by people in power. Excessive wealth is so often justified by tales of individuals who have earned it through hard work and ingenuity. It's condoned through philanthropy which washes clean any cut throat measures or misconduct which led to its creation. These persuasive mythologies lead to complacency. However, as Diaz demonstrates in this book, there are multiple viewpoints which give very different perspectives on how and why such fortunes are built. It's a message and methodology we should carry with us whenever reading the news or listening to the self-satisfied stories of those in power.
