DEI: Digging, Equality, Inheritance; Thoughts on “The Unexpected Heiress” by George Mallory
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A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire
Editor: Juliette Lachemeier
What is gold? On one hand, it is the very material and metaphor that represents wealth. On the other hand, it is also a symbol of spiritual redemption. Just think of the importance of the golden rule that exists in one form or another in many belief systems. In the olden days, gold symbolized divine purity and represented eternal value. We might be far from the times when these associations were almost universal, but many people still carry remnants of these beliefs even if unconsciously. And I haven’t even touched on how light is also associated with both gold and enlightenment.
So, when you have a family in a novel that became rich through gold mine operations, it makes you think about why the author chose this particular option to make the fictional family rich. I want to think that it has to do with all of the above reasons. The connections between external riches and internal ones are subliminally present in the text itself. But reading the book, I got immersed in the realm of gold, which I rarely do, so all these topics came up in me. It may have more to do with me than with the book, but why not read a bit of deep redemption into it? You did it too, right?
The book delivers a more explicit message about women’s equality. Part of the world of politics seems to be regressing and some forces are actively misogynistic and fighting against women’s rights. They say they only want merit and qualifications to be considered in the hiring process, and achievements. But in reality, they fired lots of very qualified women from their positions. I have to conclude that their words just cover their deep bias. The Unexpected Heiress sends a strong, unambiguous message to these outdated perspectives. Instead of the unqualified son of the patriarch, the highly qualified daughter becomes the heiress of the empire.
This unexpected decision brings a host of challenges for all the parties involved, which is the main driving force of the drama. The trick is, of course, how you define qualifications. On the surface, the son had all the right education to become the company head, while the daughter studied different topics. If you dig deeper, you see who has the right character and a set of skills, including adaptability, ambition, learning skills, and soft skills. Good reminder, in the age of AI, to take a person holistically, not just the degrees and existing topic expertise.
The internet is full of memes, pictures where elderly characters, mostly female presenting people carrying signs saying “I can’t believe I still have to fight this sh*t”. It refers to the fact that they fought for women’s equality for decades. I fully sympathize with the sentiment. The book does an excellent job of showing how a woman can break into an old boys’ club through the glass ceiling. I wish that it would be easier for them. I strongly believe we would be a happier society if women had the same opportunities at every level and received the same level of remuneration. Of course, men threatened by successful women would not be happier. But the rest of us, yes. One reason I enjoyed the book is that it showed how it can be accomplished. Men in positions of power can act as supportive feminists, too.
The third set of thoughts the book evoked in me concerns inheritance. As I referred to above, a major storyline is about the fight for the material inheritance, a multi-billion-dollar gold mine conglomerate. That is really worth fighting for if you are into more money. Even the losing sides of this confrontation would have enough to live comfortably, by the standard of many of us. But if you are born into and grow up surrounded by wealth, then your standards are different than those of those who did not.
Let’s not forget, though, the other kind of inheritance, the intergenerational trauma. The family’s founder is a Holocaust survivor from Poland who built his empire from scratch, with persistence, talent, and luck. His daughter (by the end of the book) managed to keep the company together through the same three elements. His children are adjusted to and prepared for life to varying degrees, which is quite natural as we are all different. I wonder, though, whether the intergenerational trauma plays a role in any of them. Again, this line of thought may say more about me than about the book. It does not necessarily mean, though, that it is not true.
What about the book itself? I enjoyed reading it for several reasons. First of all, it is an easy read, with short chapters after each other. It alternates between storylines, characters, and styles, so the variety is refreshing and keeps me interested throughout. Beyond the storyline and the emotional impact, I also found plenty of deeper ideas to ponder upon, as you can see above. My only two caveats are that, for my taste some of the scenes were too explicit and the ending was a bit abrupt. But don’t let this or the fact that the main character is not straight hold you back from jumping into this utterly fresh book. In the end, The Unexpected Heiress shines not only as an engaging family drama but also as a bold, thought‑provoking reminder that true wealth lies in resilience, equality, and the courage to redefine tradition.
The book’s page on the author’s site: george-mallory.com/books
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Disclaimer: I have received a digital copy of this book and a small amount from the author, which did not affect my review in any way.
Year first published: 2024
