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What did everyone make of Alexs night at the party share house?
Allison P. Davis:That frat-house thing?
She infiltrated this group of young, dumb Turtle Bayliving people, but she couldnt sustain it.
Alex doesnt seem to know herself.
Its almost this instinct that she has in that situation.
Matthew Schneier:I sort of disagree.
I thought it was kind of canny, the way that she played it.
Obviously, it doesnt work out inthisscenario, but she does have this toolkit and she games every situation.
I think in that moment of getting caught basically stealing from someones wallet, thatisthe closest tool at hand.
She makes a bet and its the wrong bet, but shes not that worked up about it either.
Shes never gonna see them again either way, shes not arrested.
She hurt some girls feelings, and then she wanders on.
Brock Colyar:Shes really good at using sex as a weapon.
Alison W.:But she also breaks the rules she sets for herself:Dont take something.
And then she does it anyway.
She wants to see what might happen.
By this point, Alexs pill addiction is pretty clear.
How does that change experiencing the book through her point of view?
Emily Gould:Its always a great equipment to add tension to give a character a pill addiction.
Its just so quantifiable.
Like,Okay, what do we have left in our purse?
In this section, we have the scene with Nicholas, the employee of George.
Nicholas sees through her in a way that other people might not.
Why do you think he was more onto her?
I like those people popping up as these road-not-taken analogues.
Brock:I really enjoyed the description of Nicholas.
Theyre all transactional relationships.
That seems like a more fun route, even if it comes with its own enormous cost.
Even he is better at blending in.
Alison W.:They never ally themselves with her.
Allison D.:Also, wouldnt she have tried to befriend anyones other girlfriend?
Or is there no other girlfriend of other rich Simon that she could have linked arms with?
Is it all for one and one for all when youre a Hampton sugar baby?
Matthew:Shes too messy for that.
Allison D.:Same.
Matthew:That was the episode that was weakest to me.
What do they say in entertainment?
Never work with kids or dogs.
That just feels like the bridge too far for me.
Emily:I agree.
Her going to the beach club at all was the mostwhy are you doing this?choice.
Instead, she wanders off on an impulse.
In the morning, I got a ride to the Jitney from the hot personal chef.
Its funny to see all this from the perspective of someone actually trying to gamify it.
Allison D.:Now Im sure that people are squatting in unused Hamptons houses all the time.
You see a house for sale, someones probably squatting in the basement.
Brock:They should have aSurvivorTV show where they just drop a bunch of people in the Hamptons.
Allison D.:It really is likeNaked and Afraid, Hamptons edition.
Here are some of them.
What was your initial impression of Alex?
Did she remind you of anyone?
Its obvious that something is off about her from the very beginning.
Shes kind of a garbage person.
Its not surprising that she believes there is an aura of stink surrounding her.
What goes in must come out.
The tell is how people drop her.
Stephanie
Shes a funny mix of worldly and idiotic.
She seems only able to keep one thing in her mind at a time.
Only able to deal with what is immediately in front of her.
I dont like her.
I dont hate her.
How reliable is she as a narrator?
Is anything as good or as bad as she portrays it?
I was, of course, thinking,Nooooooo!
All Im thinking about for Alex right now is survival (yknow, food and shelter) and safety.
Hard to move on to better without those as a start.
This was so cringey (as is so much of the book, really).
But I could also understand and appreciate her near need to fuck up that party it seemed absolutely insufferable.
Perhaps its this moment that causes Simon to wonder what else Alex does when he isnt looking.
Its a game to her, and she plays it poorly.
Kate
I was not surprised at Simons reaction.
Michelle
Did these early chapters bring to mind any other books, movies, or shows for you?
It seems to be a survival mechanism for Alex.
Like Tom, she weaponizes that trust, but not as carefully as he does.
Victoria
I couldnt stop thinking ofBreakfast at Tiffanysand the similarities of Alex and Holly Golightly.
Annie
