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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
I loved this book! I thought it was totally different than any book I have read. I typically enjoy realistic fiction stories, so I appreciated the perspective of Rose. I enjoyed the suspense of wondering about Rose’s mental state, her idealism of Hugo, and the suspense as the book kept taking unexpected turns in the entanglement of reality with Rose’s alternate world.
The story was slow to start, but it evolved in such a unique way. Rose is having dreams that begin to take over her life; in the dreams, she is no longer the harried, overweight wife and mother, but a princess. Not to reveal too much, the dreams become a living nightmare. An interesting read but with a dark side.
Hugo and Rose by Bridget Foley is the story of two people who are life-long friends but only in their dreams. While other children dreamed of different places and people, Rose only ever dreamed of a fantasy island and her dream-friend, Hugo. As Rose married and had children of her own in real life, she continued her sleep adventures with Hugo. Her real life could never quite compare to her fantasy life... until she took the kids out for lunch one day and there he was, behind the counter.
I loved the premise of Hugo and Rose immediately, as a creative person I find myself wanting to escape into fantasy worlds with fantasy characters often, and sometimes, when I'm really into whatever fictional world I've temporarily created, the harsh light of real life can feel cold and demanding. What would happen if I could live inside one of those fictional worlds every time I closed my eyes? And what would happen if I ran into one of my fictional characters in real life? Would they be exactly as I created them?
Having never read Bridget Foley before, I wasn't sure what to expect but her writing pulled me in right from the very beginning. Her casual style and intriguing plot lines made it easy to fly through this book and I found myself wanting to know and understand Rose's world, both inside and outside of her dreams. Foley makes it easy to buy into Rose's predicament, even as Rose's dream-world begins to infect into her reality, the author is very careful to make the distinction between what is real and what is going on in Rose's psyche.
Hugo and Rose moved at a very quick clip, each time I put down the book it was out of obligation to sleep, eat, work... I was always left wanting to know what happened next. I was never bored or felt the writing to be wandering and while I would agree that this novel won't go down as a timeless classic, it was certainly a fun read and one you should consider picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free copy I was provided in exchange for my thoughts on the book.
I loved the premise of Hugo and Rose immediately, as a creative person I find myself wanting to escape into fantasy worlds with fantasy characters often, and sometimes, when I'm really into whatever fictional world I've temporarily created, the harsh light of real life can feel cold and demanding. What would happen if I could live inside one of those fictional worlds every time I closed my eyes? And what would happen if I ran into one of my fictional characters in real life? Would they be exactly as I created them?
Having never read Bridget Foley before, I wasn't sure what to expect but her writing pulled me in right from the very beginning. Her casual style and intriguing plot lines made it easy to fly through this book and I found myself wanting to know and understand Rose's world, both inside and outside of her dreams. Foley makes it easy to buy into Rose's predicament, even as Rose's dream-world begins to infect into her reality, the author is very careful to make the distinction between what is real and what is going on in Rose's psyche.
Hugo and Rose moved at a very quick clip, each time I put down the book it was out of obligation to sleep, eat, work... I was always left wanting to know what happened next. I was never bored or felt the writing to be wandering and while I would agree that this novel won't go down as a timeless classic, it was certainly a fun read and one you should consider picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free copy I was provided in exchange for my thoughts on the book.
most realistic happily ever after I'd read. even though it's not exactly happy, but it's the best for the characters.
I found this book to be quite frustrating. I loved the concept, but wanting to slap every single character constantly is not a likely path to enjoyment. I didn't like Rose, her husband, her children, or her dream-time playmate Hugo, and the more I read, the less I liked them. Rose's struggle between two worlds was interesting I suppose, but... It turns decidedly darker at the end (much darker than the cheerful, girly cover would indicate), which is when I thought it found its stride. As the reason for the dreams becomes more clear, so too do the central themes that were painfully struggling to emerge for most of the book. There are certainly some positive aspects to this novel, and a certain reader will enjoy it, but I continue to need one likeable character to get behind.
The fine print: ARC received from NetGalley.
The fine print: ARC received from NetGalley.
3 and a half stars.
It started of cool. By the middle I was bored and then that ending. It was not what I was expecting. Even though I was bored for most of this book I really enjoyed it. Good characters, good world-building.
It started of cool. By the middle I was bored and then that ending. It was not what I was expecting. Even though I was bored for most of this book I really enjoyed it. Good characters, good world-building.
I made myself finish it, but skimmed much of the last quarter. The first half was good...light and whimsical, an intriguing idea. Woman meets the literal "man of her dreams." And then after about the half way point, things just got dark and weird, and not in a good way.
(For some reason, this book keeps making me think of "The Peculiar Sadness of Lemon Cake," another book with a strange fantasy premise that I am happy to say I did not finish.)
(For some reason, this book keeps making me think of "The Peculiar Sadness of Lemon Cake," another book with a strange fantasy premise that I am happy to say I did not finish.)
I forgave this book its implausibility in exchange for its originality. The first half seemed to be going somewhere profound and uncharted; the second half turned into escapist entertainment. Not a thing wrong with that.
I read Hugo & Rose in one night - at first on a stationary bike, then standing over a skillet cooking dinner and later anxiously curled up in the corner of my couch. I quite literally couldn't put it down. It was the best fiction book I've read in a long time.
Bridget Foley made me feel a lot of different emotions, often shifting from one to the next without warning - anxiety, empathy, alarm, adventure, deep sadness. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, it would take another twist. I didn't see the ending coming until it hit me in the face, and the surprise made the close of the story better than I could've anticipated.
I also loved the detail Bridget put into creating an entire other world. Her details of Hugo and Rose's island were incredible.
You've got to experience the story for yourself to really get it. I suggest finding a copy soon but not cracking it open until you have several hours free.
Thanks for writing such a wonderful book, Bridget! I can't wait to buy my mom a copy and chat with her about it.
Bridget Foley made me feel a lot of different emotions, often shifting from one to the next without warning - anxiety, empathy, alarm, adventure, deep sadness. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, it would take another twist. I didn't see the ending coming until it hit me in the face, and the surprise made the close of the story better than I could've anticipated.
I also loved the detail Bridget put into creating an entire other world. Her details of Hugo and Rose's island were incredible.
You've got to experience the story for yourself to really get it. I suggest finding a copy soon but not cracking it open until you have several hours free.
Thanks for writing such a wonderful book, Bridget! I can't wait to buy my mom a copy and chat with her about it.