The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine

Having discussed a brilliant macro economist's take on the world order and the pervasiveness of the dollar the selling sentence "A novel about intimate histories, class and money - and what being a parent means. A daring, polyphonic presentation of modern-day Northern Ireland that ought also be funny." seemed to be what was most effective. And so, this work of fiction was picked as our next read.

Conveying what a book is really about in one sentence is impossible, and trying is an exercise in advertisement. The sentence chosen to describe this book is accurate, but given the perceived first-impressions from the meeting an appeal to patience may be in order. Another way of shortly describing this book could be "This is a difficult book to pin down; it’s brilliant, but it’s also for a very particular type of reader, one willing to follow a long, dark rabbit hole without needing even an inkling of the light on the other side. This is a book that offers its satisfaction in greater measure if you’re looking for extraordinary richness in character, experimentation in form, and a sense of play in language. If you’re just looking to be told a story, this would be a mildly infuriating reading experience." I do hope we'll all enjoy it.

Goodreads's blurb goes like this:
``From the prize-winning author of Dance Move and Sweet Home, this is an astounding novel about intimate histories, class and money - and what being a parent means.
Meet Frankie, Miriam and Bronagh: three very different women from Belfast, but all mothers to 18-year-old boys.

Gorgeous Frankie, now married to a wealthy, older man, grew up in care. Miriam has recently lost her beloved husband Kahlil in ambiguous circumstances. Bronagh, the CEO of a children's services charity, loves celebrity and prestige. When their sons are accused of sexually assaulting a friend, Misty Johnston, they'll come together to protect their children, leveraging all the powers they possess. But on her side, Misty has the formidab