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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Henry Henry is a gripping story set in the posh circles of London. Allen Bratton's reimagination of Shakespeare's Henriad introduces us to Hal Lancaster, a charismatic yet deeply troubled protagonist navigating his aristocratic upbringing, Catholic guilt, and struggles with self-worth. Bratton skillfully portrays Hal's descent into debauchery with raw authenticity, capturing the essence of shame and impulse.
“Henry Henry" sucks you into a world where personal battles clash with what society expects. It's a seriously good read that sticks with you even after you close the book.
I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book but I’m so glad I read it!
“Henry Henry" sucks you into a world where personal battles clash with what society expects. It's a seriously good read that sticks with you even after you close the book.
I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book but I’m so glad I read it!
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So, I only got 62% of the way through before DNF (check the TW) but parts of it were really healing and then I got the vibe that things were not going up but down instead and then I couldn’t do it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault
the reviews almost turned me off this book (and they aren’t wrong), but the prose is the real draw.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
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
Henry Henry as advertised should have been the perfect novel for me: I love queer reimaginings of Shakespeare, I love campus novels (especially those that orbit Oxford), I love sad queer kids in their twenties figuring their stuff out, and I love explorations of religious trauma/guilt. And you know what? While delivering all of the above, the writing is clever and compelling, and the main character is magnetic and often relatable (even when doing the absolute most to make me hate him). This novel will certainly find its audience. I just won't be part of it. This just did not resonate with me the way I hoped it would. It was a laundry list of trigger warnings packaged up in a pretty prose package, and it took me almost 8 months to get through it.
I'm not here to police the way authors and/or publishers describe or market a book, and I understand that not everyone believes books should print a list of trigger warnings, so this is me telling you, the reader: check the trigger warnings. Seriously, this book is a lot.
I'm not here to police the way authors and/or publishers describe or market a book, and I understand that not everyone believes books should print a list of trigger warnings, so this is me telling you, the reader: check the trigger warnings. Seriously, this book is a lot.
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
dark
sad
medium-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
Very depressing and should not be read before looking TW if you need them because everything is described in disgusting details. Overall it didn't work for me, I was constantly confused with the characters names and it doesn't go very far from where it began, except for maybe less cocaine consumption.