Early in Emma Cline’s new novel The Guest, her protagonist Alex is introduced to the unspoken assumptions that govern the wealthy enclave on Long Island where she is spending the summer. Her significantly older boyfriend Simon has taken her to a beach and thoughtlessly kicks off his shoes near the entrance:
Everyone did, apparently: there were shoes and sandals piled up by the low wood railing. No one takes them? Alex asked. Simon raised his eyebrows. Who would take someone else’s shoes?
