A review by amywoolsey_93
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton

challenging emotional funny slow-paced

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

3.25

I enjoyed social satire of Henry Henry more than the family/coming-of-age story. Hal's many siblings have as many dimensions as the text messages they constantly send each other, with only Philippa given a cursory (and pretty stereotypical) arc; the characterization of the three brothers is so vague that I never bothered trying to keep track of who was who. One could argue this is a reflection of Hal's self-absorption, but the third-person narration keeps enough of a distance that we're always at least tangentially aware of the world beyond him. By denying the supporting characters inner lives, the book basically reinforces his self-absorption, confirming that every conflict revolves around him. Also, given the connection to Shakespeare, I feel like there needed to be *some* drama or major change at the end.

There's one confrontation, but it sort of dissipates into a long denoucement, and then no one dies.

Still, as a throwback to Gilded/Jazz Age class commentaries, this hits the mark. Bratton crafts insults with a jewel-cutter's precision and layers on so many themes (the hypocrisy of Catholicism, the rotten legacy of British monarchy and imperialism, the malleabiity of identity) while maintaining a sense of fizzy irony. The prose itself is excellent, rich with descriptive detail and scintillating dialogue. While I don't think Henry Henry is an entirely successful debut, it's undeniably an admirable one.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest