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The Californians
A daring novel that spans one hundred years of American history, about parents and children, the drive to create even in times of crisis, and the inheritance of grand western dreams
It’s 2024, and Tobey Harlan—college dropout, temporary waiter, recently dumped—steals from the wall of his father’s house three paintings by the venerated and controversial artist Di Stiegl. Tobey’s just lost everything he owns to a Northern California wildfire, and if he can sell the paintings (albeit in a shady way to a notorious tech bro) he can start life anew in a place no one will ever find him, perhaps even Oregon.
A hundred years before, Klaus Aaronsohn—German-Jewish immigrant, resident of the Lower East Side—inveigles his way into a film studio in Astoria, Queens. In love with silent cinema, Klaus restyles himself "Klaus von Stiegl," a mysterious aristocratic German film director. In true Hollywood fashion he will court fame, fortune, romance, and betrayal, and end his career directing Brackett, a radical, notorious 60s-era detective show.
Weaving between the stories of Tobey and Klaus is that of Diane “Di” Stiegl: Klaus’s granddaughter, raised in Palm Springs, who carves out a career as an artist in gritty 1980s New York City. As America yields the presidency to a Hollywood cowboy, as Diane’s grifter father and free-spirited mother move in and out of her life, Diane will reflect America’s most urgent and hypocritical years back to itself, uneasily finding critical adoration as well as great fame and wealth.
It’s 2024, and Tobey Harlan—college dropout, temporary waiter, recently dumped—steals from the wall of his father’s house three paintings by the venerated and controversial artist Di Stiegl. Tobey’s just lost everything he owns to a Northern California wildfire, and if he can sell the paintings (albeit in a shady way to a notorious tech bro) he can start life anew in a place no one will ever find him, perhaps even Oregon.
A hundred years before, Klaus Aaronsohn—German-Jewish immigrant, resident of the Lower East Side—inveigles his way into a film studio in Astoria, Queens. In love with silent cinema, Klaus restyles himself "Klaus von Stiegl," a mysterious aristocratic German film director. In true Hollywood fashion he will court fame, fortune, romance, and betrayal, and end his career directing Brackett, a radical, notorious 60s-era detective show.
Weaving between the stories of Tobey and Klaus is that of Diane “Di” Stiegl: Klaus’s granddaughter, raised in Palm Springs, who carves out a career as an artist in gritty 1980s New York City. As America yields the presidency to a Hollywood cowboy, as Diane’s grifter father and free-spirited mother move in and out of her life, Diane will reflect America’s most urgent and hypocritical years back to itself, uneasily finding critical adoration as well as great fame and wealth.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
September 10, 2024
This is an extremely ambitious, expansive novel reaching across time from the era of silent films to the current wildfires of California. It is sprawling as are the changes in American life but it was hard to understand why it was structured the way it was.
For me, the framework was flawed and made it hard for me to engage. The book opens in the present when Tobey, whose life is going nowhere, loses what little he has left to the northern California wildfires. The beginning of the book is all about Tobey’s road trip with a neighbor to his father’s house to purportedly steal 3 paintings from his father painted by his famous aunt. His thinking is that when he sells them, he will be on easy street. That storyline disappears until the end of the book.
Most of the book centers on the lives and times of two characters. The first is the story of a German Jewish immigrant who travels from New York’s lower east side to Hollywood. He reinvents himself as German aristocrat Klaus von Stiegel. He is a brilliant, successful film director who finds fame in the silent film era. When that dies, he must reinvent himself. His is a story of egotism, fame, betrayal, and loss. He is incapable of having relationships.
The other main character is Klaus’s granddaughter, Dianne. She grows up with instability. Her grifter father (Klaus’s son) abandons her and her mother suffers from manic depression. Much of the readers time with Di, as she calls herself as an adult, is in the free flowing 1980s in New York City. It is a time of easy access to drugs, AIDS, and the slide into celebrity culture. She becomes very successful both artistically and financially as a painter during this wild time.
Overall, the book seemed very uneven. The major characters were so unlikable and their actions predictable that I didn’t care what happened to them. The many minor characters kept reappearing but I’m not sure what that did to make the story more cohesive. There were also intermittent sections called interstitials that might have been there to give another view of the characters but they just pulled me further out of the story.
In its favor, I would say the idea was a good one. The California dream. Reinvention. Adapting to the times. But the execution didn’t live up to its promise. Castleberry is a talented writer, excelling in character development.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy and write an honest review.
Additional book reviews may be found at www.jantramontano.com/readerscafe.
For me, the framework was flawed and made it hard for me to engage. The book opens in the present when Tobey, whose life is going nowhere, loses what little he has left to the northern California wildfires. The beginning of the book is all about Tobey’s road trip with a neighbor to his father’s house to purportedly steal 3 paintings from his father painted by his famous aunt. His thinking is that when he sells them, he will be on easy street. That storyline disappears until the end of the book.
Most of the book centers on the lives and times of two characters. The first is the story of a German Jewish immigrant who travels from New York’s lower east side to Hollywood. He reinvents himself as German aristocrat Klaus von Stiegel. He is a brilliant, successful film director who finds fame in the silent film era. When that dies, he must reinvent himself. His is a story of egotism, fame, betrayal, and loss. He is incapable of having relationships.
The other main character is Klaus’s granddaughter, Dianne. She grows up with instability. Her grifter father (Klaus’s son) abandons her and her mother suffers from manic depression. Much of the readers time with Di, as she calls herself as an adult, is in the free flowing 1980s in New York City. It is a time of easy access to drugs, AIDS, and the slide into celebrity culture. She becomes very successful both artistically and financially as a painter during this wild time.
Overall, the book seemed very uneven. The major characters were so unlikable and their actions predictable that I didn’t care what happened to them. The many minor characters kept reappearing but I’m not sure what that did to make the story more cohesive. There were also intermittent sections called interstitials that might have been there to give another view of the characters but they just pulled me further out of the story.
In its favor, I would say the idea was a good one. The California dream. Reinvention. Adapting to the times. But the execution didn’t live up to its promise. Castleberry is a talented writer, excelling in character development.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy and write an honest review.
Additional book reviews may be found at www.jantramontano.com/readerscafe.
April 2, 2025
Bailed after page 3. Such a short way in, but already our main character does drugs, references climate change, and mentions he sold drugs in college and did time in jail. Movin’ on.
September 26, 2025
One hundred years and three generations of California, so many characters, generations, events - and put together like a massive wall-sized mixed media project. All jumbled together. I stayed to the end, but its panorama effect echoed at its close. If a quiz was put to me on this one, I'm afraid I'd be at about 50%, especially as to the meaning, purpose, message of the author. It is a history of two families, woven through with art, film, money, and self-centered living.
*A sincere thank you to Brian Castleberry, HarperAudio Adult | Mariner Books, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:49d
*A sincere thank you to Brian Castleberry, HarperAudio Adult | Mariner Books, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:49d
January 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5. At a sentence level, it’s great. But it’s too ambitious for it’s own good.
I started reading this just as the LA fires were exploding out of control. Having requested the ARC without paying much attention to the plot, I was surprised when I encountered Tobey, who is urgently fleeing a California wildfire. But when we changed characters, and then when we changed characters again, never returning to Tobey or his story arc until the end of the book, I started to lose interest and it was confusing to follow how everyone was related to each other. In fact, I had to restart the book several times because if I put it down for any longer than a couple of days, I forgot the details. I also didn’t always understand the motivations of the characters.
I can’t quite put my finger on what didn’t work about the structure or my experience generally. In some ways, the book reminds me of The Goldfinch, and I do think Castelberry can really write. Perhaps a family tree at the beginning would have helped?
Many thanks to @marinerbooks for the gifted copy!
I started reading this just as the LA fires were exploding out of control. Having requested the ARC without paying much attention to the plot, I was surprised when I encountered Tobey, who is urgently fleeing a California wildfire. But when we changed characters, and then when we changed characters again, never returning to Tobey or his story arc until the end of the book, I started to lose interest and it was confusing to follow how everyone was related to each other. In fact, I had to restart the book several times because if I put it down for any longer than a couple of days, I forgot the details. I also didn’t always understand the motivations of the characters.
I can’t quite put my finger on what didn’t work about the structure or my experience generally. In some ways, the book reminds me of The Goldfinch, and I do think Castelberry can really write. Perhaps a family tree at the beginning would have helped?
Many thanks to @marinerbooks for the gifted copy!
January 28, 2025
As this story begins, it revolves around Tobey Harlan, a young man whose girlfriend has deserted him, while at the same time a fire is heading near his home, spreading even as he contemplates what he should do next. He decides to steal some of the father’s paintings.
Di Stiegel, an artist living in NYC in the 1980’s, is the granddaughter of Klaus Aaronsohn, a once upon a time immigrant who lived in the era of silent film. Di is the artist whose paintings Tobey steals many years after the 1980’s have come and gone.
While this story had some interesting moments, and the writing was often lovely, it was also often disconnected, and the story itself often felt lacking.
Pub Date: 11 Mar 2025
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Mariner Books
September 3, 2025
This book is a series of interconnected vignettes that feel a bit like short stories. If you're into more plot-driven novels, you may find The Californians harder to get through.
That said, the writing style and sweeping scope worked for me. It has been compared to Beautiful Ruins, and that's an apt comparison. In The Californians, Brain Castleberry uses a wildfire as a framing device to explore interpretations of the California Dream over time.
As a native Californian who plans to live here for the foreseeable future, I've always been interested in the mythos of my state. I could tell immediately that Brain Castleberry is not from California (he was born and raised in Oklahoma and teaches at the College of William & Mary in Virginia). In this book, California feels more like an idea than a living, breathing place. It's a compelling lens through which to see the state, although I could see how it might not work for some readers.
I'd recommend The Californians to readers who enjoy well-crafted prose and non-linear narratives. If you loved The Covenant of Water or Good Dirt, check this one out.
That said, the writing style and sweeping scope worked for me. It has been compared to Beautiful Ruins, and that's an apt comparison. In The Californians, Brain Castleberry uses a wildfire as a framing device to explore interpretations of the California Dream over time.
As a native Californian who plans to live here for the foreseeable future, I've always been interested in the mythos of my state. I could tell immediately that Brain Castleberry is not from California (he was born and raised in Oklahoma and teaches at the College of William & Mary in Virginia). In this book, California feels more like an idea than a living, breathing place. It's a compelling lens through which to see the state, although I could see how it might not work for some readers.
I'd recommend The Californians to readers who enjoy well-crafted prose and non-linear narratives. If you loved The Covenant of Water or Good Dirt, check this one out.
January 25, 2025
Mariner Books provided an early galley for review.
Castleberry teaches literature and creative writing at the College of William and Mary; learning that I had high expectations for this novel.
I have noted this previously, however, that I am not a big fan of novels where the narrative arc jumps around between a variety of viewpoints. It can be challenging when not done right. Jumping around between time-periods as well just adds to the complexity. Again, hard to pull off. Given the author's credentials, I was hoping he would do so.
Even though the writing itself is solid, when the parts are put together in the whole it falls off for me. It very much likely is the ordering of the parts that is throwing me. I just couldn't get past that. Maybe reading it "out of order" (i.e. focusing on each of the three characters separately) might work for me; that experiment would be better served with a physical book than a digital galley. Maybe I'll try that later.
For the right readers, I am sure this will be a fantastic read. I'm just not that type of reader.
Castleberry teaches literature and creative writing at the College of William and Mary; learning that I had high expectations for this novel.
I have noted this previously, however, that I am not a big fan of novels where the narrative arc jumps around between a variety of viewpoints. It can be challenging when not done right. Jumping around between time-periods as well just adds to the complexity. Again, hard to pull off. Given the author's credentials, I was hoping he would do so.
Even though the writing itself is solid, when the parts are put together in the whole it falls off for me. It very much likely is the ordering of the parts that is throwing me. I just couldn't get past that. Maybe reading it "out of order" (i.e. focusing on each of the three characters separately) might work for me; that experiment would be better served with a physical book than a digital galley. Maybe I'll try that later.
For the right readers, I am sure this will be a fantastic read. I'm just not that type of reader.
December 2, 2024
The Californians starts with Tobey Harlan, who is having a rough time of it, to say the least. His girlfriend has left him, he has no real job prospects, and a wildfire is bearing down on his Northern California home. He's hoping for a second chance at life funded by the theft of a few paintings from his father's home.
Klaus Aaronsohn is a German-Jewish immigrant attempting to make his way from Queens to Hollywood during the silent film era. His granddaughter, Di Stiegel, is an artist based in NYC during the '80s, a time known for its vibrant and experimental art scene, and the creator of the paintings Tobey will steal years later.
I always feel guilty DNFing an ARC, but I had to call it quits at about 75%. I just could not connect to any of the characters. They were underdeveloped, and what was there wasn't especially likable or exciting. Even with more compelling characters, I doubt I would have stuck with this as long as I did if it hadn't been an ARC.
The novel's structure is cumbersome and gets in the way of the action. I'm a sucker for a sweeping, intergenerational drama, but I could not follow this. The story spans generations and is set in captivating times and locations. However, the narrative jumps between characters and time periods were too abrupt, making it hard to learn who they are and how they connect to each other. Castleberry also uses interstitials throughout, which I did not understand the purpose of at all.
What makes all this truly tragic is that the writing is beautiful! I wanted to spend more time with this book, but the lackluster characters and jarring structure were too much to get past. I will absolutely try another book by the author, who is clearly very talented; this just wasn't the one for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC.
Klaus Aaronsohn is a German-Jewish immigrant attempting to make his way from Queens to Hollywood during the silent film era. His granddaughter, Di Stiegel, is an artist based in NYC during the '80s, a time known for its vibrant and experimental art scene, and the creator of the paintings Tobey will steal years later.
I always feel guilty DNFing an ARC, but I had to call it quits at about 75%. I just could not connect to any of the characters. They were underdeveloped, and what was there wasn't especially likable or exciting. Even with more compelling characters, I doubt I would have stuck with this as long as I did if it hadn't been an ARC.
The novel's structure is cumbersome and gets in the way of the action. I'm a sucker for a sweeping, intergenerational drama, but I could not follow this. The story spans generations and is set in captivating times and locations. However, the narrative jumps between characters and time periods were too abrupt, making it hard to learn who they are and how they connect to each other. Castleberry also uses interstitials throughout, which I did not understand the purpose of at all.
What makes all this truly tragic is that the writing is beautiful! I wanted to spend more time with this book, but the lackluster characters and jarring structure were too much to get past. I will absolutely try another book by the author, who is clearly very talented; this just wasn't the one for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC.
June 4, 2025
palm springs. poolside. perfect read
February 19, 2025
Thank you to Mariner Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a work of literary fiction that follows three members of intertwined families whose lives have been heavily influenced by the arts. While the title “The Californians” is accurate in the sense that all of the characters spend at least some of the time in the state, the story is tied much more closely to their engagement with the arts (photorealistic painting, cinema and television, environmental performance art) and their family ties.
The book follows Tobey, an adrift youngest son of a wealthy developer, hoping to start over following a wildfire. He conspired to steal the paintings of the second narrative focus, Di. Di is an artist from a family of free spirits and grifters whose contemporary art is deeply influenced by her life in 1980s New York. Her grandfather, Klaus, is the final character followed by the narrative. An immigrant and film director, he is sent into a spiral of disuse and frustration after being blackballed. The story is largely character driven. The plot, especially that of Tobey, seems somewhat inconsequential. It feels more like a scaffold used to tell their life stories. For those looking for a plot that moves in a linear, fast paced way, this book is much more atmospheric and may not satisfy.
The presence of American pop culture acts as a fourth main character in the novel. A variety of major, defining 20th and 21st century movements all seem to play against the main characters, pushing and pulling them along. Silent film, the emergence of the “talkie,” Louis B Mayer, the red scare, McCarthyism, Ronald Reagan, Andy Warhol, Basquiat, cocaine, AIDS, NFTs, and Bitcoin all play starring roles in the narrative. It really felt like a litany of pop culture topics influencing the narrative.
This novel is a solid portrait of a family deeply entrenched by the 20th and 21st century art establishment. Whether it’s making art or stealing it, it is the central conflict of almost every interaction. For people who love character pieces and have an interest in reflections on American culture, it could be a good choice. Unfortunately, the book does at time struggle with pacing, especially when splitting focus between the characters. The story can also be a little light on plot, focusing much more on building vignettes and characterization.
3/5 stars.
The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a work of literary fiction that follows three members of intertwined families whose lives have been heavily influenced by the arts. While the title “The Californians” is accurate in the sense that all of the characters spend at least some of the time in the state, the story is tied much more closely to their engagement with the arts (photorealistic painting, cinema and television, environmental performance art) and their family ties.
The book follows Tobey, an adrift youngest son of a wealthy developer, hoping to start over following a wildfire. He conspired to steal the paintings of the second narrative focus, Di. Di is an artist from a family of free spirits and grifters whose contemporary art is deeply influenced by her life in 1980s New York. Her grandfather, Klaus, is the final character followed by the narrative. An immigrant and film director, he is sent into a spiral of disuse and frustration after being blackballed. The story is largely character driven. The plot, especially that of Tobey, seems somewhat inconsequential. It feels more like a scaffold used to tell their life stories. For those looking for a plot that moves in a linear, fast paced way, this book is much more atmospheric and may not satisfy.
The presence of American pop culture acts as a fourth main character in the novel. A variety of major, defining 20th and 21st century movements all seem to play against the main characters, pushing and pulling them along. Silent film, the emergence of the “talkie,” Louis B Mayer, the red scare, McCarthyism, Ronald Reagan, Andy Warhol, Basquiat, cocaine, AIDS, NFTs, and Bitcoin all play starring roles in the narrative. It really felt like a litany of pop culture topics influencing the narrative.
This novel is a solid portrait of a family deeply entrenched by the 20th and 21st century art establishment. Whether it’s making art or stealing it, it is the central conflict of almost every interaction. For people who love character pieces and have an interest in reflections on American culture, it could be a good choice. Unfortunately, the book does at time struggle with pacing, especially when splitting focus between the characters. The story can also be a little light on plot, focusing much more on building vignettes and characterization.
3/5 stars.
April 3, 2025
I came into this without even reading the jacket copy. The cover doesn't really say much. But in the end, I liked this more than I expected to.
The three narrative threads/timelines, and the non-linear structure were used to good effect. The story told was compelling, and sucked me in right away. The interconnection between the characters and timelines were sort of intriguing to puzzle out as the story unfolded. The central characters were diverse and well-drawn. Everything was just pretty good.
This isn't a book to evangelize, but it's one that I'm happy to recommend.
The three narrative threads/timelines, and the non-linear structure were used to good effect. The story told was compelling, and sucked me in right away. The interconnection between the characters and timelines were sort of intriguing to puzzle out as the story unfolded. The central characters were diverse and well-drawn. Everything was just pretty good.
This isn't a book to evangelize, but it's one that I'm happy to recommend.
Read
March 21, 2025Trying to sum this century spanning novel is difficult, but I’ve settled on seeing this as an insightful book about capitalism and its constraints on art, family, relationships, climate change and the supposed American dream. My favorite thing about it was its sense of humor; I found it to be pretty close to my own and the author has a talent for making little observations interesting and significant in context, and I particularly enjoyed the more political commentary. The pacing was fast, letting the humor shine even more.
I generally do not go for historical fiction, so this did take me a while to get into (especially Klaus’ sections), but I’m happy that I stuck with it because it did come together all at the end. Keeping up with the relationships was challenging (I’m still slightly confused about who George is), but reading more carefully helped. I really enjoyed seeing Diane evolve into her own artist, and simultaneously watching definitions of art and the art world evolve around her. Tobey was so loveable and familiar to me His first chapter might have been my favorite part of the book, and I wish we spent more time with him. The Klaus chapters were the weakest, but again, they were the furthest from what I typically enjoy. Other reviewers seem to disagree, which I think speaks to the quality of the book.
I think that this novel is the type where it will be better on a second read, but even on the first read, I enjoyed it! Ambitious is the perfect word.
I generally do not go for historical fiction, so this did take me a while to get into (especially Klaus’ sections), but I’m happy that I stuck with it because it did come together all at the end. Keeping up with the relationships was challenging (I’m still slightly confused about who George is), but reading more carefully helped. I really enjoyed seeing Diane evolve into her own artist, and simultaneously watching definitions of art and the art world evolve around her. Tobey was so loveable and familiar to me His first chapter might have been my favorite part of the book, and I wish we spent more time with him. The Klaus chapters were the weakest, but again, they were the furthest from what I typically enjoy. Other reviewers seem to disagree, which I think speaks to the quality of the book.
I think that this novel is the type where it will be better on a second read, but even on the first read, I enjoyed it! Ambitious is the perfect word.
April 4, 2025
Meh...it starts off as one story, only to suddenly become another...only to veer back to the first story...all of which feels only tangentially linked, and full of characters that I couldn't get worked up about...or actively disliked. This one is definitely not my kind of novel.
March 3, 2025
The narrative centers on Tobey Harlan, a young man abandoned by his girlfriend while a LA fire encroaches upon his home. As he contemplates his next course of action, he decides to abscond with several paintings belonging to his father. The artist Di Stiegel, residing in New York City during the 1980s, is the granddaughter of Klaus Aaronsohn, an immigrant from the silent film era. Tobey steals Di's paintings many years after the 1980s have passed. Although the story exhibits some interesting moments and commendable writing, it frequently appears disjointed and lacks cohesion.
However, with the frequent changes in characters and the lack of return to Tobey and his narrative until the conclusion of the book, it became challenging to maintain interest and follow the connections between the characters. In fact, I found myself needing to restart the book several times, as recalling the details proved difficult if I paused reading for more than a few days. Maybe people who love that slow burn of the plot would enjoy this one.
I had the privilege of reading this Advance Reader Copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books.
However, with the frequent changes in characters and the lack of return to Tobey and his narrative until the conclusion of the book, it became challenging to maintain interest and follow the connections between the characters. In fact, I found myself needing to restart the book several times, as recalling the details proved difficult if I paused reading for more than a few days. Maybe people who love that slow burn of the plot would enjoy this one.
I had the privilege of reading this Advance Reader Copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books.
April 27, 2025
I picked this book up at a bookstore in Oneonta, NY while in that town for business. I wasn't sure about it at first. the first character introduced has a lot going on fleeing a wild fire. but then the book goes into this guys back relatives and I found it fascinating. not my favorite when the chapters are so choppy with the years going back and forth, but what happened to silent movie stars in Hollywood, once sound was introduced. So many careers were ruined. The McCarthy era also ruined friendships and careers. Then there was the art and how it changed with the social issues through the decades. I was not familiar with this author but I would be interested in more from him.
May 28, 2025
This book covers many years in the cinema era. I did not like it or the characters. The one I liked the best
Was Diane who made a name for herself in the art industry. I found it a slow read and boring .it started out with
Tobey and then he wasn’t mentioned again until the end. It is a tale of movies and of people who yearned
To succeed in the movie business and how greed can make or break a person. It was well researched,
But lost me in the way it was put together.
Was Diane who made a name for herself in the art industry. I found it a slow read and boring .it started out with
Tobey and then he wasn’t mentioned again until the end. It is a tale of movies and of people who yearned
To succeed in the movie business and how greed can make or break a person. It was well researched,
But lost me in the way it was put together.
June 18, 2025
(1.5 stars rounded up)
I didn’t connect with this novel. While there were parts I liked, I found myself enjoying those individual sections more than the book as a whole. The concept was interesting and had real potential to deliver a compelling multigenerational story, with threads tying the characters together across time. But ultimately, I just didn’t find the story engaging.
I often had to reread sentences because my mind would wander mid-page (maybe that’s on me). I also had trouble keeping track of how the characters were related—honestly, a visual aid like a family tree would have helped.
The narrative didn’t pull me in the way I hoped it would. The only character who mildly interested me was Diane. I actually think each of the main characters—Tobey, Diane, and Klaus —could have had their own standalone novels. A series about each of their lives might have worked better.
In the end, I didn’t really “get” the novel or understand what it was trying to say. I didn’t come away with any strong takeaways. It also felt like the book relied heavily on stereotypical California themes—Hollywood, bitcoin, wildfires, etc.—but those elements didn’t seem to connect to anything deeper or more meaningful.
I didn’t connect with this novel. While there were parts I liked, I found myself enjoying those individual sections more than the book as a whole. The concept was interesting and had real potential to deliver a compelling multigenerational story, with threads tying the characters together across time. But ultimately, I just didn’t find the story engaging.
I often had to reread sentences because my mind would wander mid-page (maybe that’s on me). I also had trouble keeping track of how the characters were related—honestly, a visual aid like a family tree would have helped.
The narrative didn’t pull me in the way I hoped it would. The only character who mildly interested me was Diane. I actually think each of the main characters—Tobey, Diane, and Klaus —could have had their own standalone novels. A series about each of their lives might have worked better.
In the end, I didn’t really “get” the novel or understand what it was trying to say. I didn’t come away with any strong takeaways. It also felt like the book relied heavily on stereotypical California themes—Hollywood, bitcoin, wildfires, etc.—but those elements didn’t seem to connect to anything deeper or more meaningful.
May 30, 2025
An ambitious and sweeping family history that explores the intersections of art, culture, capitalism, and the American Dream in (primarily) the 20th Century, Castleberry's work may well end up being one of this year's literary hits. Despite its name, The Californians sprawls across America, with about half of its story taking place in New York, brought to life with vivid descriptions of the city in its gritty 1980s. Told in a non-linear fashion and interspersed with in-world publications, the stories of the artists at the core of the book and the family surrounding them coming full-circle into...an ending? Honestly, I liked this book, but the ending was a little weak . That stumble may actually prove that Castleberry was too ambitious in his writing, but the meat of the book is solid and well worth reading.
December 26, 2025
I really wished that I could have given this book 4 stars — some parts of it, especially Di’s narrative, are brilliant and thoughtful. I found the main character, Tobey, to be completely unlikeable and unrealistic, though. I did appreciate the multi-generational story and Castleberry’s thoughts on art and artists.
March 22, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
The Californians, by Brian Castleberry, is an expansive, multigenerational family saga that is at times insightful, and at other times, a confusing tangle of characters and plotlines.
The years covered are over a century, from 1900 to 2024, and are certainly fertile ground for a story that revolves around the evolution of the film industry in California, and the eccentrics involved in film, TV and the visual arts of that era.
There is much history here, and as a Californian I was pleased to become immersed in the fascinating story of the movie arts and its evolution from silent pictures to talkies, and reading about the regional quirks of this great state, from Chico in Northern California, to Stockton in the Central Valley, to Palm Springs in SoCal. Additionally, as an art buff, I felt nostalgic and invested when reading about the art scene in New York City, circa 1970s to 1990s. There was much realism to like, and it is interesting to see the stories based on the east and the west coasts converge.
The cast of characters ranges from a likeable, naïve, college-aged Tobey to a range of unpleasant manipulative characters in the Von Stiegel family. This is very much a character-driven story, and once the characters and timelines were sorted out, the saga makes sense and becomes more enjoyable.
I wish the different time periods and transitions from past to present time were less abrupt. I usually enjoy multiple plot lines and some time-jumping, but I found this particular novel challenging in that respect.
This is a worthy effort with fascinating movie and art history. I will definitely look for more works by this author.
Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.
The Californians, by Brian Castleberry, is an expansive, multigenerational family saga that is at times insightful, and at other times, a confusing tangle of characters and plotlines.
The years covered are over a century, from 1900 to 2024, and are certainly fertile ground for a story that revolves around the evolution of the film industry in California, and the eccentrics involved in film, TV and the visual arts of that era.
There is much history here, and as a Californian I was pleased to become immersed in the fascinating story of the movie arts and its evolution from silent pictures to talkies, and reading about the regional quirks of this great state, from Chico in Northern California, to Stockton in the Central Valley, to Palm Springs in SoCal. Additionally, as an art buff, I felt nostalgic and invested when reading about the art scene in New York City, circa 1970s to 1990s. There was much realism to like, and it is interesting to see the stories based on the east and the west coasts converge.
The cast of characters ranges from a likeable, naïve, college-aged Tobey to a range of unpleasant manipulative characters in the Von Stiegel family. This is very much a character-driven story, and once the characters and timelines were sorted out, the saga makes sense and becomes more enjoyable.
I wish the different time periods and transitions from past to present time were less abrupt. I usually enjoy multiple plot lines and some time-jumping, but I found this particular novel challenging in that respect.
This is a worthy effort with fascinating movie and art history. I will definitely look for more works by this author.
Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.
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October 23, 2024Oct 23, 2024, 12:02 AM Congratulations, you're a Giveaways winner. You are one of our Giveaways lucky winners! You will soon receive a free copy of The Californians in the mail.
February 13, 2025
This review is a tough one for me to write. I loved this book, but along the way I got lost a bit trying to keep the characters and their relationships straight and returning to times and places the story hadn't visited in a while. Granted, I read it while traveling internationally and coping with jet-lag and sleep-deprivation, but still, it was a lot to keep in mind and my plan was to finish it, go back to the beginning, and skim through parts but unfortunately I read it as a NetGalley ARC uncorrected proof and it disappeared from my device the minute I closed it after finishing the last sentence, so that wasn't possible. So those are the caveats, now here's the review.
This is a solid 3.5 star story and, were it not for the author's choices I'll get to in the next paragraph it would have been a 4 star story. It wove together the lives of two loosely woven families through 100 pivotal years in California history, moving from silent films to the present day. It got points for creating interesting, sympathetic (though not always likable) characters. It took us into times and places so well they had color and sound and scent. The fundamental themes and plot were intriguing. There was humor. It was thought-provoking. I read the portion about Di's meteoric rise in the art world on days I visited the Louvre, the Musee D'Orsay, the Picasso and the Rodin museums, a lovely dovetail between life and literature.
The author chose to jump around in time, place, and character arc. It works great in a movie. It works well in a novel if the author knows how to balance all the elements. There are authors writing today who are brilliant at it, there are many who suck at it, Castleberry is pretty good at it but not great; I'm an avid reader, a retired journalist, and I'm pretty good at following a story that jumps around, but I did spend more than a moment or two at the beginning of some chapters thumbing back to remind me who a character was. Example: one character (Mrs. Pomeroy I think was her name, Kay's friend) who appeared in the final quarter of the book and dipped into many of the characters' lives was a mystery to me and I'd planned to go back, find out who she was in the early days, and move forward but I couldn't because the ARC disappeared from my device right away. My glitchy memory can't provide any valid reason for her to play such a role in the final quarter of the book. Is she the Greek chorus of the story? I dunno.
I liked Castleberry's writing and style enough that I'll check out his other titles. I recommend this book, but feel I would have preferred reading it in print so I could review past sections more easily.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC of "The Californians."
This is a solid 3.5 star story and, were it not for the author's choices I'll get to in the next paragraph it would have been a 4 star story. It wove together the lives of two loosely woven families through 100 pivotal years in California history, moving from silent films to the present day. It got points for creating interesting, sympathetic (though not always likable) characters. It took us into times and places so well they had color and sound and scent. The fundamental themes and plot were intriguing. There was humor. It was thought-provoking. I read the portion about Di's meteoric rise in the art world on days I visited the Louvre, the Musee D'Orsay, the Picasso and the Rodin museums, a lovely dovetail between life and literature.
The author chose to jump around in time, place, and character arc. It works great in a movie. It works well in a novel if the author knows how to balance all the elements. There are authors writing today who are brilliant at it, there are many who suck at it, Castleberry is pretty good at it but not great; I'm an avid reader, a retired journalist, and I'm pretty good at following a story that jumps around, but I did spend more than a moment or two at the beginning of some chapters thumbing back to remind me who a character was. Example: one character (Mrs. Pomeroy I think was her name, Kay's friend) who appeared in the final quarter of the book and dipped into many of the characters' lives was a mystery to me and I'd planned to go back, find out who she was in the early days, and move forward but I couldn't because the ARC disappeared from my device right away. My glitchy memory can't provide any valid reason for her to play such a role in the final quarter of the book. Is she the Greek chorus of the story? I dunno.
I liked Castleberry's writing and style enough that I'll check out his other titles. I recommend this book, but feel I would have preferred reading it in print so I could review past sections more easily.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC of "The Californians."
February 28, 2025
An absorbing, intricately constructed, multi-generational story of the rewards and costs of personal transformation and the transformation of American movies, television, and art in the twentieth and early twenty-first century. It is also a story of selfishness and broken relationships in the pursuit of greatness as a filmmaker or an artist.
The characters in The Californians all have a family connection to California, and much of the story is set in Hollywood, of course, and in the California residential oasis, Palm Springs. California is the only place in America where this story could have been set. To that extent California is really itself a character in the story.
I had to read the book twice in order to “get it,” to appreciate its layers within layers, its elements that form something of an homage to a very great movie, “Citizen Kane,” and the cinematic quality of the scenes and writing throughout.
The Californians is a great book if you already know something about the history of American movies and television in the twentieth century and about American art in the late twentieth and early twenty-first. It is a great book if you are drawn to novels that have a complex structure, where plot and characterization are revealed in seemingly unrelated episodes presented in an artfully designed chronology. It is a great book if you admire an author’s skill in creating a kind of meta narrative: a series of what the author calls “interstitials” placed between each chapter, that add a perspective from outside the story in the form of imagined reviews of films and books that feature in the story, imagined correspondence between characters, and transcripts of imagined interviews of the major characters, and other tricks. And it is a great book if you enjoy reading scenes in which imagined characters deal with imagined behavior of famous people from real life.
Ultimately—and I doubt the author intended this—I realized from reading this novel that I probably would appreciate an artistic creation more if I knew less about its creator. This novel has changed the way I think about and approach aesthetic experience. That is the surprising and wonderful effect of The Californians had on me.
Thank you, Mariner Books, for providing an advance copy in galley form for review consideration via NetGalley. Please note: Quotes taken from a galley may change in the final version.
All opinions are my own.
The characters in The Californians all have a family connection to California, and much of the story is set in Hollywood, of course, and in the California residential oasis, Palm Springs. California is the only place in America where this story could have been set. To that extent California is really itself a character in the story.
I had to read the book twice in order to “get it,” to appreciate its layers within layers, its elements that form something of an homage to a very great movie, “Citizen Kane,” and the cinematic quality of the scenes and writing throughout.
The Californians is a great book if you already know something about the history of American movies and television in the twentieth century and about American art in the late twentieth and early twenty-first. It is a great book if you are drawn to novels that have a complex structure, where plot and characterization are revealed in seemingly unrelated episodes presented in an artfully designed chronology. It is a great book if you admire an author’s skill in creating a kind of meta narrative: a series of what the author calls “interstitials” placed between each chapter, that add a perspective from outside the story in the form of imagined reviews of films and books that feature in the story, imagined correspondence between characters, and transcripts of imagined interviews of the major characters, and other tricks. And it is a great book if you enjoy reading scenes in which imagined characters deal with imagined behavior of famous people from real life.
Ultimately—and I doubt the author intended this—I realized from reading this novel that I probably would appreciate an artistic creation more if I knew less about its creator. This novel has changed the way I think about and approach aesthetic experience. That is the surprising and wonderful effect of The Californians had on me.
Thank you, Mariner Books, for providing an advance copy in galley form for review consideration via NetGalley. Please note: Quotes taken from a galley may change in the final version.
All opinions are my own.
February 23, 2025
Ambitious in scope, this epic fell short for me. Spanning across one hundred years, Castleberry covers the transition from silent films to “talkies” in Hollywood, the AIDS pandemic in New York City in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and modern-day wildfires in California. Alternating between three different POVs, we see how the idea of reinvention has always been a pivotal part of the American Dream.
Tobey is fleeing the fires consuming his home in Southern California, but more so his failures as he and his stepbrother cook up a hair brain scheme to steal his grandfather’s paintings to make a quick buck. His perspective is limited in this story in that it really serves to frame the two characters in the middle.
Klaus von Stiegel, a German Jew immigrant in NYC, reinvents himself as minor aristocracy in Hollywood and finds success as a director. Though his silents films are brilliant and have a somewhat cult following, the emergence of “talkies” briefly leaves him hopeless. Again, he continues to find ways to stay relevant working in Mexico and then again in fickle Hollywood in television.
Di’s childhood is traumatic, with an absentee father, a manic-depressive mother, a reclusive grandfather and dead grandmother. Raised by her father’s most recent girlfriend, she is quick to leave California behind to reinvent herself in New York City. It is in the gritty city she finds herself and she thrives as an artist, finding both critical success and financial stability.
The Californians aimed for an expansive, multifaceted look at the American Dream and the concept of reinvention, but ultimately, it didn’t quite land for me. The shifting perspectives and time periods could have offered rich depth, but the execution fell short, especially with characters that didn’t resonate or connect emotionally. It's tough when the characters are well-written but still feel off-putting, especially when you’re looking for some empathy or connection with at least one of them.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and author Brian Castleberry for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Californians is out on March 10th. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
Tobey is fleeing the fires consuming his home in Southern California, but more so his failures as he and his stepbrother cook up a hair brain scheme to steal his grandfather’s paintings to make a quick buck. His perspective is limited in this story in that it really serves to frame the two characters in the middle.
Klaus von Stiegel, a German Jew immigrant in NYC, reinvents himself as minor aristocracy in Hollywood and finds success as a director. Though his silents films are brilliant and have a somewhat cult following, the emergence of “talkies” briefly leaves him hopeless. Again, he continues to find ways to stay relevant working in Mexico and then again in fickle Hollywood in television.
Di’s childhood is traumatic, with an absentee father, a manic-depressive mother, a reclusive grandfather and dead grandmother. Raised by her father’s most recent girlfriend, she is quick to leave California behind to reinvent herself in New York City. It is in the gritty city she finds herself and she thrives as an artist, finding both critical success and financial stability.
The Californians aimed for an expansive, multifaceted look at the American Dream and the concept of reinvention, but ultimately, it didn’t quite land for me. The shifting perspectives and time periods could have offered rich depth, but the execution fell short, especially with characters that didn’t resonate or connect emotionally. It's tough when the characters are well-written but still feel off-putting, especially when you’re looking for some empathy or connection with at least one of them.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and author Brian Castleberry for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Californians is out on March 10th. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
February 17, 2025
The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a recommended generational family drama that covers a hundred years of history.
In 2024 Tobey Harlan, a temporary waiter, loses everything he owns in a Northern California wildfire. He is heading to stay in his father's house. Once there he plans to steal three valuable paintings and has a plan in place to sell them. A hundred years earlier, Klaus Aaronsohn reinvents himself as Klaus von Stiegl and travels to Hollywood to make silent films. He later directs a popular 1960's TV crime drama,Brackett, starring Tobey’s grandfather. Klaus's granddaughter, Di (Dianne) Stiegel, is an artist in the 1980's NYC art scene. It is her paintings that Tobey is planning to steal.
While the writing in the sprawling novel is exceptional, the organization of it didn't work for me. The opening with Tobey immediately caught my attention but then the novel jumps back in time and alternately follows Klaus and Dianne. While they are interesting characters, they are unlikable. I never felt fully invested in their story and they make up the bulk of the plot. I kept waiting to go back to Tobey's story, which doesn't happen until the end and at that point it had lost my interest. Di's story is interesting at the start, and then my interest in it waned.
This might have worked better for me if it followed a linear timeline rather than jumping between characters and time periods. This would have helped with following the individual characters stories and their connections to each other. The Interstitial sections (various news stories, articles, etc. concerning the characters) that appear occasionally through out the novel could have been kept.
I liked parts of The Californians very much, but didn't love it. Thanks to Mariner Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...
In 2024 Tobey Harlan, a temporary waiter, loses everything he owns in a Northern California wildfire. He is heading to stay in his father's house. Once there he plans to steal three valuable paintings and has a plan in place to sell them. A hundred years earlier, Klaus Aaronsohn reinvents himself as Klaus von Stiegl and travels to Hollywood to make silent films. He later directs a popular 1960's TV crime drama,Brackett, starring Tobey’s grandfather. Klaus's granddaughter, Di (Dianne) Stiegel, is an artist in the 1980's NYC art scene. It is her paintings that Tobey is planning to steal.
While the writing in the sprawling novel is exceptional, the organization of it didn't work for me. The opening with Tobey immediately caught my attention but then the novel jumps back in time and alternately follows Klaus and Dianne. While they are interesting characters, they are unlikable. I never felt fully invested in their story and they make up the bulk of the plot. I kept waiting to go back to Tobey's story, which doesn't happen until the end and at that point it had lost my interest. Di's story is interesting at the start, and then my interest in it waned.
This might have worked better for me if it followed a linear timeline rather than jumping between characters and time periods. This would have helped with following the individual characters stories and their connections to each other. The Interstitial sections (various news stories, articles, etc. concerning the characters) that appear occasionally through out the novel could have been kept.
I liked parts of The Californians very much, but didn't love it. Thanks to Mariner Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...
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March 10, 2025Brian Castleberry’s "The Californians" is an ambitious, multilayered exploration of art, commerce, and the tangled legacies of two families across the sweep of a century.
The story opens in 2024 with an audacious art heist, orchestrated by Tobey Harlan, the black sheep of a wealthy California real estate family. What begins as a thriller unfurls into an epic tale that skillfully navigates timelines and perspectives, delving into the lives of the Harlans and the Stiegls—two families whose fates are intertwined through art, ambition, and dysfunction. From the early days of silent film to the vibrant yet gritty art world of 1980s New York, Castleberry constructs a narrative as intricate as the histories it portrays.
The pacing of the novel is remarkable, effortlessly shifting between high-stakes drama and reflective moments. Castleberry’s stylistic flourishes—ranging from snippets of blog posts to fragments of Hollywood trade gossip—add vibrancy and texture, mirroring the ever-changing landscape of creativity and cultural critique. Despite its sprawling structure, the narrative remains cohesive, propelled by the fascinating and, at times, flawed characters who inhabit its pages. Each member of the Harlan and Stiegl clans brings depth and nuance to the story, from Klaus von Stiegl, a visionary director with a complicated legacy, to Di Stiegl, whose brilliance as an artist is shadowed by personal demons.
At its heart, "The Californians" is a moving meditation on the price of artistic ambition and the often-destructive pull of wealth and privilege. Castleberry’s commentary on cultural consumption and the erosion of true creativity resonates deeply, while his richly drawn characters ensure an emotional connection that lingers long after the final page. This is an intricate, thought-provoking novel that rewards readers with its ambition, storytelling, and the unflinching honesty with which it examines the intersections of art, family, and legacy.
The story opens in 2024 with an audacious art heist, orchestrated by Tobey Harlan, the black sheep of a wealthy California real estate family. What begins as a thriller unfurls into an epic tale that skillfully navigates timelines and perspectives, delving into the lives of the Harlans and the Stiegls—two families whose fates are intertwined through art, ambition, and dysfunction. From the early days of silent film to the vibrant yet gritty art world of 1980s New York, Castleberry constructs a narrative as intricate as the histories it portrays.
The pacing of the novel is remarkable, effortlessly shifting between high-stakes drama and reflective moments. Castleberry’s stylistic flourishes—ranging from snippets of blog posts to fragments of Hollywood trade gossip—add vibrancy and texture, mirroring the ever-changing landscape of creativity and cultural critique. Despite its sprawling structure, the narrative remains cohesive, propelled by the fascinating and, at times, flawed characters who inhabit its pages. Each member of the Harlan and Stiegl clans brings depth and nuance to the story, from Klaus von Stiegl, a visionary director with a complicated legacy, to Di Stiegl, whose brilliance as an artist is shadowed by personal demons.
At its heart, "The Californians" is a moving meditation on the price of artistic ambition and the often-destructive pull of wealth and privilege. Castleberry’s commentary on cultural consumption and the erosion of true creativity resonates deeply, while his richly drawn characters ensure an emotional connection that lingers long after the final page. This is an intricate, thought-provoking novel that rewards readers with its ambition, storytelling, and the unflinching honesty with which it examines the intersections of art, family, and legacy.
March 27, 2025
The Californians is an exploration of family, friendship, politics, and art. In 2024, Tobey has lost his apartment and all of his belongings to a California wildfire. He finds himself staying with his father, who is being investigated for fraud, tempted to steal artwork made by Di Stiegl, a controversial artist and family friend. In the 1980s, Di has dropped out of college and is trying to make her way as an artist in New York City, but she feels lost. She finds inspiration in the films made by her grandfather, Klaus von Stiegel, who was known for his artistic eye and innovative works. Klaus was coming up as a director of silent films in the 1920s when the industry began to transition to sound film. The transition was a bumpy one for Klaus and his industry friends, and the book traces his rocky career and family life over the years. A multigenerational story that spans decades with a particular emphasis on film and artwork.
This story is told through multiple perspectives and throughout time. I think that the transitions from perspective to perspective were a bit jarring as a reader. It helped that there were three narrators for the audiobook, who all did an excellent job, but it made it a bit more difficult for me to keep track of all the characters and how they were related. I did enjoy the historical and artistic elements of the story, but it felt like Klaus' perspective got a bit repetitive at times. Di's was definitely my favorite and I wish that there had been more about her and her artwork. Tobey wasn't a huge character in the story, but he helped to stick the narratives together and bring the story into the modern day. I think that fans of historical fiction, and particularly historical fiction set in California, will enjoy this one, as well as people interested in art and the creation of artwork.
Thanks to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the review copy.
This story is told through multiple perspectives and throughout time. I think that the transitions from perspective to perspective were a bit jarring as a reader. It helped that there were three narrators for the audiobook, who all did an excellent job, but it made it a bit more difficult for me to keep track of all the characters and how they were related. I did enjoy the historical and artistic elements of the story, but it felt like Klaus' perspective got a bit repetitive at times. Di's was definitely my favorite and I wish that there had been more about her and her artwork. Tobey wasn't a huge character in the story, but he helped to stick the narratives together and bring the story into the modern day. I think that fans of historical fiction, and particularly historical fiction set in California, will enjoy this one, as well as people interested in art and the creation of artwork.
Thanks to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the review copy.
August 26, 2025
I'm not sure why the book blurb is written as if this a story that gives equal weight to Toby's contemporary storyline with Klaus' historical storyline while making it seem as if Diane's story is an afterthought. Toby is simply a frame for the opening and closing and is largely irrelevant, with the bulk of the book alternating between Klaus and Diane. And this was a problem for me because Toby's story was bar the most compelling to me.
The book opens with a dramatic set of events replayed, including drugs, fire, painting theft, crashing of a stollen car and prison. Wow. So much information in the span of a few pages and then, well we don't hear back from Toby until page 166 for a single chapter and then for a third and final time in the final chapter. And to be clear the only reason I know that is because I checked the table of contents and not because I actually read the entire book.
I gave up reading the book because Klaus is both ridiculous and boring. His journey to celebrated film maker happens in the blink of the eye. He loves to take photographs and so his cousin recommends him for his first movie job, a cinematographer. Toby knows nothing about making films but does a brilliant job which we know because the author told us he did. After a couple of more movies he asks to direct and the producers instantly agree and hand him a movie and budget. Of course the result is spectacular. Then he wants to make another movie but for some reason thinks he needs to put on a fake German accent and pretend he is a German Count. He gets the job and then proceeds to speak as an American to most people while pretending to be a German Count with an accent to the people at the top. It is every bit as boring and braindead as it sounds.
DNF at 20%
The book opens with a dramatic set of events replayed, including drugs, fire, painting theft, crashing of a stollen car and prison. Wow. So much information in the span of a few pages and then, well we don't hear back from Toby until page 166 for a single chapter and then for a third and final time in the final chapter. And to be clear the only reason I know that is because I checked the table of contents and not because I actually read the entire book.
I gave up reading the book because Klaus is both ridiculous and boring. His journey to celebrated film maker happens in the blink of the eye. He loves to take photographs and so his cousin recommends him for his first movie job, a cinematographer. Toby knows nothing about making films but does a brilliant job which we know because the author told us he did. After a couple of more movies he asks to direct and the producers instantly agree and hand him a movie and budget. Of course the result is spectacular. Then he wants to make another movie but for some reason thinks he needs to put on a fake German accent and pretend he is a German Count. He gets the job and then proceeds to speak as an American to most people while pretending to be a German Count with an accent to the people at the top. It is every bit as boring and braindead as it sounds.
DNF at 20%
April 1, 2025
The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a century-long ride through the highs, lows, and utter chaos of California's film and art scenes, from the silent era to the age of Instagram filters. It's bold, messy, and full of complicated people doing complicated things—often badly.
With our Literary Escape @literaryescapeadventures retreat on the horizon, I grabbed this thinking it’d be the perfect warm-up for a deep dive into stories that sprawl across generations and creative landscapes. And honestly? It fits the bill. From the dusty streets of Chico to the retro glam of Palm Springs, with a detour through the gritty NYC art scene of the ’70s–’90s, the novel paints a vivid picture of American creativity in all its wild forms.
That said, don’t go into this one expecting a smooth ride. The timeline jumps like a film reel on the fritz, and the cast is sprawling enough to warrant a family tree... or maybe a spreadsheet. I usually don’t mind a nonlinear narrative, but this one had me flipping back more than once to figure out who was scheming, spiraling, or just plain vibing.
Still, once I got my bearings, I was hooked. There’s a certain charm to watching dysfunctional characters navigate fame, ambition, and family baggage. It’s like watching a slow-burning indie film—you might not catch everything the first time, but it sticks with you.
Bottom line: this one’s for the reader who loves a layered, character-driven story and doesn’t mind a little narrative chaos. It’s not a poolside page-turner, but it is a conversation starter—perfect for a long chat over wine at the retreat. I’ll definitely be checking out what Castleberry does next.
With our Literary Escape @literaryescapeadventures retreat on the horizon, I grabbed this thinking it’d be the perfect warm-up for a deep dive into stories that sprawl across generations and creative landscapes. And honestly? It fits the bill. From the dusty streets of Chico to the retro glam of Palm Springs, with a detour through the gritty NYC art scene of the ’70s–’90s, the novel paints a vivid picture of American creativity in all its wild forms.
That said, don’t go into this one expecting a smooth ride. The timeline jumps like a film reel on the fritz, and the cast is sprawling enough to warrant a family tree... or maybe a spreadsheet. I usually don’t mind a nonlinear narrative, but this one had me flipping back more than once to figure out who was scheming, spiraling, or just plain vibing.
Still, once I got my bearings, I was hooked. There’s a certain charm to watching dysfunctional characters navigate fame, ambition, and family baggage. It’s like watching a slow-burning indie film—you might not catch everything the first time, but it sticks with you.
Bottom line: this one’s for the reader who loves a layered, character-driven story and doesn’t mind a little narrative chaos. It’s not a poolside page-turner, but it is a conversation starter—perfect for a long chat over wine at the retreat. I’ll definitely be checking out what Castleberry does next.
April 1, 2025
The Californians by Brian Castleberry is a century-long ride through the highs, lows, and utter chaos of California's film and art scenes, from the silent era to the age of Instagram filters. It's bold, messy, and full of complicated people doing complicated things—often badly.
With our Literary Escape @literaryescapeadventures retreat on the horizon, I grabbed this thinking it’d be the perfect warm-up for a deep dive into stories that sprawl across generations and creative landscapes. And honestly? It fits the bill. From the dusty streets of Chico to the retro glam of Palm Springs, with a detour through the gritty NYC art scene of the ’70s–’90s, the novel paints a vivid picture of American creativity in all its wild forms.
That said, don’t go into this one expecting a smooth ride. The timeline jumps like a film reel on the fritz, and the cast is sprawling enough to warrant a family tree... or maybe a spreadsheet. I usually don’t mind a nonlinear narrative, but this one had me flipping back more than once to figure out who was scheming, spiraling, or just plain vibing.
Still, once I got my bearings, I was hooked. There’s a certain charm to watching dysfunctional characters navigate fame, ambition, and family baggage. It’s like watching a slow-burning indie film—you might not catch everything the first time, but it sticks with you.
Bottom line: this one’s for the reader who loves a layered, character-driven story and doesn’t mind a little narrative chaos. It’s not a poolside page-turner, but it is a conversation starter—perfect for a long chat over wine at the retreat. I’ll definitely be checking out what Castleberry does next.
With our Literary Escape @literaryescapeadventures retreat on the horizon, I grabbed this thinking it’d be the perfect warm-up for a deep dive into stories that sprawl across generations and creative landscapes. And honestly? It fits the bill. From the dusty streets of Chico to the retro glam of Palm Springs, with a detour through the gritty NYC art scene of the ’70s–’90s, the novel paints a vivid picture of American creativity in all its wild forms.
That said, don’t go into this one expecting a smooth ride. The timeline jumps like a film reel on the fritz, and the cast is sprawling enough to warrant a family tree... or maybe a spreadsheet. I usually don’t mind a nonlinear narrative, but this one had me flipping back more than once to figure out who was scheming, spiraling, or just plain vibing.
Still, once I got my bearings, I was hooked. There’s a certain charm to watching dysfunctional characters navigate fame, ambition, and family baggage. It’s like watching a slow-burning indie film—you might not catch everything the first time, but it sticks with you.
Bottom line: this one’s for the reader who loves a layered, character-driven story and doesn’t mind a little narrative chaos. It’s not a poolside page-turner, but it is a conversation starter—perfect for a long chat over wine at the retreat. I’ll definitely be checking out what Castleberry does next.
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