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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
this one has me feeling all types of emotions, most of them not good - but i believe that was the point. to sum up my thoughts in one word, i'd say uncomfortable, and that mirrors what the main character felt like this entire book.
the main character, hal, is uncomfortable in his own skin as a gay catholic (and there is a lot of repressed catholic guilt which i actually found was explored well), around his father (who abused him as a child which resulted in a very complicated relationship into his adulthood), feeling any intimacy with men (especially a childhood friend that, throughout the book, he struggled to open up and let in), his siblings despite their constant attempts to make something out of their relationships with him, and at the end of the day, accepting who he is despite that all.
as a self-deprecating and self-medicating person, hal was a culmination of his trauma and at times it was difficult to be in his head as he does come off as an unlikeable character, but as a reader, for me, it was met with empathy. his truest self is never intentionally harmful nor does he seek out to be a vindictive person. he is simply the result of his upbringing and the environment he was raised in. he tried - really tried - and continues to try to be better than what everyone expects of him, of what he expects of himself, and that's commendable in itself, given what he's gone through.
i did enjoy the writing - the dry humor, the one liners, the lucidity to where it's almost painful, all of it was done well. overall, if you like anything queer, messy, and real, this one's for you!
this one has me feeling all types of emotions, most of them not good - but i believe that was the point. to sum up my thoughts in one word, i'd say uncomfortable, and that mirrors what the main character felt like this entire book.
the main character, hal, is uncomfortable in his own skin as a gay catholic (and there is a lot of repressed catholic guilt which i actually found was explored well), around his father (who abused him as a child which resulted in a very complicated relationship into his adulthood), feeling any intimacy with men (especially a childhood friend that, throughout the book, he struggled to open up and let in), his siblings despite their constant attempts to make something out of their relationships with him, and at the end of the day, accepting who he is despite that all.
as a self-deprecating and self-medicating person, hal was a culmination of his trauma and at times it was difficult to be in his head as he does come off as an unlikeable character, but as a reader, for me, it was met with empathy. his truest self is never intentionally harmful nor does he seek out to be a vindictive person. he is simply the result of his upbringing and the environment he was raised in. he tried - really tried - and continues to try to be better than what everyone expects of him, of what he expects of himself, and that's commendable in itself, given what he's gone through.
i did enjoy the writing - the dry humor, the one liners, the lucidity to where it's almost painful, all of it was done well. overall, if you like anything queer, messy, and real, this one's for you!
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5/5
Henry Henry is a Shakespeare retelling of Henriad. I haven’t read Henriad since high school and I dont remember too much of it, so this book will not be judged off that.
Henry Henry follows Hal as he deals with all the things he’s addicted to, (drugs, sex, catholic confession, his father, being a disappointment) and becomes the person he actually wants to be.
the writing is really great but reallllly dense. sometimes reading it was like walking through thick mud, and i would have to reread lines. in the end, i was invested in all the characters and would’ve loved for the story to continue farther.
please look up TW for this book if you need to, or just be aware shakespeare likes to write about gross daddy issues.
Henry Henry is a Shakespeare retelling of Henriad. I haven’t read Henriad since high school and I dont remember too much of it, so this book will not be judged off that.
Henry Henry follows Hal as he deals with all the things he’s addicted to, (drugs, sex, catholic confession, his father, being a disappointment) and becomes the person he actually wants to be.
the writing is really great but reallllly dense. sometimes reading it was like walking through thick mud, and i would have to reread lines. in the end, i was invested in all the characters and would’ve loved for the story to continue farther.
please look up TW for this book if you need to, or just be aware shakespeare likes to write about gross daddy issues.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Is being assaulted by the number of times the name ‘Henry’ showed up on a page considered exposure therapy? Kidding! Apparently, this is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Henriad, which i knew nothing of prior to reading and still know nothing about after. Therefore, i felt very left out of the party (party being understanding literally anything in the book). All the many references to Catholicism and UK politics flew over my head, and I desperately needed a family tree to keep up with the plethora of Henries being called various nicknames (hal, harry??) and the Lancaster lineage in general.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes