Universality

Brown’s second novel (after Assembly) deftly blends social commentary with mystery, crafting a narrative that is as unsettling as it is engaging. Structured in five sections, the novel dissects the mechanics of capitalism, racism, privilege, and politics through a cast of both likable and flawed characters. The plot centers on a journalist’s investigation into an illegal rave that takes a grim turn when Jake steals a gold bar from a hippie commune and leaves another member gravely injured. Complicating matters, Jake’s mother, Lenny, a journalist known for her critiques of culture, frames her son as a casualty of society’s overemphasis on inclusion. The commune—a crumbling utopia owned but neglected by the philandering capitalist Richard—becomes a microcosm of the social tensions the novel explores. Brown’s genius lies in her dissection of characters and the ideologies they represent, exposing hypocrisies with sharp wit and precision.