The Briar Club - Book Review

Introduction

The novel by Rachel Hawkins titled “The Briar Club” is an engaging and thrilling read that presents the reader with an ostensibly perfect society that is filled with unwanted twists and turns. As a writer recognized for her great plot and complex characters, Hawkins builds an enigmatic, dramatic, and psychological story that engages the audience and keeps their nerves on the edge. In “The Briar Club” Hawkins extends an open invitation for us to step into the arena of the privileged privileged elite power players of a big city luxury club while sliding the door under the carpet to find out what lies beneath.

Click here to read The Briar Club, for free with a 30-day free trial

Narrative Style and Structure

Hawkins does a great job with the narrative’s voice and pacing; the multiple settings are complex and the tension is always high. It’s well written and her prose is elegant and accurate; her descriptions of the opulent environment of the Briar Club is indeed surrounded by limited opportunities for the women therein. Point of view is effective for a reader to acquire a whole picture of characters’ actions and relations tied with secrets. Every chapter is designed in such a way that it gradually increases tension and includes elements such as twists or plot developments left unresolved at the end of the chapter.

In the structure of the novel, special attention is paid to the problem of suspense and interest. The plot rotates between the three major characters and other side characters their lives are entangled in the affairs of the Briar Club. This approach gives a complex view of the events that occur as well as develops the feeling of premonition when readers assemble the pieces of the puzzle. Interspersions of the past and present also increase confusion in the series as they reveal the story arcs and the causes leading to the main events.

Plot Summary

The facilities of the Briar Club which is situated in the wealthiest part of the city provide the background for the action revealing the themes of avarice, deceit, and secrets. At the heart of the narrative are three main characters: Lila Montgomery, a hopeful individual who wanted to get into the respected group; William Stratton or Will, the secretive yet commanding head of the group as they called him; and Sarah Kane, an investigative journalist who wanted to know more about the secrets of the group.

Lila Montgomery is a professional and driven woman at a young age who views her membership at the Briar Club as an advantage to her in the next level of her social and career ladder. However, she just comes to find out that her dreams are not all that they seem to be because the club is stained with numerous secrets and intrigues. Lila gets involved with the social system of the club and as she tries to understand some hierarchy and the push and pull in some relationships, she finds herself dealing with the wrong side of the social structure and dangerous relations subculture of the club.

What kind of president controls the members and actions of Briar Club, is, Will Stratton, a very significant character in the play. suave and debonair gentlemen on the outside; however, there is nothing that this man would not do to remain in control and keep the truth about the club from coming to light. Conflict and tension arising from the clash between the past and present will be illustrated through Will’s character where he will be forced to face repercussions for his actions and how far he is willing to go to maintain his authority.

Sarah Kane is an investigative journalist who has a personal grudge against the Briar Club and gets herself employed there as one of the members. In her bid to work on an expose that was meant to reveal the scandalous activities of the club, Sarah stumbles on sex predators, and betrayal among other evils. Through her work, she not only becomes in conflict with the club’s members and the elite but also has to examine personal ethical questions and the consequences of her job.

Gradually, the protagonists Lila and Will, as well as Sarah who enters the picture later, cross each other’s paths in rather dramatic ways. The suspense builds up as further episodes are exposed, betrayals occur and the characters are forced to develop their capacities. The climax of the novel is the final confrontation, which kicks over the hornet’s nest of the Briar Clubstrips its members of their glamorous facades; and positions each character before his sin.

Characters and Development

Writing is characterized by Hawkins’ ability to draw realistic and multifaceted characters whose growth is the focus of the show. Lila Montgomery’s character development is one of the more distinct changes from an enthusiastic newcomer to a woman who has to come to terms with the fact that no goal is worth sacrificing principles and integrity. I wanted to add that the book is quite identifiable and exciting, telling the story of Lila who has to go through a lot of difficulties to become a part of the Briar Club and find her true self and principles.

Justin Will Stratton looks like a charismatic villain, which is very interesting and thrilling. These attributes are complex and multifaceted, giving moments of insight into the character’s weakness and the mental strain of keeping up appearances while being in charge of the institution. Some of the aspects developed from Will’s internal struggles and relations with other characters are the aims and the extent to will cover when it comes to preserving the current club.

Such a character as Sarah Kane contributes to the formation of a critical lens in the story as her role is to advance the investigative part of the profile. The protagonist’s passion and the fight for the right cause are illustrated and opposed to her moral queries when she investigates the secrets of the club. Again, Sarah’s background and her reasons for her actions are gradually unveiled; the narrative grows deeper with her character; audiences become aware of the risks involved in the case.

The group of characters that accompany the protagonist and who are the members of the club and the staff are also very detailed and enhance the plot. All the characters perform rather significant roles in the story progression, which contributes to the action’s twists and turns. Therefore, the character development in Hawkins’ novel is rich and elaborate so even the least of roles has a strong impact on the plot and the mood of the entire story.

Themes and Symbolism

The several features of the plot and the characters involved in tellingt “The Briar Club” relate it to various issues that are prevailing in the society of the present era. One of the main problems, depicted in the work of Orwell, George, is the negative impact of power and high rank. The novel identifies how the desire for power brings about corruption and sustenance of legalization’s inequities. Ethical issues and the price of power and privilege are revealed in the actions and decisions of the novel’s characters; that Hawkins tells about.

Another of the most important topics is the means to deceive others and focus on the internal darkness. Separately, the external beauty and opulence of the Briar Club represented by the luxurious building illustrate the ironical veneer of the upper class, while the shame, betrayal; and infidelity are some of the motivating factors of the murders reflecting the falsehood of this glamorous cover. This theme is reflected in the conduct of the main characters who appear to be battling their inner personalities to uphold an image to society.

The main theme is the pursuit of truth and lying where the characters experience the effects of lying and in turn; are held to the standard of truth. In her attempts to discover everything about the club’s operations, it is vital to note how Sarah Kane has brought the discovery of the truth regardless of how unseemly or lethal such reality is. Since the nature of White’s book lies in manipulation and secrecy, this aspect greatly contributes to the plot and dynamics of the characters’ relationships.

In the course of the work; the elements of symbolism added to the themes’ richness. The very premise of the Briar Club proves to be an effective symbolic presence with overtones of supremacy, influence, and the sinful aspects concealed in the higher crust of society. Concentrated throughout the novel, imagery of the briars and thorns symbolize the rat’s nest of secrets and the deadly nature of disclosing them. The necessity of the presence of light and shade to create contrast also applies to the motives of the characters which are the dualisms of light and shade.

Pacing and Tension

Another fascinating job that Hawkins does is to preserve the tone of suspense up to the end of the novel. The pacing is balanced and each chapter is constructed in a way that leads to improvement of the bigger conflict by the time one gets to the final chapter. This narrative decision to switch the point of view and interweave the timelines saves the readers from getting bored and contributes to the suspense.

This aspect is so engrossing given the scenario where secrets are revealed slowly and the characters’ motives are also revealed from time to time. To build suspense and keep the readers expecting something different at each turn of the corner Hawkins utilizes the element of suspense well. The climaxing sequences are even better presented, promising and providing the audience with a good climax of the story.

Click here to read The Briar Club, for free with a 30-day free trial

Critique and Reflection

This book builds up an enthralling and reasonably well-written plot that allows the reader to follow an exciting story exploring the themes of power, privilege, and secrecy. In Hawkins’ hands, the characters are multi-layered and the plot is compelling throughout which will keep readers captivated until the very last page of 1981. The motifs of the novel are rather topical and worthy of a mature reader’s attention providing him with the food for thought concerning the moral values of power and the search for the truth.

Still, there are certain fields could have been effectively elaborated in the novel and that are connected with the development of some secondary characters. Most of the primary characters are written in considerable depth, but several secondary characters could have used more setup or more complicated motives. Including her, would have provided deeper insight into the story and boosted the general impact of the strategy.

Furthermore, in regards to the structure of the novel, it is coherent that the pacing is quite well chosen nevertheless it seems that tension could have been built up more regularly at some points of the plot. Several chapters are somewhat slower compared to the rest of the other chapters, thus this may from time to time cause the flow of the book to be interrupted. Nevertheless, these are simple issues to do with the common features of a good story which this story has in abundance in terms of interest, pacing; and narrative.

Conclusion

Rachel Hawkins delivers a very interesting and evocative novel in “The Briar Club” that offers a glimpse into the secret world of a prestigious club. Mainly focusing on rich characterization, plot complexity as well as multiple themes like power, privilege, and the desire for truth, the novel provides the reader with a worth-watching and worth-listening experience.

Hawkins’ writing is both a narrative with finesse, smooth like the Briar Club’s façade, yet it provides specifically detailed accounts. A few techniques make the movie richer, including multiple points of view and the twisting of time, which brings the film’s tension and suspense.

In general, readers can consider “The Briar Club” as a top-notch book that will be highly appreciated by people who like gradually developing psychological thrillers with a focus on suspense and mystery. It is for this reason therefore that Hawkins manages to weave a very complex web of subplots while at the same time dealing with social evils such as power and prejudice to the extent that the reader is both enlightened and entertained. Whether it is your first time reading Hawkins or not, it cannot be doubted that “The Briar Club”, is a novel that will not easily leave anyone’s mind once put down.

Click here to read The Briar Club, for free with a 30-day free trial