The Fletchers were a prominent Jewish American family. Zalig Fletcher immigrated to America from Poland in 1942 and eventually ascended to become a successful factory owner. In 1980, his son, Carl Fletcher, one of the wealthiest men in Long Island, was kidnapped from his driveway on his way to work. The kidnapping deeply affected his family, particularly his wife, Ruth, and their children.
After a week, a ransom was paid, and Carl was rescued, but the intergenerational trauma took a heavy toll on them. Carl became distant and aloof, while Ruth seemed devoted to her husband rather than to her children. The overbearing nature began to surface when the Fletchers spent money recklessly. Their friends seemed to reveal their true colors after the Fletchers encountered financial difficulties.
This satire also shows readers how the Jewish family sought to fit into their new country by adopting American customs. The author depicts worn-out characters well from their point of view in every chapter in a slow-paced manner. It includes glimpses of Jewish traditional culture and folklore. The revelation of secrets, long-buried tensions, backstories, and the morality play are woven into dark and elaborate tales, which I find compelling.