Reviews - Henry Henry | The StoryGraph

377 reviews for:

Henry Henry

Allen Bratton

3.69 AVERAGE

schymek's review against another edition

4.0

Maybe I'm just my father, and he's just his father, and on and on, all the way back to Adam, so no one has ever really died, and no has ever really lived.

Henry "Hal" Lancaster is a posh 22-year-old druggie fag with daddy issues, living life. After a shooting accident, he embarks on a romantic stint with a childhood friend. As his faith, familial bonds, and life choices are being tested, Hal desperately tries to cling to his idea of 'self'.

To be fair, I haven't read the henriad so I cannot talk much about that parallel, but if it's as much fun as this novel, then I should get on it. Parts of this novel are cruel (spoilers: the childhood abuse and grooming exhibited by hal's father, e.g.) but serve the overline character study of Hal. Where, let's say, A Little Life centres its queer character in a trauma porno, this novel, while erotic in parts, clearly distinguishes the abuse hal suffers from as something that's literally ruined the trajectory of his life. Which i can appreciate.

I devoured this in one go. Loved.

brada955's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bloomingtrans's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

th3aclark's review against another edition

3.5

dark funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

michael_mcclain's review against another edition

3.0

Really beautiful writing, and I've never seen an author go to certain places the way Allen Bratton breached them, and the book was immensely readable, but it was just tougher to connect than I wished it would've been. Lots of coke, Catholicism and child abuse.

seedy's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

first book of the year and what a book to start with for sure. if you’re a child desperate for your father’s love and affection, u will grow into an adult desperate for your father’s love and affection. whatever that looks like. cool 😀👍🏽

marissajauch's review against another edition

2.0

I have three major gripes with this book: 1. everyone is named Henry/Harry/something similar, 2. nothing happens, and 3. there are entirely too many characters. I appreciate what the author was trying to convey. The premise was compelling enough to make me finish the book, but as soon as I flipped the last page I went "huh." And that's how I sum up my feelings on this book. Huh.