Trust is a book within a book- actually three books within a book- that tell the same story three different ways.

The novel starts out with Bonds: A Novel by Harold Vanner. Bonds tells the story of financial tycoon Benjamin Rask, who we later learn is thinly disguised as the tycoon Andrew Bevel. Rask comes from a long line of successful financiers. “Because he had enjoyed almost every advantage since birth, one of the few privileges denied to Benjamin Rask was that of a heroic rise: his was not a story of resilience and perseverance or the tale of an unbreakable will forging a golden destiny for itself out of little more than dross.”

In Bonds the reclusive Rask falls in love with the brilliant Helen Brevoort. Helen’s amazing performances of her photographic memory (rereading text verbatim, backwards, or two texts interspersed after one reading) was trotted out in front of high society soirées as a way to maintain the Brevoorts’ status. As Mrs. Rask, Helen becomes an important philanthropist, supporting the arts, and contemporary musicians specifically. She and Benjamin, neither of whom liked to socialize, enjoyed having chamber music concerts in their home. Rask even starts a Charitable Investment Fund to coordinate Helen’s activities and giving.

Helen develops an undefined mania and slowly withdraws from reality, writing obsessively in her journals. She asks to be taken to Zurich to convalesce, and Rask soon takes over her care with medical specialists from one of his German investment concerns. The doctors giver Helen a series of shots that cause extreme convulsions, sort of a pre-cursor to Electric Shock Therapy. Rask is not allowed in the room while Helen received the “treatment” but during one session he sees a nurse leave the room visibly upset, and she stares at Rask with hatred. The third treatment proves too much for Helen and her heart fails her, but not before suffering extreme pain and convulsions so strong her collar bone is broken.

Infuriated by this gruesome account of his life with his wife, Andrew Bevel writes the second novel of the book, My Life. This saccharine tale recounts his family’s successful history, his own genius in the stock market, how his financial acumen also served the public good, and the “true” story of his wife Mildred’s life and illness. “My actions safeguarded American industry and business. I protected our economy from unethical operators and destroyers of confidence. I also shielded free enterprise from the dictatorial presence of the Federal Government.”

In My Life, Andrew Brevel’s wife Mildred is a gentle warm companion. Like Helen she supports the arts through her philanthropic activities, but supports a more classic repertoire. Flower arranging is another hobby. When she becomes ill, the problem is cancer, not mental illness. She dies peacefully in a sanatorium in Switzerland.

It is only through A Memoir, Remembered by Ida Partenza that the true story of Andrew and Mildred are revealed. We meet Ida in her 70s, returning to the Brevel mansion which has now become a museum. Ida hasn’t been back since her 20s when she worked with Brevel assisting him in writing his biography. Although Mildred has been long gone by the time Ida starts the job, she feels a strange kinship with her, and questions why Brevel seems to want to water down her intellect and business acumen, calling her philanthropy chaotic and haphazard.

After digging through boxes of Mildred’s papers, which primarily consist of her date books, and thank you letters for her philanthropic activities, Ida discovers a thin journal hidden in one of Mildred’s large appointment books. (Spoiler alert). The journal reveals the breadth and depth of Mildred’s intellect and success in the market. It was first discovered by Andrew when he noticed her charitable fund was performing better than his commercial funds and she begins to guide him on his investment strategies. It is Mildred who brings him his outsized financial success, who sees the upcoming crash in the 30s, and advises him to short the market. Brevel hide’s his wife’s contribution until the bitter end.

I know this book has received numerous prestigious awards, and conceptually I liked the Rashomon framework of a story being retold through multiple voices. The political message – behind every great man is an even greater woman – is elegantly explicated here. But I have to confess I did not particularly enjoy reading the book, even though the aspects I didn’t enjoy were likely intended by the author. Bonds was horrible but salacious. My Life was saccharine and had long tedious texts about the market. By the time I got to A Memoir, Remembered I was totally confused and it took me several chapters to reengage with the narrative. Against the backdrop of the legal proceedings against Trump, Trust is a timely novel, but the relevance of the story did not help my enjoyment level. I give this book 3.5👍 out of 5👍.

T