The following edition of the text was used in the creation of this study guide: Brown, Natasha. Universality. Faber & Faber, 2025. Kindle AZW file.

The opening section "A Fool’s Gold" is written as a longform magazine article about the theft of a gold bar. Jake, 30, attacked someone with a gold bar at an illegal rave in West Yorkshire during the 2020 Covid lockdown, then disappeared with the bar. The victim remains unidentified and in a coma; police treat the case mainly as a drugs and lockdown breach, not a theft. The bar belonged to banker Richard Spencer, who had left it in his unused farmhouse. Spencer let Jake stay there as a favor to Lenny, a woman from his London building with whom he had an affair. Spencer is separated from his wife Claire.

The author identifies Lenny as columnist Miriam Leonard, noted for her controversial opinions and recent book, but no new details on Jake emerge. The farmhouse was later occupied by environmental activists called The Universalists, led by Pegasus, the victim of Jake’s assault. They lived there communally until eviction after the rave. The group had voted to expel Jake and, while reluctant to involve police, Indiya, a member, gave the author an address where Jake might be. The author visits Ana Smith, Jake’s ex-girlfriend. She says he spent lockdown smoking and playing video games, disliked her being home, and eventually left. She has not seen him since but notes his mother supported him financially. His full name is revealed as Jake Leonard.

The author confronts Lenny, who admits she is Jake’s mother. During lockdown she left her partner Roger after an altercation, moved into a flat in Spencer’s building, and began an affair with Spencer. She digresses into complaints about diversity and class. Pegasus, now recovered, recalls Jake’s attack but adds no new details. His YouTube videos criticize capitalism and claim the Universalists failed because the world was not ready. The author finds Jake hiding in a Kensington flat owned by Roger, in the same building as Spencer. Believing he may have killed Pegasus, Jake is relieved to learn Pegasus survived and turns himself in to the police. The article digresses into recounting Lenny’s controversial opinions and shares the news that she is moving to write for The Observer. The article ends with criticism of Spencer’s greed.

The second section, “Edmonton,” follows Hannah, the article’s author, hosting a dinner with friends Martin, John, and Guin. They celebrate her article and TV adaptation deal. The group debates planned changes: adding a lesbian relationship between the journalist and Indiya and making Jake black. John objects to the identity politics, while Hannah argues the original was “very white” (54) and welcomes the changes because they will give it broader appeal.

During the pandemic, freelance journalist Hannah lost income and received little government support. Her parents suggested she return to Bradford and take a receptionist job, which she resented. She worked briefly at a health food shop but felt it lacked prestige. An email from Lenny offering “a golden opportunity” (63) led her to quit and write the gold bar story, which revived her career and social life. The narration reveals that Lenny had proposed the gold bar story, provided contacts, and shaped the narrative. Hannah earned £4000, gained a reputation boost, and later bought a flat with the adaptation deal. But her work soon dried up again. She realizes Lenny used her, and that Lenny, not Hannah, truly benefited from the article’s success.

The next section “Weybridge” follows banker Richard Spencer. Visiting his ex-wife Claire and daughter Rosie, he feels excluded from their lives. He believes Hannah’s article misrepresented him, especially since the “gold bar” was actually gold-plated tungsten. His affair ended after press attention, while Claire was portrayed sympathetically in the media. An attempted interview to defend himself only reinforced his image as privileged and responsible for the 2008 financial crash. Flashbacks show Richard’s struggles during 2008, supporting his father’s failing business while refusing financial help from Claire’s wealthy family. His long hours distanced him from Claire. During lockdown, he had an affair with Lenny, who asked him to let Jake stay at his farm without revealing Jake was her son. Richard later suspected she used the relationship to help Jake.

The next section, “Cartmel,” shifts to Lenny’s perspective, at breakfast with her agent before a festival appearance. Disdainful of those around her, she leaves with a young festival employee, Amanda. On their walk, Jake appears suddenly and seems distressed, but Lenny coldly rejects him and refuses to speak to him despite Amanda’s concern. Lenny meets Catherine, head of a literary festival, who wants her to speak on “the diversity question” (120). Catherine praises Lenny’s book Woke Capitalism, which argues diversity initiatives disadvantage white working-class people.

Over drinks with Amanda, Lenny gives cynical advice about journalism, saying it is now only viable as a career for the wealthy. Amanda notes that A Fool’s Gold went viral just as Lenny moved from The Telegraph to The Observer, boosting her profile and book sales. In narration, Lenny admits she knowingly used Jake’s panic after the Yorkshire assault as an opportunity to advance her own career.

The final section “Showtime” consists of Lenny’s onstage interview at the festival by Martin. She repeats her argument that diversity harms white working-class people, citing British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as an example. Martin accuses her of shock tactics and confused politics; Lenny insists she is playing the media game effectively. She mocks Martin after he asks a controversial question. Lenny closes the event inwardly thinking of everyone else with disdain, but outwardly declaring, “I’m fighting for you” (154).