Behind the Bid

                Behind the bid

Enid is entering a world filled with high powered people each clawing and climbing their way to the top of their field. The world of auctioneers and their relationships are at the heart of this novel as Enid enters the company and learns from the start how critical some can be, demeaning at times and the true meaning of cutthroat, backstabbing, and deceit.

Criticized for her appearance and learning from the start that being on the bottom will only at times bring you at the mercy of others. Enid emerges herself in the jobs given hoping to get a permanent position at Rothsay’s, but the road is long, and the journey has many detours.

Each auction brings on different dynamics and stress for each member of the team. Enid has poor self-esteem at times and just wants to be accepted but these people at judgmental, powering, and at times extremely critical.

Enid was assigned to jewelry and watches and her understanding of gemology advanced as she learned to appreciate not just the wow  factor of a carat count but the design of a setting and the quality of the stone and more a shades difference in a diamond could classify it as fancy vivid front or something less desirable. Some clients were self-made and others more established and they did not need the affirmation of bling bling they would seek out understand nuances such as delicate figure of the  work of signature styles. The auction house was a place of unbeatable learning, but it did not stop feeling rudderless and set off course of by surface tension and more.

Each auction generated different buyers and clients and each one was usually crowded during the previews. Some unexpected and others with a wide range of appealing estimates from No reserve to million-dollar pieces. Watches was one area where she worked and unlike watches allowed her to meet approachable people in the age range.

Several people in charge like Cockroach who has no leadership qualities, and she could have taken the opportunity to motivate rather than crush Lara. There are so many in charge that think they are above it all.
Things spiral in different directions and each action can take her to many places in the world. A newly appointed managing Director’s background as the former Editor in Chief of Talte, Ian was bringing old world prestige of the older houses into  the twenty first century. But how will the others view him? Enid graduated and left off updating her fantasy Instagram lie. She was responsible for one of the most tedious jobs that of Carnet preparation, but the exercise was essential for the duty-free import of watches into precious countries. There were so many different kind and ladies or men’s watches, metal bracelet o gold plated you can learn a lot about quality jewelry and watches reading this book.

Expectations are not always what they seem like Enid Expected Florian and Little F to strut around and appear larger than life and Cockroach in her room shut in and attacking her keyboard. She did not look ecstatic after such fantastic auction results and Enid and the rest expected a rush on collections and payments but that did not happen. 

 Things that were stolen like the Royal Oyster and the warehouse guys are diligent and who would be blamed? The story is told by a narrator explaining the moods, feelings and emotional ups and downs of those involved in each sale and auction. Enid takes a lot of flack and criticism from Ines and others. Telling her it is all in her head to fit in to Hong Kong and Rothsays’s. all she claims Enid wants the Hierarchy and is what is built in her head, and she needs to learn  that she is just Bourdieu. The comments got stronger and claiming that she is inviting herself to be legitimized and reproduced status quo. She claims Enid is more interesting and should not be a stereotype, but will these words change her, and the Watch department is not where she really wants to be. Things get even more tense when Cockroach appears contrite, and Jean Pierre  turns to direction to Enid in a sarcastic way and things get out of hand as each one reports to someone else to access the other and not get blamed.

Then the roof falls in on her and she is told that she must be sent back to China and will be in Shanghai since her visa expired. She will be reporting to Angela who is the acting heard in Beijing, but she is doing stone easels job covering the whole of China. This just happened and Enid is haunted and wanted to tell her  she respects her work instead she kept silent.. She will be the Shanghai Representative . She would also in her own words in italics relate that she did not understand the distinction of when ambition becomes greed and networking turn into using people? How do you speak to a fiend and meet face tit face but mean something else?

A relationship that does not go as expected and newfound interests in China. Her parents are there, and she enjoys more of the social life. Many new responsibilities, new people to deal with and auctions plus the dinners were exciting and her whole life seemed to take on a more positive turn until someone comes into her world, dealing with this person and her role would change but would it change where she winds up in the end?
in the end Ines still did a number of her, hanging is her friend too and she claimed they have now created the artists value and made his market. Each person at Rothsay’s has their own market, their own value and some hotels guest and a world record high means more than dollars and cents. Then someone comes into her life, but will this person lead her to give it all up? She worked so hard to become part of this auction house where will Enid finally be? Some endings leave us wondering what is next and others remind us that sometimes we fall into a trap that might undo all that we hoped and worked for in the beginning? What is the final reveal for Enid? Just what does she learn about what is BEHIND THE BID? Author Li-En Chong takes us deep inside the world of Rothsay’s and other auction houses and we learn just how those involved will do anything to win the bid, get the most sold at all costs.

Fran Lewis: Just reviews