613 reviews for:

Hotel du Lac

Anita Brookner

3.54 AVERAGE

reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The perfect antidote to at terrible movie I started watching and abandoned last night.
She has a wry turn of phrase and a just so way of observation on relationships and the inner machination of the mind her main character Edith. I love the choices and temptations she faces and nearly errs and then stays the course. And she gets the genteel Swiss hotels frequented by British of a certain class so well. And the lake shore and boat.
reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
hopeful reflective

Really grew on me...a sort of sweet and melancholy and sharp and funny, Writers and Lovers return to self...or really honing in on yourself. Wonderfully, disturbingly relatable.

This novel starts off with a romance writer at the hotel of the title and the occupants descriptions. The mother & daughter who command the attention of everyone, wealthy and self absorbed, another occupant who is old and infirm. Another women who is tall & thin with a small dog she carries with her everywhere. Gradually we learn the story of each person there including the writer who is facing her own disgrace. A man is interjected in the story a Mr. Neville who has his own disgrace to live with.
This is a story for the writer deciding what she really wants of her life.
This is only 184 pages but as Anita Brookner leads you thru the story as told by the writer she throws a few surprises in the mix. Thoughtful and honest and well worth the read.
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters: No

Rlly enjoyed this! Meandering, brooding, observant novel - Edith is a v captivating protagonist in a tragic sort of way
challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes