Our Kind of People
It took a chapter or two for me to warm up to Our Kind of People, but by chapter three when the point of view settles down, I was hooked by this deliciously soapy narrative of the exploits of the Wilcoxes, an upper-class family living in New York during the Gilded Age. They are a family in which the women make rather unconventional choices when it comes to men. The mother, Helen, begins this trajectory when she chooses Joshua, the handsome owner of a small-town transport company, for a husband.
The decision to go outside the bounds of her own class for a mate, which she doesn’t regret, is one she hopes her own daughters won’t emulate. For a minute it looks as though she’ll have her way in the matter. Both girls manage to acquire and exhibit the attributes necessary to earn a spot in society and attract a “suitable” husband, but when the family fortunes falter and their father is disgraced, the girls’ options suddenly become more interesting.
Wallace weaves in wonderfully authentic details to recreate the glittering social scene of the 19th century, with its strict etiquette and arcane rules, as well as the hardships of the family’s financial downturn. The characters are thoroughly engaging, especially Helen and her older daughter Jemima. Equally fascinating is the depiction of the entrepreneurial fervor of the era as Joshua applies his business acumen to the development of mass transit. The book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Recommended for devotees of Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, or the Gilded Age in general.
