Our book group choice for June 2016 is The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver. The year is 2029, and nothing is as it should be. The very essence of American life, the dollar, is under attack. In a coordinated move by the rest of the world’s governments, the dollar loses all its value.
The year is 2029. The United States is in the midst of a financial crisis, and the dollar has been rendered worthless. The Mandibles are a wealthy family who have been counting on a sizable inheritance from their ninety-seven-year-old patriarch, Douglas. But when Douglas dies, his fortune is wiped out in the collapse of the economy.
The Mandibles are now penniless. They must learn to survive in a world where money is scarce and basic necessities are hard to come by. The family is divided by their different reactions to the crisis. Some members of the family, like Lowell, are determined to make the best of a bad situation. Others, like Trixie, are more pessimistic and believe that the world is going to hell in a handbasket.
The Mandibles’ story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of economic inequality. It is also a story about the resilience of the human spirit. The Mandibles may have lost everything, but they refuse to give up hope. They find new ways to survive and even thrive in the new world order.
The novel is set in a near-future America that has been ravaged by economic collapse. The country is in a state of chaos, with widespread shortages of food, water, and fuel. The Mandibles are just one of many families who are struggling to survive in this new world.
The novel follows the Mandibles over a period of twenty years, as they adapt to their new reality. The family experiences both triumphs and tragedies, but they never give up hope. They learn to find joy in the simple things, and they come to appreciate the importance of family and community.
The Mandibles is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the human capacity for resilience in the face of adversity. It is a story about the importance of family, community, and hope.
Here are some additional details about the novel:
- The novel is set in the United States, but it could be set in any country that is experiencing economic collapse.
- The novel is told from the perspective of several different characters, including Douglas, Lowell, Trixie, and their children.
- The novel is full of humor, but it also deals with serious themes, such as poverty, inequality, and the loss of hope.
- The novel is a cautionary tale about the dangers of economic inequality, but it is also a story about the resilience of the human spirit.
Discussion Questions for The Mandibles
- Did you enjoy the book?
- Was this actually two stories? Not getting your promised inheritance or economic apocalypse? Did it need both?
- Is Willing the hero of the book? Who was the villain?
- Where the characters rounded or caricatures / stereotypes? Did they need to be to get the story across?
- Too much economic explanation?
- Did the ‘Clockwork Orange’ esque slang add / detract from the story?
- “Plots set in the future are about what people fear in the present. They’re not about the future at all,” Lowell pompously tells his daughter – true?
- A recurring topic was the demise of books and fiction, amongst other things – is it this vision of the future which authors fear most?
- Did it need a happy/positive ending?
- Should the book have ended with the long trek to the Citadel, instead of the post-crisis world and the move to the Nevada Promised Land? Was this two books masquerading as one?
- Is this premise plausible? Should we be worried about this slide into chaos for the UK post-Brexit?
- Do you think this book is a product of its time? Or will it remain relevant in the years ahead?
- Who would you recommend the book to?
Individual Comments
EmmaT's Rating 
Willow's Rating 
Sue's Rating
Jo's Rating
Catherine's Rating
DKB's Rating