2 weeks Ago
I’ve always loved the month of March. Not only because it signifies the start of spring, but because March is also my birthday month. I always looked forward to my birthday growing up.
When I was younger, I would meticulously plan out all the activities of the day well in advance. Being the youngest in the family meant that my parents typically indulged most of my outlandish birthday wishes. This included an infamous blue-themed birthday cake in my pre-teen years that vibrantly tinged everyone’s lips and teeth all evening.
Thankfully, my birthday wishes became more reasonable as I grew older. In fact, the older I get, the more the wonderment of birthdays seems to fade. It may also be the realization that the older I get, the older my parents get, an obvious yet somber reminder.
We continue to celebrate our birthdays nonetheless, perhaps to forget that our birthdays literally serve as an annual reminder of our own mortality. In the debut novel titled “The Rules of Fortune” by Danielle Prescod, our main protagonist, Kennedy, sadly doesn’t need the reminder. Kennedy is the daughter of William Carter Jr.
, a mogul and billionaire who is renowned by many but distant and mysterious to his own offspring. In preparation for her father’s 70th birthday party, her mother, Jacqueline, asks her to put together a tribute video about his life. The party will have an abundance of upper echelons in attendance, so everything must be perfect to maintain appearances.
However, Kennedy isn’t interested in regurgitating the same old stories she’s heard about her father throughout her life. She wants to uncover the truth about her family’s history and make a noteworthy documentary in the process. But there are members of her family who do not support her quest.
Unlike his sister, Kennedy, Asher isn’t interested in their family history. Unbeknownst to his parents, Asher is failing business school. With his own secrets and demons to battle, Asher makes it clear to Kennedy that he doesn’t care how his family came into power and wealth, as long as they can retain it.
Sadly, their father never makes it to his 70th birthday. We learn early on that he will never see the video his daughter made for him. His last months are spent worrying about the past and hoping that certain aspects of his life never become public.
Kennedy continues to delve deeper into her father’s background and realizes that there is a much darker side to her family’s history than she could have ever imagined. Will she pursue the truth until everything is revealed, or will she allow her father’s secrets to follow him to the grave and remain buried forever? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. The story is told from multiple perspectives spanning back to the 1950s, and it’s evident that the author prioritized character development.
Prescod’s characters are extremely flawed but relatable. We come to see how the Carter family built their legacy and how the decisions of Kennedy’s forefathers deeply impacted their descendants for decades to come. If nothing else, the tense family dynamics in this story will make you grateful for your own family .
.. assuming that they are not also steeped in secrecy! I look forward to reading more from Prescod in the future.
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