Book Review: The House Of Gucci by Sara Gay Forden

“Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten,”

― Sara Gay Forden, The House of Gucci

The Gucci narrative is one of opulence, mystery, and grandeur—a history of the ascent, impending collapse, and eventual return of a fashion empire. The House of Gucci is an internationally praised, exquisitely written, and meticulously researched narrative of high fashion, high finance, and devastating human tragedy.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

On the morning of March 27, 1995, four quick shots cracked through Milan’s elegant streets. Maurizio Gucci, heir to the fabulous fashion dynasty, had been ambushed, slain on the steps to his office by an unknown gunman. Two years later, Milan’s chief of police entered the sumptuous palazzo of Maurizio’s ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani—nicknamed “the Black Widow” by the press—and arrested her for the murder.

Did Patrizia kill her ex-husband because his spending was wildly out of control? Did she do it because he was preparing to marry his mistress? Or is it possible Patrizia didn’t do it at all? 

My reaction to the novel...

I've owned this book for a while, and until recently, I didn't know it was about their life—I just assumed they were using the Gucci brand. When I spotted the book again, I was eager to read it straight away since I had assumed it was merely a thriller because I had not read the synopsis. I'm not particularly fond of branded products, although I am familiar with the Gucci name. Of course, I'm still interested in learning about their life, where they came from, how they started, and how they got well-known not just in their homeland but also in other countries.

Thus, I began reading this book, and the opening chapter's premise of a crime before diving into the Gucci family's lives quickly piqued my interest. Since I honestly believed it to be a work of fiction, I promptly looked into it to see if it was true. I was thrilled to see that it was, and I even came across some photos that were connected to the occurrence. This indicates that it is not a random story. My curiosity in this book has grown much more. I therefore carried on reading. To be honest, I like to read true-life stories. I am even more thrilled to read since it seems like I'm seeing their experiences firsthand. It's not just imagination; there's truth in what I'm reading. These sorts of stories seem to teach me something, therefore I'm excited to read more of them.

According to what I've read, not everything in life is easy because, whether we like to accept it or not, everyone has difficulties in life and in business—even the affluent. Families are not exempt from challenges; problems arise in their lives just like in everyone else's. Perhaps the only thing that separates them is that they don't quit up until they succeed. And that's what I saw about the Gucci family. It's a little disheartening because, despite the success of their business, other family members are nevertheless affected differently by their wealth and status. The unfortunate thing about it is that not everyone has the same personality, therefore some people will always be in the negative side.

Since their story is centered around using power and money, I feel that their tale is worth reading even if the book is lengthy and at times seems repetitive. We all have persons in our immediate vicinity who rise to positions of authority and then abruptly transform, so I'm confident you'll notice and consider other happenings here as well. Not all affluent individuals are content with their life, and this is frequently the root of conflict in families. I also came to the realization that, while many people covet others' prosperity and fortune because they can see it, true satisfaction in life is something else entirely, and I didn't witness it in their family. Because of this, I firmly believe that readers will benefit from reading this book in a variety of ways.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)