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WellRead's August 2025 Selection: The Greatest Possible Good by Ben Brooks
Meet the Candlewicks. A family with power and potential, learning how to navigate the world when their safety net disappears.
When Ben Brooks’ latest novel slid across our desk, it was a welcome sight – light, with a big heart, and plenty of thought-provoking moments, it was just what we needed!
In this story, we meet the Candlewicks, a family living a very comfortable life with a comfortable future ahead of them. That is, until Arthur – their hereunto neutral, go-with-the-flow father – falls into a mineshaft, spending a night with nothing to read but a book on ‘effective altruism’. When he emerges, he gives away all of his wealth without warning the rest of the family, his dependents.
As the story spans over a decade, we see how these people, with their power and their potential, decide how they’ll live their lives. The Greatest Possible Good raises questions about what we do with the hand we’ve been dealt and whether we have any control over the course of our own lives.
Be prepared to find the Candlewicks equal parts ridiculous and infuriating but make sure you look at them closely, and try not to flinch when you see yourself reflected in their portraits.
