“There is exquisite lightness in waking each morning with the knowledge that the worst has already happened.”
One of the main plot lines in the narrative is the fraudulent Ponzi scheme run by the businessman Jonathan Alkaitis. The swindle leads to a conviction and he gets sentenced to 170 years in prison but leaves the lives of many destroyed. The novel delves into the psyche of an individual who committed a crime that runs many into poverty while cause some to commit suicide. In prison, he reflects on his actions but falls into self-pity rather than feel more accountable. In that, he finds relief in the fact that his actions took the worst turn and it cannot get any worse.
“What kept her in the kingdom was the previously unimaginable condition of not having to think about money, because that’s what money gives you: the freedom to stop thinking about money.”
The story explores the world of wealth, greed, and contentment and each character’s outlook on it. Vincent is a character who upgrades her life money-wise when she gets in a relationship with Jonathan even if she is not in love. She understands a life without money and always worrying about it hence the presence of it keeps her there. In contrast, Jonathan is an individual obsessed with wealth and succumbs to greed, thus highlights how money is an entity that impacts everyone differently.
“One of our signature flaws as a species: we will risk almost anything to avoid looking stupid.”
When fraudulent Ponzi schemes fall apart, most people fall victim and lose their life savings and livelihood. However, most are usually unaware of the details of the schemes as long as they make their profits. Therefore, the inner workings remain ambiguous to most or just choose to be oblivious about them. In the assertion, Leon, one of the victims, confesses why he chose to not inquire and understand how he actually makes the profits.
