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cpalmisanod's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book gave me Maeve Binchy vibes in the best way.
You get to know the characters as multifaceted people with flaws and strengths and feel like you’ve met real people by the end.
The story kicks off with one neighbor in a community feeling passionately about supporting the local hedgehogs. And as the neighbors all do their thing we get to weave in and out of each neighbor’s life learning more about what them and their struggles.
You get to know the characters as multifaceted people with flaws and strengths and feel like you’ve met real people by the end.
The story kicks off with one neighbor in a community feeling passionately about supporting the local hedgehogs. And as the neighbors all do their thing we get to weave in and out of each neighbor’s life learning more about what them and their struggles.
yvo_about_books's review
emotional
medium-paced
2.25
Finished reading: April 28th 2024
"Some people might find the freedom of being able to do what you wanted when you wanted slightly challenging, but Frances generally enjoyed making her life up as she went along."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
WARNING: it's another unpopular opinion!!
I have a weak spot for contemporaries that include animals as well as stories with a community vibe, so I was immediately intrigued by Prickly Company. I loved the sound of Hilltop Place with its neighbors as well as the focus on the hedgehogs... Can we all agree just how cute those little creatures are?! Anyhow, I've been looking forward to tackle this story, as I've been in the mood for an uplifting and fun contemporary. Sadly, Prickly Company doesn't fit that description at all for me though, and I can't say I was a fan of what I found instead.
First what I did work for me in Prickly Company. I love a good animal POV, and as a result I did truly enjoy the chapters written from the POV of the hedgehogs living at Hilltop Place. It was interesting to learn a little more about them through the facts mentioned, and I liked how they played a role in the plot in general. I kind of wish the story would have spent more time with them, because it was without doubt the part of the story I enjoyed most. The rest... Well, let's just say that the book and me didn't get along.
Part of the issue probably has a lot to do with the fact that I was expecting a fun, feel-good and uplifting contemporary, and this story is anything but. Instead, we get drama stacking up on more drama, and there isn't much relief to be found along the way. Ever tried cooking pasta with a bunch of friends, only to discover that every single one had salted the water and the result was inedible? Well, that is what felt like happened in Prickly Company; so much drama thrown in that the result was truly unpalatable.
Every single character has their issues and negativity, and just when you think you have reached the limit, yet another bombshell is revealed. Seriously, my eyebrows worked overtime while reading this story, as it just wasn't credible anymore to have that much drama going on on the same street. To make things worse, you get full drama during 70-80% of the book, and then the plot does a full 180 and suddenly it's happily ever afters for everyone. Apart from the fact that it's just not credible or realistic, it almost felt like I was reading the ending of a completely different story instead. Disjointed indeed!
The plot uses a multiple POV structure, and we switch between the different neighbors of Hilltop Place. In a way this structure helped a little, because it ment spending less time with each character at a time. The thing is... The majority of the characters in play are considerably unlikeable, and it felt like a chore having to spend time with them. There was so much negativity going on (including the dreaded cheating/love triangle trope), and I think that the only reason that I kept reading was because I was curious to see just how much of a trainwreck it was going to be for me. Newsflash: without doubt fatal.
All in all, there is no doubt that Prickly Company wasn't the book for me, and definitely don't expect a fun and uplifting story if you decide to read it. If you don't mind an overdose of drama and mainly unlikeable characters, you will probably enjoy it a lot better though! Most people seem to do so, so it might just be my fickle reading mood acting up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Grief, Abandonment, Rape, Infidelity, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Gaslighting, Ableism, and Death of parent
me_alley's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you NetGallley for the ARC- I am reviewing the audiobook version. This is one of the better audiobook performances I have heard, this narrator does a great job of young adults, kids, older adults, men and women. She definitely helped me follow the story.
The cover really looks like contemporary romance to me- this is not a romance book, there is little to no romance. This is contemporary fiction, British, about a neighborhood and the various characters. Not enough surprises to call this a mystery/thriller either, although you have some of that. The characters are definitely interesting and well drawn, the dialogue is reasonable and believable. Touches upon themes of adoption, infidelity, emotional abuse, aging, loneliness, PTSD. Also- the overarching theme is hedgehogs. I learned a lot about hedgehogs, how they find food, their community, how they parent. There are hedgehogs in this neighborhood and the backdrop of the stories is following these hedgehogs. Hence the double meaning title- prickly company- hedgehogs and the company of people around you have prickly personalities.
Audiobook performance rating 4.5 stars
Book as fiction 3.5 stars
The cover really looks like contemporary romance to me- this is not a romance book, there is little to no romance. This is contemporary fiction, British, about a neighborhood and the various characters. Not enough surprises to call this a mystery/thriller either, although you have some of that. The characters are definitely interesting and well drawn, the dialogue is reasonable and believable. Touches upon themes of adoption, infidelity, emotional abuse, aging, loneliness, PTSD. Also- the overarching theme is hedgehogs. I learned a lot about hedgehogs, how they find food, their community, how they parent. There are hedgehogs in this neighborhood and the backdrop of the stories is following these hedgehogs. Hence the double meaning title- prickly company- hedgehogs and the company of people around you have prickly personalities.
Audiobook performance rating 4.5 stars
Book as fiction 3.5 stars
lucyinbookland's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
The book is very cute and the running commentaries on the lives of hedgehogs as well as of the characters works really well! I found the pacing a bit slow towards the middle but the final 10 chapters have so much packed into them it speeds it up. I wasn’t really a big fan of Jess despite her being the main POV but I loved Ryan and Frances!
The book is very cute and the running commentaries on the lives of hedgehogs as well as of the characters works really well! I found the pacing a bit slow towards the middle but the final 10 chapters have so much packed into them it speeds it up. I wasn’t really a big fan of Jess despite her being the main POV but I loved Ryan and Frances!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, War, Murder, Ableism, and Toxic relationship
thesiberianamerican's review
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley- thank you.
I think timing was a bit off for me for this book, and I just felt like the first part was really depressing and a bit too dramatic. I didn't realize how mitch drama there would be, it felt like one thing after another. I did like the parts about the hedgehogs though and thought the ending was nice.
I think timing was a bit off for me for this book, and I just felt like the first part was really depressing and a bit too dramatic. I didn't realize how mitch drama there would be, it felt like one thing after another. I did like the parts about the hedgehogs though and thought the ending was nice.
calistacyq's review
5.0
Witty and charming with quirky characters, Prickly Company by Kitty Johnson is about a group of people with various personal issues who live in a neighbourhood with many hedgehogs.
Summary: Hilltop Place has a lot of hedgehogs. The residents include a woman who wants to save hedgehogs by creating a hedgehog highway, a woman who recently adopted a boy, a man who recently lost his ability to walk and a single mother who's new to the neighbourhood.
Tropes/Genres:
• contemporary fiction
• adopted son
• hedgehog protection
• disability rep
• set in the UK
• small town
Review: As a whole, this book was very interesting and had a unique premise, but I was especially highly invested in the part about the adoption, where Jess deals with her lack of motherly feelings towards Toby, the boy she adopted, despite wanting to and how the adoption affected her relationship with her biological daughter, Stella. I love how the author handled it! It's an experience that I can see happening to many families who have decided to welcome a child to their home.
I felt Jess and Stella's frustration towards Toby, especially with his constant screaming. I could hear the screams through the pages... Anyway, the point is that the author touched on Jess, Toby and Stella very well. It's probably the most memorable subplot in the story among a few others.
The characters in this book are realistic and interesting. They're flawed, and some of them may seem a bit immoral (I mean, Tara is screwing a married man – no, it's not a spoiler), but somehow, I just enjoyed them as the flawed characters they were... even though I disagree with their actions. Speaking of Tara, I felt so bad for her daughter Hermie, who was forced to be independent at a young age.
Anyway, it's nice to read all their stories, such as that about Ryan and his newfound inability to walk after stepping on a land mine, and that about Frances wanting to build a hedgehog highway. All these seem so different, yet the author weaved these individual storylines together into one big story so well.
The hedgehog analogies are fun, and I also enjoyed the list of hedgehog facts at the end of the book. I love how the author related hedgehog facts to the events occurring in the story.
All in all, this is certainly a nice book, and I recommend this book to people who may be interested in hedgehogs! If you enjoy contemporary fiction, here's a book worth picking up.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.
Summary: Hilltop Place has a lot of hedgehogs. The residents include a woman who wants to save hedgehogs by creating a hedgehog highway, a woman who recently adopted a boy, a man who recently lost his ability to walk and a single mother who's new to the neighbourhood.
Tropes/Genres:
• contemporary fiction
• adopted son
• hedgehog protection
• disability rep
• set in the UK
• small town
Review: As a whole, this book was very interesting and had a unique premise, but I was especially highly invested in the part about the adoption, where Jess deals with her lack of motherly feelings towards Toby, the boy she adopted, despite wanting to and how the adoption affected her relationship with her biological daughter, Stella. I love how the author handled it! It's an experience that I can see happening to many families who have decided to welcome a child to their home.
I felt Jess and Stella's frustration towards Toby, especially with his constant screaming. I could hear the screams through the pages... Anyway, the point is that the author touched on Jess, Toby and Stella very well. It's probably the most memorable subplot in the story among a few others.
The characters in this book are realistic and interesting. They're flawed, and some of them may seem a bit immoral (I mean, Tara is screwing a married man – no, it's not a spoiler), but somehow, I just enjoyed them as the flawed characters they were... even though I disagree with their actions. Speaking of Tara, I felt so bad for her daughter Hermie, who was forced to be independent at a young age.
Anyway, it's nice to read all their stories, such as that about Ryan and his newfound inability to walk after stepping on a land mine, and that about Frances wanting to build a hedgehog highway. All these seem so different, yet the author weaved these individual storylines together into one big story so well.
The hedgehog analogies are fun, and I also enjoyed the list of hedgehog facts at the end of the book. I love how the author related hedgehog facts to the events occurring in the story.
All in all, this is certainly a nice book, and I recommend this book to people who may be interested in hedgehogs! If you enjoy contemporary fiction, here's a book worth picking up.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.
beate251's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this as a Read Now choice.
What a fascinating book, full of intriguing characters. We meet the occupants of 5 neighbouring houses whose lives intertwine more and more during the continuation of the story. Frances wants to create a hedgehog highway through all the gardens to improve their habitat and tries to get all the neighbours engaged with this. We are told a lot of facts about hedgehogs, and clever parallels are drawn with the humans. There are Jess and Michael who have just adopted a baby boy, Ryan, a former war correspondent who is now in a wheelchair and living with his mother again, single mother Tara, Helen and Justin, and of course, dark horse Frances. I had a feeling she wasn't telling us something, and also what it was, and finally, at the end, the shoe did drop so I wasn't in the least bit shocked. My favourite characters were Jess and Ryan, who in my opinion had to deal with the most upset. Tara, on the other hand, I could not stand. Maybe at the end everything resolved a little too neatly, but if someone could do with a happy ending, it was this group of people.
I read this in a day, it was so good.
What a fascinating book, full of intriguing characters. We meet the occupants of 5 neighbouring houses whose lives intertwine more and more during the continuation of the story. Frances wants to create a hedgehog highway through all the gardens to improve their habitat and tries to get all the neighbours engaged with this. We are told a lot of facts about hedgehogs, and clever parallels are drawn with the humans. There are Jess and Michael who have just adopted a baby boy, Ryan, a former war correspondent who is now in a wheelchair and living with his mother again, single mother Tara, Helen and Justin, and of course, dark horse Frances. I had a feeling she wasn't telling us something, and also what it was, and finally, at the end, the shoe did drop so I wasn't in the least bit shocked. My favourite characters were Jess and Ryan, who in my opinion had to deal with the most upset. Tara, on the other hand, I could not stand. Maybe at the end everything resolved a little too neatly, but if someone could do with a happy ending, it was this group of people.
I read this in a day, it was so good.
annabel_jacobs's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book! It was such a surprising read! I had no expectations but was absolutely delighted! It is one of the more unique books I’ve read in some time.
This is a feel good fiction that brings a community together. It is an ensemble, or written from several points of view, and it was captivating how interwoven the characters lives become. The writing is done well that I connected with all of the characters.
Prickly Company is written well, thought provoking and educational. I loved learning about hedgehogs and the comparisons that were made with the human characters.
I love a good HEA and this definitely fits that! I can’t wait to read more by this author!
This is a feel good fiction that brings a community together. It is an ensemble, or written from several points of view, and it was captivating how interwoven the characters lives become. The writing is done well that I connected with all of the characters.
Prickly Company is written well, thought provoking and educational. I loved learning about hedgehogs and the comparisons that were made with the human characters.
I love a good HEA and this definitely fits that! I can’t wait to read more by this author!
bewitched_bibliophile's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Set in a small town called Hilltop Place in England, “Prickly Company” is a story about a close-knit community with lots of hedgehogs roaming around.
Frances is a widow who wants to protect hedgehogs, so she decided to start a project called Hedgehog Highway with the help of her neighbours. Jesse lives with her husband and a four-year-old daughter, Stella, and has adopted a 1-year-old boy, Toby. Jesse is in distress, thinking she made a mistake by adopting because she couldn’t feel any affection towards him, and Michael was not helping her at all. Ryan lives with his mother, Irene; he is a wounded war reporter and wants to stay connected to his son Eric. Tara is a single mother who lives with her daughter, Hermie.
This book surprised me with how much I loved reading it. All the characters’ stories are connected to each other. All characters have their problems and worries. The characters are portrayed realistically. The character arc is so well-written.
This book is an easy and cute read. I loved the pacing of the book and the simplicity of the writing.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It is recommended if you like books on small communities, relatable characters, and wildlife.