Spoiled

by Caitlin Macy

This edition contains a Spoiled discussion guide.A young woman does a good deed for her nanny, only to have it go horribly wrong. A newly married woman struggles to gain the upper hand with her self-assured cleaning woman. An anxious woman desperate for an authentic experience makes a rash decision to leave the grounds of her Moroccan luxury hotel. In this sophisticated and provocative story collection, acclaimed author Caitlin Macy turns her unsparing eye on well-heeled thirtysomething women who, despite their education and affluence, struggle to keep their footing in their relationships with their friends, spouses, and children—not to mention their help. Full of surprising, sometimes shocking insights and brimming with outrage and compassion, Spoiled is a remarkable collection from a boldly talented writer.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked these more than I expected to, but then I am a sucker for stories of how the priviledged live. Macy is like a harder-edged Curtis Sittenfeld: instead of identifying with the slightly-less-privileged heroines of these stories, one feels their unpleasantness, their envy, their.....reality. So, in a way, the sympathy is more blushing and more real. And, yes, I guess I did, partially, both identify with and despise those unhappy, hypercritical girlfriends (been there, done that, so glad I'm no longer one of them). Two stories are brilliant gems: "Christie" and "Eden's Gate". Worth the price of admission. "Christie" really sends up the snobbery of the not-quite-entirely privileged but intellectually snobby and Eden's Gate," told from the point of view of the more privileged and rather guileless boyfriend, is brilliant and chilling in its portrayal of someone who will stop at nothing to get ahead and yet, is still loved by said boyfriend. Her stories about kids don't work, though her stories of mothers/babysitters having to deal with kids do. She's talented, and the stories dragged me in and made me finish them without pause--even the not-so-great ones. I guess this counts as a recommendation!

[Maddie Heidari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly speaking, the only reason I picked up this book was the guilt I felt for having shelved it since 2010. As for its literary merit, my expectations were pretty low; however, Macy's vivid descriptions and attention to detail genuinely surprised me.

[Linda S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good, some not. I skipped some stories entirely when the first page did not catch my interest...but then I guess that's the beauty in a book of short stories. Unfortunately I only read three quarters of the book since it came due at the library and I couldn't imagine paying late fees on a book I didn't like that much. I didn't find many of the characters likeable and more often than not was just annoyed with them.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of haute Manhattan will appreciate the setting of the stories. Macy is an astute social observer, but observant details do not a short story make. The characters never reach self-actualization/realization/reflection and the reader remains ultimately dissatisfied.

[Jae · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know, I don't demand that protagonists be likable, but it does make a book easier to read when someone, anyone in the book isn't totally unpleasant. Technically well-written short stories, but I ended up thinking, what's the point?

[Yulia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiled chronicles the self-consciousness of the "liberal elite," as they are labeled in the media these days--educated, politically-correct upper-middle-class individuals (most in their late twenties to mid-thirties, but one a teenager) who know better than to dismiss those who don't have what they do. Embarrassed by their privileges, they're uneasy about having gotten what they wanted--whether it be a wealthy husband, a horse, an enviable home, an acting or writing career or not having to work at all--without making any great compromises or struggling more first. Contrary to the title, these are women who make an especial effort not to vocalize their critical thoughts about others, but do what they can to please both loved ones and strangers. As one narrator notes, "I'll never be one of the careless rich [. . .:] This will never not be a luxury" (p. 194).

In the course of each of these well-written, sufficiently-developed stories, all of whose narrators have individuated pasts and preoccupations without being burdened by unnecessary information, the narrators (all but one being female) are made to reconsider their assumptions about their own choices and behavior. This is a collection about people being humbled by looking at themselves from another's perspective.

As predictably as the twist in every O'Henry story ending, the last lines of each story shed new light on the subject of the narrator's disapproval, annoyance, and condescension and force them not to simply try to make a good impression in front of others but to empathize with the target of their ire. They also point the finger at "you," the reader, for implicitly nodding in agreement to the narrator's biases and judgments.

For the most part, this is a successful pattern, though "The Secret Vote" tries too hard to tie the 2004 presidential election to a woman's decision whether to continue a pregnancy, while another story, :Bait and Switch," ends with too lengthy a lecture to the self in an unconvincing gush of personal and familial insight. What "The Secret Vote" does offer, though, is this interesting insight into our own system of judging: "Poor Maureen had never discovered that a new morality had overtaken the old, and the former was all about maintaining personal boundaries--talk to the hand, dump that addict friend, wash that problem person out of your hair, and congratulate yourself afterward on your inner growth" (p. 50). It gives you a lot to think about, no?

"Eden's Gate" is the most successful in making the reader feel the awkwardness and tension of a situation in which you're not sure whom (if anyone) to side with in an argument, whether one partner is being too light-hearted or the other too serious and dramatic, whether the "right thing" to do is agree with your partner when he or she is being willfully self-righteous or take a stand on what seems right to you, even if it means taking the side of a stranger. This story best achieves the social and moral tightrope that Macy tries to pull off in the other stories, in which we're made to wonder if we've been too quick to judge or not been empathetic enough.

Turning the previous stories' predictable setup on its head, "Taroudant" gives a refreshing end to the collection by presenting a narrator who is stubborn, difficult to please, and bizarrely critical. We're sure of what to think of her till the final scene, which puts all her pettiness in a new light and makes us question why we ever believed we understood the characters from what little was shown us.

I look forward to reading Macy's first book now.

[Sunny Shore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well written collection of short stories about the rich, mostly women and mostly those born in the '70's, is similar to the work done by John Cheever, John Updike and Richard Yates (Revolutionary Road) 40 or 50 years ago. It pokes fun (and not so fun) at the rich and privileged whose emphasis is on the "good life": boarding schools, nannies, buying that great apartment in NYC. Caitlin Macy pulls the rug out from under the rich and famous. Each story presents us with a character, only to have this character fall flat on her face in some way. You will be happier that each of these shallow creatures learned her lesson after reading the stories. I gave it a 5 because the writing and premise of each story really worked and I was entertained thoroughly. The author, a graduate of Yale and the good life knows what she's talking about so you know you're getting a front row seat to the truth. I recommend mostly to women, who can relate the best, but a wonderful read for anyone who likes short stories that work, which is sometimes no easy feat.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book thinking it would be something kind of "bubble gummy," but it actually wasn't at all. The protagonists of each story are, for the most part, well educated women - some who are independently wealthy and others striving to be. Based on the title of the book I expected an indictment of the lifestyles of the rich, and that element did exist, but Macy proves herself a clever writer. The true indictments have nothing to do with socio-economic class as they do with mindset (as evinced through the thoughts and expectations of the characters). Interestingly, I related to many of the thoughts and expectations of the characters, I'm sure it was Macy's intention that most readers would relate. For a moment, as a reader, I felt the writer's finger pointing at me. I appreciate that.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, I just can't do it. I read two stories ("Christie" and "Spoiled") and was ready to put the book down....as in a slow, painless death. Then I read the reviews on Goodreads, which were predominately positive, and thought I'd give another story a chance so I read "Annabel's Mother." Still can't do this book. The topics seem so shallow, the situations so canned and the writing mediocre.

[Kelly Fagan]

disappointing

[Caitlin]

I'm looking forward to rereading this in 1-3 years' time.

[Tasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I checked this book out because it got great reviews but I couldn't get into it. I read the first two short stories and then put the book down. So not that great of a read to me.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't resonate with me at all. I found these stories to be flat, dull, and plodding. The characters were uninteresting, but at the same time they were so entitled that it was impossible to feel any interest in their alleged problems. It seemed that every story had to name-drop Yale Univ., from where the author graduated.

The only positive thing I can say is that the problems in the stories and the interior monologues of the narrators seemed real-to-life. It's how people really do think. But reality can be overrated when the depiction is this dull. These women are just sitting there thinking about whether their apartment in NYC is too small and should they have spent the money on a bigger place in Brooklyn (pre-boom of the last 10 years) or an NJ suburb. I'm sure that's interesting to people facing that question in their actual lives, but it's dull to read about. And I'm saying that as a former Upper West Side resident.

The only story that had a tiny bit of verve was about a man and woman having another of their blowups on the evening he was intending to ask her to marry him. The reason for this blowup is well done and involves multiple people. In all the other stories, people were basically cardboard.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were pretty great, and struck me as far more serious than her second novel, Mrs., which I did like but found a bit on the "lite" side at times. These stories all focus on wealthy white girls and women who are hyper-concerned about status. While that might seem a bit niche, ultimately they're also just about how all of us manage our expectations, our self-consciousness, and our place in the world.

[Squirrel Circus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely read fiction these days, and this was pulled from one of the recommendation shelves of From My Shelf Books & Gifts, Wellsboro, PA - on my vintage auto tour last week - It was a super pick, and the back cover blurb referencing "a grown up Gossip Girl" doesn't do it justice. Check it out - or borrow it from me, if you're local!

[Khanson919 · Rating 2 out of 5]

One thing all these stories had in common was very unlikeable women who never seemed stratified with anything in their lives. They were whiny and bratty and wanted the world to see them in a way they didn't see themselves. I know the titled is Spoiled so I should have been prepared, but you would have to think someone in one of the stories would be likable and that just wasn't the case.

[Taylor]

I don't know if it's me, or the book but I just am not feeling this right now.. Too many other things to read.

I enjoyed The Secret Vote , however, the others were not very memorable.

DNF @50% but may revisit. Who knows.

[Roxanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her characters

The lives of the rich and entitled are examined in these arresting short stories. Highly recommend if you want to see how the one percent is not like the rest of us.

[jillian (jill) · Rating 3 out of 5]

favorites were The Red Coat, Annabel's Mother and Taroudant

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection. Observations on lives that might as well be lived on Mars as far as my life is concerned. Just that alien.

[Susan]

DNF

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book and thought, "This author is trying waaay too hard"? That is exactly what I thought when I was reading (and subsequently did not finish) this book. I get the feeling that if I was a creative writing professor in college and asked Caitlin Macy to write something, I would get a completely different voice and style - and likely one I would like far more.
Macy creates short stories based on parts of the lives of the fabulously wealthy. I think the attempt is to make you feel some sort of pity (or at least feel bad) for these characters. However, I cannot find any sympathy in my heart for a woman who befriends someone she doesn't like at all because she and her husband are turned away from the exclusive apartment they want and the board doesn't particularly like them. And in some of the stories, just as you're about to start feeling something for one of the characters, you just get confused by the writing style.
Didn't like this book at all.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Caitlin Macy's, Spoiled, should be titled, "Spoiled Author" instead. The book, halfway through, feels like an unending litany of vignettes designed more to tell us which languages the author commands; her knowledge of Italian wine; or her inside scoop on European hideaways that the (sucker) Frommer-Lonely Planet crowd probably cannot pronounce, let alone find on a map. It's not that I am incapable of being riveted by a story full of trust fund college graduates: undoubtedly such a feat is possible, especially since it's unfamiliar and therefore enticing literary turf to me. However, nothing happens in these stories: people again contemplate their navel and at the end of each twenty pages I still have no clue who these folks are, or how they think -- not that I would necessarily want to know.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Macy's first book, The Fundamentals of Play, and so I was excited to pick this one up. It's a collection of stories revolving around the theme of the title - being spoiled. Some of the stories stay with you more than others: in particular, "Christie" and "Annabel's Mother" are terrific. These stories work, for me, because they touch on something real in the characters - both urban, early 30's women - emotions or impulses they're embarrassed by but embrace as well. Some of the other stories - in particular, I didn't like "Bad Ghost" (though the NY Times did) - miss the mark in that department. But I will say that I sailed through this book, devouring it in one plane ride, and that Macy is an astute social observer, for which I have enjoyed both her books.

[Adina · Rating 5 out of 5]

i found these short stories sooo easy to read (even w/ spounge bob on, and though the language was actually kind of difficult, but in a good, not annoying way :) I found the subject; of class relationships and women in new york city especially relavant, coming from both ends of the child care spectrum myself. so that being said, other people might not find this as fascinating as i did, but there were some really great funny stories though!

it was kind of like a way more intellectual nanny diaries.

[Michael Lindgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Macy's fiction is all reader-friendly surfaces and sheen, and "Spoiled" comprises nine chronicles of preppy women gone off the rails. The ruthless acuity of Macy's social observations puts "Spoiled" a notch -- a slender notch, mind you -- above those books with pink covers and martini glasses. Most telling sentence: "The woman quoted amicably that oft-repeated epigram about nannies in New York, that the good ones always got passed along." Oh, right, that oft-repeated epigram. (From the WASHINGTON POST, July 8, 2009)

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique collection of stories with a shared underlying theme that only the rich, liberal and elite New York woman can best identify with. The characters are quite flawed but not wholly unlikable. Although the writing is quite good one finds oneself thinking these woman just don't get it they are women who have been much too pampered and although they don't lack in wealth they definitely lack in contentment and happiness. I always find it interesting to read how the other half lives once in a while and can't help walking away without thinking that more is not always more.

[Shana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short stories are very much hit or miss with me. Either I find a collection that I absolutely adore, or I find them stupid and underdeveloped. In this case, I lean towards the latter. Each story featured a woman faced with some issue related to class, opportunity, and privilege, and find themselves in embarrassing conundrums and worse. Not much actually happens in the stories unless you count the obnoxious inner turmoil we’re subjected to as readers. If there was some deeper meaning to these stories (which I’m sure there is), I completely missed it. I was too bored.

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have to say I was surprised by it because I was expect some kind of light chick-lit romp, but this book was very well written and had a lot of depth. It gives some real insights into the superficial and competitive world of mommy culture in Manhattan, particularly the secrets of the Upper East Side. There's a lot of poignancy here and intriguing characters that have stayed with me long after I put it down.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given to me as a b-day present from my lovely friend Kate, and also read in Hawaii. This is a great collection - subtle, smart, and certain people, places, and passing moments stick with me, even a few months later. Perhaps it's the boarding school graduate in me, but there's just something about repressed, sensitive, rich girls and women that is so vile and fascinating. This book hones in on all of those details and comes up with both ugly and beautiful truths. It's really good.