Book Review: The Clasp by Sloane Crosley

by Kelsey Boldt

The Clasp by Sloane Crosley was the ICPL Book Club pick for April. Though book club meetings are currently postponed due to COVID-19 precautions, I still wanted to hear about what our patrons are reading while practicing social distancing. So, I'll go first!

The novel follows three former college roommates in their early thirties who come together again briefly for a friend's wedding. One of the characters, Victor, is cornered and told a story about a valuable family heirloom, a necklace, and eventually quests to find the lost trinket. His friends, Kezia and Nathaniel, find out about Victor's plans to travel to France in search of the necklace and find themselves chasing after him.

Truth be told, the summaries you may come across for this book and even the brief description above are a little misleading. The necklace and the journey the characters take to find it is a driving force of the plot, but truly it is about a group of young people who feel a bit lost and disconnected. In fact, the journey to find the necklace really does not come into play fully until fairly late in the novel. Not to mention, the title The Clasp has a dual meaning and doesn't only refer to the lost necklace.

What I found most intriguing about the book were the characters. They are at once flawed and highly entertaining. I enjoyed getting to know them as much or more than I enjoyed the journey to find the necklace. Ultimately, Crosley's novel is a fun jaunt if you let yourself forget about the missing jewels caper a little bit and lean into understanding the dynamics between the three main characters.

So, what are you reading? I would love to know! Comment here or on Facebook, message us, or give us a call!