Book review: What is the cost of privilege?

Elizabeth Day’s smart writing expertly weaves the tales of five major characters in the political-themed narrative in 'One of Us'

Even though Elizabeth Day’s 'One of Us' is a sequel to her novel 'The Party', it is a standalone story, and can be read as such.

• One of Us 
• Elizabeth Day 
• 4th Estate, €16.00 

One of Us is Elizabeth Day’s sixth fiction novel, she has also written four non-fiction books including How to Fail: Everything I’ve Learned from Things Going Wrong.

Though this book is a sequel to her novel The Party, it is a standalone story, and can be read as such. Indeed, I hadn’t read The Party and didn’t feel like I was missing any vital information.

In One of Us, Day tells the story through five different characters: Serena Fitzmaurice, her daughter Cosima, Martin Gilmour, politician Richard Take, and the deceased Fliss Fitzmaurice.

The narrative centres around Ben Fitzmaurice, who is an ambitious politician with eyes on Number 10.

From a privileged and ambitious family, Ben is the charismatic centre around which the other characters orbit. 

Despite the outwardly glittering presentation though, there are large cracks in the family and friend unit.

Serena, Ben’s wife, is at a mental crossroads. In her privileged world, where her children are sent away to boarding school at an early age, she clings to her youngest son Bear — trying to feel like a mother, even as her other children become more and more distant. 

She’s also trying to cling to Ben, who enjoys many an extramarital affair — affairs Serena accepts, until she walks in on him with her best friend.

Richard Take, whose marriage is on the rocks after he was caught on CCTV watching pornography on his work laptop, is a passive observer of his marriage and career falling apart — until an appearance on a reality TV show re-ignites his political capital. 

His new-found popularity among Gen Z puts him on Ben’s radar and pushes the two together, though their principles differ widely.

Despite being born into privilege and prestige, Cosima Fitzmaurice loathes everything her parents’ stand for.  As energy secretary, her father makes decisions she actively disagrees with. 

We meet Cosima, arguably the most likeable or relatable character in the book, while she’s on a publicity stunt with Oblivion Oil, a group on a direct collision course with Ben and his policies.

And then we have Martin Gilmour, a former close friend of Ben, who returns to the Fitzmaurice fold after an absence of seven years following the dramatic events of The Party.

But has Martin really forgiven Ben for what happened, or is he still harbouring resentment?

But it is Fliss’ story that is the most damaging to our perception of Ben. Hers is a voice from beyond, giving us an insight into her tragic life, and the truth behind her death. Will Fliss eventually be listened to?

Each story is woven expertly into each other by Day. There are layers of hurt and rejection, distance and betrayal. 

As each story unfurls, we see just how deep the hurt goes. And how far some of the characters will go to make their mark on Ben’s world.

The writing is whip smart and cleverly witty. The characters are, for the most part, unlikeable — I gasped out loud at some of the political dialogue, cringed in embarrassment at others. 

It feels like a sharp observation of this privileged set, who occupy a different world to most of us. But it feels accurate, and though some of the interactions are shocking and cringeworthy, they don’t feel caricatured.

Ben and his cohort are ruthless and self-absorbed, focused exclusively on acquiring more power and influence. 

Day’s observational writing gives us a drone-like view of these entitled characters and their motivations, focusing on multiple characters allows us to see different viewpoints and consequences.

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