A review by kaiserlich
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Why is an American author writing about modern British lives, I much prefer when people stick to what they know…

I finished this in 3 days and if you know my reading style, you know that I usually savour books I love… this stressed and grossed me out so much that I knew I had to get it over with quickly or else I’ll DNF. I do have to say that I think it was quite well written and the plot is not silly. Even though I didn’t enjoy the plot, it was at least not infuriatingly dumb. But the lack of character development or honestly any kind of development just made this whole endeavour pointless. It was not getting me invested and there was no growth or even real change:

Hal’s and Harry’s relationship didn’t go anywhere, he never really opened up to anyone, he didn’t run away or even end his suffering in any way.

It was just an endless loop. And maybe that was the author’s point but in that case I have no interest in reading stories like that. I suppose I liked the religious guilt plot and had he made any progress in trying to look inwards and deal with it better I might’ve liked it more.