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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m always very cautious of retellings, but this one is so beautifully crafted, it didn’t feel like a story I’d heard before. So much of this book felt like a constant cocktail of “sickos yes yes yes” and having my heart wrenched out of my chest at the same time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism
Henry Henry. Henry Henry. Henry Henry.
Henry Henry is another of those slice of life novels I’ve picked up because it sounded interesting, only for me to constantly question if I should keep reading it. Part of me wants to give up from boredom, but the other part of me wants to keep reading in the hope that something, anything interesting happens. Well, I’m sorry to say that although I did finish this, nothing really happened…
Hal Lancaster, is the heir to the Duke of Lancaster is in a rut. Living in London and cycling between drinking, doing drugs, showing up at his internship, fighting with his siblings, and avoiding his father.
Re-enter Harry Percy. A schoolmate of Hal’s who it appears he has an immense dislike. Until a shooting accident throws Hal and Harry into a relationship which they both know will end eventually. But throws light onto the complex daddy issues that Hal has. And boy do I mean complex. They’re something we get a glimpse of early on, but it’s not until later we know what’s really happening. And even then I wasn’t 100% sure I read what I read.
Honestly, the relationship between Hal and his father was the most interesting part of this novel. Maybe if I was familiar with the Shakespeare work it’s based on, it would be more enjoyable? Maybe not. Also what was that ending? Absolutely nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada
Henry Henry is another of those slice of life novels I’ve picked up because it sounded interesting, only for me to constantly question if I should keep reading it. Part of me wants to give up from boredom, but the other part of me wants to keep reading in the hope that something, anything interesting happens. Well, I’m sorry to say that although I did finish this, nothing really happened…
Hal Lancaster, is the heir to the Duke of Lancaster is in a rut. Living in London and cycling between drinking, doing drugs, showing up at his internship, fighting with his siblings, and avoiding his father.
Re-enter Harry Percy. A schoolmate of Hal’s who it appears he has an immense dislike. Until a shooting accident throws Hal and Harry into a relationship which they both know will end eventually. But throws light onto the complex daddy issues that Hal has. And boy do I mean complex. They’re something we get a glimpse of early on, but it’s not until later we know what’s really happening. And even then I wasn’t 100% sure I read what I read.
Honestly, the relationship between Hal and his father was the most interesting part of this novel. Maybe if I was familiar with the Shakespeare work it’s based on, it would be more enjoyable? Maybe not. Also what was that ending? Absolutely nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada
I tried to enjoy the story during Part 1, but gave up. As much as I want to try and enjoy a retelling of a Shakespeare play in modern day, the story got pretty boring pretty quickly.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia
Moderate: Eating disorder
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
The only way this is what it says on the tin is that two thirds of the characters are called Henry.
Otherwise, though this is a very good depiction of the affects of elitism, sexual assault and paranoid religion....this book is being sold as a contemporary romance.
The content would be so triggering in the wrong hands, so just know what you're picking up.
Other than that, honestly it was just so boring at points. It was well written but there was no conceivable plot or character introspection or development for large portions of the book and I struggled with that, particularly as it hadn't been what I thought I was picking up.
Otherwise, though this is a very good depiction of the affects of elitism, sexual assault and paranoid religion....this book is being sold as a contemporary romance.
The content would be so triggering in the wrong hands, so just know what you're picking up.
Other than that, honestly it was just so boring at points. It was well written but there was no conceivable plot or character introspection or development for large portions of the book and I struggled with that, particularly as it hadn't been what I thought I was picking up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, Classism
dark
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:
Complicated
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I read this book expecting it to be a good read as well as funny according to the reviews on the front. Sadly, it definitely wasn’t funny and it was just blah.
I felt like I was reading a dramatised version of TOWIE or Made In Chelsea. The characters were deplorable. The sex scenes were partially graphic, which I expected, and that was fine. But I could hardly enjoy them as the mc was such a horrible person.
I guess I struggled as a lot of it was just upper class rich boy complaining about being upper class rich boy. Obviously the real issue of his father molesting him is serious, but even this was dealt with in such an unsatisfactory way.
This book wasn’t for me. I did finish it just to see what would happen, part of me wishes I hadn’t bothered.
I felt like I was reading a dramatised version of TOWIE or Made In Chelsea. The characters were deplorable. The sex scenes were partially graphic, which I expected, and that was fine. But I could hardly enjoy them as the mc was such a horrible person.
I guess I struggled as a lot of it was just upper class rich boy complaining about being upper class rich boy.
This book wasn’t for me. I did finish it just to see what would happen, part of me wishes I hadn’t bothered.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My friend who recommended this book to me said while I was reading it "this is a book via which your whole being ets turned into a sort of slurry and you just sort of have to roll with that as the other option is (god forbid) Putting The Book Down" and yeah. That's a pretty good description of how it felt. This book made me call my mom.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Incest, Sexual assault
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes