Scan barcode
cerianns_bookshelf's review against another edition
tried to be everything but ended up being nothing :/
lindsiemcknight's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ooof this one was hard to read but still so good!
Not for the faint of heart or prudes. It was incredibly crude and suggestive, but really about how your fucked up childhood can follow you into adulthood.
The writing, despite the explicit sexual scenes, was beautiful and I enjoyed the characters and general plot, even though some of it made me cringe.
I was originally going to give it 4 stars, but the last part whereRose has the nun killed made me happy so I bumped it up a half star for that.
Not for the faint of heart or prudes. It was incredibly crude and suggestive, but really about how your fucked up childhood can follow you into adulthood.
The writing, despite the explicit sexual scenes, was beautiful and I enjoyed the characters and general plot, even though some of it made me cringe.
I was originally going to give it 4 stars, but the last part where
avibrantmind's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Though beautifully written, this book wasn’t for me with it’s obsession with sexual content. Starting with child abuse it set the tone, and though the characters were rightfully dealing with the fallout of a difficult childhood, it was jarring. I often felt sections didn’t add to the story but rather were there to shock the reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
polywogqueen's review against another edition
5.0
I've only read two books that have made my heart drop to the floor from pure sadness... this is one and I ate up every last crumb
also may I say what a fantastically written book that portrays such sadness in such a beautifully digestible way
I'd recommend to anyone who's ready to go on a lifelong journey with Rose and Pierrot
also may I say what a fantastically written book that portrays such sadness in such a beautifully digestible way
I'd recommend to anyone who's ready to go on a lifelong journey with Rose and Pierrot
saaaaarah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
sapphicbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
absolutely devoured this novel, but I had a nagging feeling the entire time that I already read this story, despite the fact that I can't find any evidence to prove it lmao
slsj_'s review against another edition
4.0
This book was shocking to say the least. I did not expect it to be so crude and heartbreaking, but it was. In the best way. This is a story about how your childhood effects your adulthood. There are aspects of true love, magical realism, metaphors and fluff! But most of this books is hard. It takes you through the worst of times for these two orphans who you are rooting for from the beginning. It was a great read that made me hurt and heal.
caaassie's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
literarycrushes's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill was one of the most immersive books I’ve read in a while. The novel starts out in 1910 when two babies, Rose and Pierrot, are abandoned on the outskirts of Montreal. They grow up together in a strict Catholic orphanage that is the stuff of nightmares, from brutal beatings to a young nun who continually rapes the eleven-year-old Pierrot. Despite their circumstances, the children maintain a beautiful openness to the world and dream of one day traveling the world together as a musical circus act.
After being separated as teenagers during The Great Depression, they are forced into an underworld of sex, drugs, and fighting for survival at all costs. Despite hardships and other relationships, the two never forget each other and spend copious amounts of time pining for one another. We watch as they walk parallel lines, narrowly escaping each other’s notice for over five years (occasionally this separation is orchestrated by jealous or evil lovers).
While the content of the book is very adult, O’Neill maintained a childlike, imaginative tone, even as Rose and Pierrot enter their twenties. Part of the reason for this, I think, was her peppering (if not *overly seasoning*) of metaphors throughout the book. They would often be stuck at the end of a paragraph or chapter almost randomly but added to the overall tone of the novel. It is high-concept, and if anything, my only complaints are that it occasionally felt too busy with completing plot points, and the innumerable times that Rose and Pierrot JUST miss each other was starting to feel slightly ridiculous after a while.
Still, O’Neill manages to build a fantastical world without isolating readers. Her characters were some of the most memorable ones I’ve encountered in recent literature. It felt somehow like an amalgamation of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Boardwalk Empire, and All the Light We Cannot See. Highly recommend!
After being separated as teenagers during The Great Depression, they are forced into an underworld of sex, drugs, and fighting for survival at all costs. Despite hardships and other relationships, the two never forget each other and spend copious amounts of time pining for one another. We watch as they walk parallel lines, narrowly escaping each other’s notice for over five years (occasionally this separation is orchestrated by jealous or evil lovers).
While the content of the book is very adult, O’Neill maintained a childlike, imaginative tone, even as Rose and Pierrot enter their twenties. Part of the reason for this, I think, was her peppering (if not *overly seasoning*) of metaphors throughout the book. They would often be stuck at the end of a paragraph or chapter almost randomly but added to the overall tone of the novel. It is high-concept, and if anything, my only complaints are that it occasionally felt too busy with completing plot points, and the innumerable times that Rose and Pierrot JUST miss each other was starting to feel slightly ridiculous after a while.
Still, O’Neill manages to build a fantastical world without isolating readers. Her characters were some of the most memorable ones I’ve encountered in recent literature. It felt somehow like an amalgamation of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Boardwalk Empire, and All the Light We Cannot See. Highly recommend!