Reviews

Small Hours by Bobby Palmer

louise632's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

hermionerose97's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

In his follow up to Isaac and the Egg, Bobby Palmer has given us another little slice of magic. Small Hours takes a dejected and insular protagonist, adds a talking fox, and weaves them together into a beautiful story about redemption, sacrifice and the complexities of love. His unique style that we saw in his debut novel endures through this one, proving that he can turn the weirdest ideas* into works of art. At once thoughtful, and whimsical, this book was truly a joy to read. I already can’t wait for Bobby Palmer’s third novel! 

*his words, not mine! (in the acknowledgments)

nclcaitlin's review against another edition

2.75

There’s a talking fox. That’s all you need to know. 
Jack is must return home and face what he’s been suppressing when his mother disappears with no explanation. There, he must face his estranged father, disappointed sister, and his disappointment in his career. 

This is a story of a family in crisis and the ghosts of the past who still haunt them, of life-changing conversations in the early hours of the morning, and of understanding, compassion, and love.

Sadly, I found this too boring. I kept waiting for something to happen, yet this was more of a melancholic read. As I didn’t connect to the characters, I didn’t find it heartening or overly saddening. I think I’m just not a contemporary fiction reader that’s more in this vein. 

Thank you to Headline Audio for providing the audiobook exchange for a review.

bookishsamsch's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my eyes and really take in what I've just read.

Small Hours is the follow up book to the brilliant Isaac and the Egg and is nothing short of breathtaking. The descriptions of the British countryside, the woods and the animals are so beautifully written I felt transported there. The characters, all troubled, are full formed people in my head and I'm going to miss them so much.  

And the fox. The fox! I can't even.....

Small Hours is going to the top of my favourite read of 2024 list so far and is really high up in my favourite reads of all time. Bobby Palmer is such a talent. The way he represented the muddled thoughts of a man whose memories are fading was frankly remarkable. I really felt the loss and got a sense of perspective of what somebody having to deal with that must go through. Truly heartbreaking.

Occasionally I get a book hangover and need to think for a spell before I pick my next read and this is one of those moments. It was written so thoughtfully, so nuanced in style, each word picked carefully and perfectly. I'm in love with these characters, their home and their location. 

Finally, I just have to mention the book cover, which is absolutely stunning.

Thanks to Headline & Netgalley for providing an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Will be getting a print copy of this for my collection.

twiggy77's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

oncemorewithreading's review

emotional medium-paced

5.0

sophie_laura_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is like medicine for the weary, an escape from the fast paced, endless grind of contemporary capitalist society. Small Hours is a novel that is deeply beloved by my friend, and ex-colleague Leah, and I had the pleasure of working with her whilst she was reading it for the first time, hearing her growing enthusiasm for the story on a daily basis 

Having heard her love for Small Hours, as well as Bobby Palmer’s other book Isaac and the Egg (which was a favourite among the booksellers at my old job), and seeing the audiobook available on NetGalley, I decided to give it a go. It turned out to be exactly what I needed.

The novel opens with our protagonist Jack being told that the company he has worked so hard for is being sold, and that he has been made redundant. After leaving the office, he comes across an injured fox, which he rescues, and then is promptly summoned back to his parents’ house by his sister to deal with a family emergency. What follows is a story of the complexity of family, nature, and interconnectedness. 

Palmer interrogates individualistic capitalist ventures without romanticising alternative community models. This is heartwarming and refreshing read that will leave you feeling energised about the world and its beauty. The audiobook in particular is absolutely fantastic with Stephen Mangan’s narration elevating the story to a level of exceptional authenticity. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this story so that I can experience it all over again. 

the_sara_post's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective 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

4.25

bookmadbarlow's review against another edition

emotional 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? N/A

3.0

Jack is estranged from his family and has been for a while, but on the day he loses his job in the city he not only rescues a fox, he also receives a phone call saying his mother is missing.

Travelling back home, Jack finds his father struggling with dementia, a sister who is fed up with trying to keep everything together and the same fox, who is also able to communicate with Jack.

This is a quiet book, it is about a fractured family and the relationship between a father who doesn't really understand how to communicate with a son, but maybe through the conduit of the fox, they can learn to become closer.

nessferatu's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A bigger emotional story though a small family’s lens. A call to nature and the importance of its careful observation. Shifting first person narratives within a small cast of family members, their pains, memories, and relational distances, but also their bonds and paths of reconnection.