Rex Beach (1877–1949)

Ew. I was expecting something like Captains Courageous - rich man's son, nearly spoiled, is thrown on his own resources and finds out he can actually do things. Trite, but sweet. What I got was a clash of affluenzas. Rich man's son, the Ne'er-Do-Well, is unable to conceive of not winning - not getting what he wants. Being thrown in a tropical jail and beaten doesn't do anything at all about that - after all, he got rescued. He does show a sturdy streak of independence, and gets a job more-or-less on his own merits, and finds a) he can do it and b) it's a good feeling to have something solid to do - so he may be a better man later - but that's not really the story here. His rescuers are a couple of which the woman is the head (not that anyone admits it openly)...and she's the other case of affluenza (well, one of the other cases. Ramon is another...there are a lot, actually. But she's the other major case). I'm not sure what she planned and what actually surprised her, but she decides Our Hero is her One True Love...while he thinks she's a very nice older woman, a good pal. And on the rare occasion when he thinks more, he shuts himself down quickly. Then he goes and falls in love with a Spanish/Hispanic girl (the book is set in Panama, during the building of the Canal), which...OK, a) he knows zilch about her but she's pretty and he wants her (see: affluenza) b) he knows and cares zilch about her culture - he's willing to jump through a few hoops to get her but he doesn't even bother to try to learn Spanish (besides, she speaks good English. So he doesn't _have_ to...). Major complications of assault and death and scandal and...and oh yeah a romantic rival (or two - love quadrangle at least). And then Daddy comes and fixes everything (by running roughshod over rules and customs and...) and they go happily home. I'd say I'd be more interested in the next book, where they get used to married life and working normally - except that would be a lie, I'm not interested in reading about any of these people under any circumstances. Rex Beach goes on my Don't Bother list.… (more)