Scan barcode
cindyp's review
1.0
If you like plots with action, characters who are three dimensional and show some type of change, either for better or worse, throughout the book, If you like snappy dialogue, then this book is not for you.
themaddiest's review
4.0
This was very good but very character-driven, and won't work for readers expecting a faster pace.
Somers is an author to watch.
Somers is an author to watch.
thebookishmeg's review
2.0
I enjoyed some elements of this novel, but I have to admit that other bits fell a bit flat for me. I enjoyed the idea of it being a comment on the media industry, its inherent sexism, racism, and the privilege that is afforded to the famous, and there were some great one-liners throughout the novel that made me chuckle.
I did however find it a little slow-paced, and lacking in action. From the blurb, I had envisaged a crazy weekend of drama, chaos and maybe a fight against sexism, but not a lot actually happened. At several points June commented on how bored she was, despite staying in Hugo Best’s house, and I have to admit that it was a little boring to read about someone else being bored! I have been reading a lot of action-filled page-turners recently, so perhaps I’m just not used to the slow read.
It also had quite a depressing tone and highlighted the futility of a successful career and the high likelihood that you would never achieve your dreams - quite a depressing standing that wasn’t hugely helpful for someone still trying to decide on what path they would like their career to take!!
It was really well-written, and I liked the writing style! I enjoyed learning more about the comedy industry, as I enjoy comedy but have never really thought about what a difficult industry it is to break into. Perhaps if this is an area you work in or are interested in, you’ll enjoy this read a bit more!
Thank you to @TInderPress, @HeadlinePress and @RosieMargesson for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I did however find it a little slow-paced, and lacking in action. From the blurb, I had envisaged a crazy weekend of drama, chaos and maybe a fight against sexism, but not a lot actually happened. At several points June commented on how bored she was, despite staying in Hugo Best’s house, and I have to admit that it was a little boring to read about someone else being bored! I have been reading a lot of action-filled page-turners recently, so perhaps I’m just not used to the slow read.
It also had quite a depressing tone and highlighted the futility of a successful career and the high likelihood that you would never achieve your dreams - quite a depressing standing that wasn’t hugely helpful for someone still trying to decide on what path they would like their career to take!!
It was really well-written, and I liked the writing style! I enjoyed learning more about the comedy industry, as I enjoy comedy but have never really thought about what a difficult industry it is to break into. Perhaps if this is an area you work in or are interested in, you’ll enjoy this read a bit more!
Thank you to @TInderPress, @HeadlinePress and @RosieMargesson for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
pomoevareads's review
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June Bloom, a young assistant writer on a late night talk show called Stay Up with Hugo Best is working hard to satisfy her own aspirations and those of her demanding parents. One night she bumps into the star of the show, Hugo Best, outside of a small club. After a small discussion she is invited to stay with him at his private home in Connecticut for the Memorial Day Weekend. June doesn’t know exactly why she is invited and while she has a had distant attraction to the star for a while, she doesn’t know how this would translate to real life. What does it mean to be invited for a weekend away? What expectations are held and by whom?
In the era of the #metoo movement, one in which women are slowly beginning to feel more empowered emotionally, physically and sexually, men had better know that things that once worked for them will no longer.
By now you are probably thinking you know the storyline this book will follow but you might not. The only way to find out? Is to read it. I hope you enjoy this fresh and cleverly written novel as much as I did.
June Bloom, a young assistant writer on a late night talk show called Stay Up with Hugo Best is working hard to satisfy her own aspirations and those of her demanding parents. One night she bumps into the star of the show, Hugo Best, outside of a small club. After a small discussion she is invited to stay with him at his private home in Connecticut for the Memorial Day Weekend. June doesn’t know exactly why she is invited and while she has a had distant attraction to the star for a while, she doesn’t know how this would translate to real life. What does it mean to be invited for a weekend away? What expectations are held and by whom?
In the era of the #metoo movement, one in which women are slowly beginning to feel more empowered emotionally, physically and sexually, men had better know that things that once worked for them will no longer.
By now you are probably thinking you know the storyline this book will follow but you might not. The only way to find out? Is to read it. I hope you enjoy this fresh and cleverly written novel as much as I did.
dilema's review
2.0
Skimmed the last half. This was quite boring and the language did nothing for me.
bookstolivewith's review
3.0
See more at instagram.com/bookstolivewith
I was really looking forward to Stay Up With Hugo Best and to be totally honest, I was disappointed. I read the whole thing, even though I could have DNF’d it as I saw the ending coming from a mile away and was pretty bored for the last third of the book.
While there was a beautiful simplicity to the writing that felt very Hemingway (particularly in how the conversations were crafted), I struggled to connect with or care about any of the characters, which for me drives the novels I love. I found June to be a slightly repulsive but also exceedingly simple protagonist and disliked the strange emphasis on disparately-aged sexual relationships, between both her and Hugo as well as her and Spencer.
Maybe that’s the overarching point, that all people are terrible and selfish and use people, but it didn’t make me like the book. Instead, it drained me. Maybe I’m just over the concept of a 29 year old woman hero-worshipping a 68 year old man to the point of wanting to have sex with him. If I didn’t know that Somers was a woman, I would have assumed the book was written by a man.
I don’t know, I feel like I missed what made this book so loved or at least talked about.
I was really looking forward to Stay Up With Hugo Best and to be totally honest, I was disappointed. I read the whole thing, even though I could have DNF’d it as I saw the ending coming from a mile away and was pretty bored for the last third of the book.
While there was a beautiful simplicity to the writing that felt very Hemingway (particularly in how the conversations were crafted), I struggled to connect with or care about any of the characters, which for me drives the novels I love. I found June to be a slightly repulsive but also exceedingly simple protagonist and disliked the strange emphasis on disparately-aged sexual relationships, between both her and Hugo as well as her and Spencer.
Maybe that’s the overarching point, that all people are terrible and selfish and use people, but it didn’t make me like the book. Instead, it drained me. Maybe I’m just over the concept of a 29 year old woman hero-worshipping a 68 year old man to the point of wanting to have sex with him. If I didn’t know that Somers was a woman, I would have assumed the book was written by a man.
I don’t know, I feel like I missed what made this book so loved or at least talked about.
michellehogmire's review
2.0
The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Submission Review #5 (pub date April 2, 2019/thanks to Scribner Books for the advance copy):
Stay Up with Hugo Best is an odd book. Unfortunately, I don’t really mean that in a good way. Pitched as an exploration of current sexual politics (by which I assumed #MeToo, etc.), the novel follows June Bloom—a young writer’s assistant on the late-night talk show of the book’s title. Hugo is a washed up older white star with a problematic history involving young women and sexist guests. When Best’s show ends and Bloom is out of a job, she decides (for some reason?) to accompany Best to his Connecticut mansion over Memorial Day weekend. What happens is essentially what you’d expect: awkward sexual advances from Hugo’s young son, unsatisfying sexual experiences with Hugo himself, exhausting discussions about the differences between a young Jewish white-passing activist millennial woman and an older white narcissist man. Then it just sort of…ends.
I wanted to like this book. I thought it was going to make a genuine commentary about a complicated work relationship, in a moment when white male show heads are finally facing repercussions for their actions. Instead, Somers seems to be trying to make Hugo sympathetic. And June Bloom is just drifting and doesn’t seem to care much about anything. For me, in this currently fraught time for feminism, those narrative decisions seem a little irresponsible. What’s the point of writing a character like Hugo, in this day and age? I honestly have no clue. I liked Somers’ writing, but the content of this book was often exhausting when coupled with the day’s news cycle.
Stay Up with Hugo Best is an odd book. Unfortunately, I don’t really mean that in a good way. Pitched as an exploration of current sexual politics (by which I assumed #MeToo, etc.), the novel follows June Bloom—a young writer’s assistant on the late-night talk show of the book’s title. Hugo is a washed up older white star with a problematic history involving young women and sexist guests. When Best’s show ends and Bloom is out of a job, she decides (for some reason?) to accompany Best to his Connecticut mansion over Memorial Day weekend. What happens is essentially what you’d expect: awkward sexual advances from Hugo’s young son, unsatisfying sexual experiences with Hugo himself, exhausting discussions about the differences between a young Jewish white-passing activist millennial woman and an older white narcissist man. Then it just sort of…ends.
I wanted to like this book. I thought it was going to make a genuine commentary about a complicated work relationship, in a moment when white male show heads are finally facing repercussions for their actions. Instead, Somers seems to be trying to make Hugo sympathetic. And June Bloom is just drifting and doesn’t seem to care much about anything. For me, in this currently fraught time for feminism, those narrative decisions seem a little irresponsible. What’s the point of writing a character like Hugo, in this day and age? I honestly have no clue. I liked Somers’ writing, but the content of this book was often exhausting when coupled with the day’s news cycle.
book_beat's review
2.0
I struggled with this book. It lacked likable characters and humor (for being a book about comedians — even sarcastic or dark humor). It was dark & seedy & uncomfortable. The narrator was inconsistent to the point where I couldn’t tell if it was purposeful. And the story was hopeless and cynical. There was a sense of desperation throughout the novel that (to me) made the story’s point feel almost meaningless or too obvious.
I was able to finish because the writing is crisp & the story moves quickly (over one weekend). It has a few elements of The Great Gatsby. But without a “pure, desirable” element and missing a static, reliable narrator.
ARC provided by Scribner for my honest review.
I was able to finish because the writing is crisp & the story moves quickly (over one weekend). It has a few elements of The Great Gatsby. But without a “pure, desirable” element and missing a static, reliable narrator.
ARC provided by Scribner for my honest review.
paulasnotsosecretdiary's review
4.0
A provocative book about a young woman's weekend with a rich and famous talk show host. Hugo Best has lost his talk show due to poor ratings, and invites one of the young writers on staff to his home in Connecticut for the weekend. Having been a fan since a young girl, she knows every cliche expected of her, and how she will be perceived by Hugo's friends, son, manager, and her peers. What she witnesses is a lost soul who has not just lost his job, but his status and himself. There are several uncomfortable moments, including the son's attempts to coerce her into having sex, and her eventual physical intimacy with Hugo. Thoughtful and well written, but with an ending that is ultimately as unsatisfying as spending time with Hugo.
janet's review
4.0
I laughed at least once every few pages. This is a quick, enjoyable read. 3.5 stars.