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laila4343's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars. I liked Hugo, in spite of his loathesomeness at times. And the onion soup recipe made me really hungry. I hope our book group discussion is a good one!
modern_analog's review against another edition
5.0
Admitted curmudgeon and self-imposed shut in, Hugo Whittier is hilariously deplorable in his pessimistic and blatantly honest assessment of the world and people around him. He cares about just 3 things: cigarettes, food and sex, but not always in that order. Outside those transient pleasures, he is content to be alone, reading and writing and staring out the window of his dilapidated childhood home, as he endures the last of his life before succumbing to a preventable terminal illness.
Of course, what he claims to want most of all, solitude, is the only thing that continues to evade him. His brother's marriage on the rocks, Hugo reluctantly acquires his sibling as a housemate, and is continually irked that he can't even be bothered to put the dishes back in their appropriate cupboards. Then Hugo's long estranged wife and alleged daughter show up on his doorstep under the guise of getting reacquainted with him after many years apart. Finally, a long forgotten gay uncle returns to his childhood home to live out the remainder of his life, taking Hugo's favorite room upon arrival.
While attempting to wait out these intrusions, Hugo busies himself with shit stirring for his own amusement. He meddles in his brother's marital problems, has a lustful tryst with a married acquaintance, befriends a seedy hitman who was hired to kill him years ago, and continually hits on the possibly underage cashier who sells him his cigarettes. He's miserable and deplorable and he doesn't pretend not to be. His self aware honesty is somehow charming and he doesn't suffer fools in a way that is admirable. In his own words, "I need no prompting or reminders to fuel my self-loathing; ongoing present circumstances serve to keep it blazing and alight." Hugo is the kind of character you sort of fall in love with in spite of yourself, and he is not soon forgotten.
Of course, what he claims to want most of all, solitude, is the only thing that continues to evade him. His brother's marriage on the rocks, Hugo reluctantly acquires his sibling as a housemate, and is continually irked that he can't even be bothered to put the dishes back in their appropriate cupboards. Then Hugo's long estranged wife and alleged daughter show up on his doorstep under the guise of getting reacquainted with him after many years apart. Finally, a long forgotten gay uncle returns to his childhood home to live out the remainder of his life, taking Hugo's favorite room upon arrival.
While attempting to wait out these intrusions, Hugo busies himself with shit stirring for his own amusement. He meddles in his brother's marital problems, has a lustful tryst with a married acquaintance, befriends a seedy hitman who was hired to kill him years ago, and continually hits on the possibly underage cashier who sells him his cigarettes. He's miserable and deplorable and he doesn't pretend not to be. His self aware honesty is somehow charming and he doesn't suffer fools in a way that is admirable. In his own words, "I need no prompting or reminders to fuel my self-loathing; ongoing present circumstances serve to keep it blazing and alight." Hugo is the kind of character you sort of fall in love with in spite of yourself, and he is not soon forgotten.
awgetgey's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Beautiful writing but nothing to love about any of the characters.
sjd's review against another edition
3.0
Trying to have two books at once going... We'll see what happens!
jaw27's review against another edition
https://lithub.com/11-great-books-you-probably-havent-read-but-should/
cbendixe's review against another edition
3.0
The narrator, Hugo, is an unashamed and yet completely likable ass. His descriptions of his family, his home, and his past adventures are funny and yet a little unsettling. He's also dying, and pretty ok with that. How Kate Christensen could get into the mind of a middle-aged misanthropic rich white man, I'll never know! Other supporting characters are also vivid in their annoying, funny, and sympathetic ways, but Hugo will stick with me for a long time.
kmatthe2's review against another edition
2.0
I give this one a 2.5. An uneven book that at time is too self-consciously self-conscious for its own good. Relying on one narrative voice can be complicated. At times it really works and at other times, not so much. Perhaps Montaigne lovers will appreciate this one more for its homage.
dcmr's review against another edition
1.0
Reading a novel about a rotten lead character is just too much work. Did not finish.
menfrommarrs's review against another edition
3.0
In the beginning of this book, I so related to Hugo Whittier’s defense of solitude. His arguments for it had me rallying a cheer of my own for hermits everywhere. Oh, to not have those around you, want a piece of you.
Cheering now? Not so much. My idol has feet of clay.
Cheering now? Not so much.
Spoiler
I found out that Hugo is really a meddling self-serving jerk.charleslev's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
very good book you should read it
Hugo is a morally twisted man who, for the most part, wishes to stay to himself. However, due to situations out of his control, people from earlier in his life reenter it. During Hugo's time of solitude, he always longed for and achieved control of his chosen surrounding world. Without that power, only his health and mortality were up to him. That's why he decides to continue smoking despite his disease and ultimately concludes that his life is complete at the end of the book. Through planning and anticipation, Hugo brought the end of his life poetically. However, as proven repeatedly, the people around him took away his control. As Hugo wakes up in a hospital bed, his euphoric moment is cut short by immense dissatisfaction. The reader and Hugo both are deprived of seemingly the perfect ending to Hugo's life, leaving the reader more connected to the character than ever thought possible.