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A review by bookbirder
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst
2.0
This book is not what is suggested by the back cover. It is split into 5 parts, and spans over 100 years. Not a single character is alive both in the first and final book, and every character either has the same personality or becomes less likeable/relatable (or dies) as time progresses.
I think the book had a lot of potential, and the style of writing allowed me to keep reading fairly easily, but there were so many loose threads and forgotten storylines that I enjoyed it less as time went on. I think leaving 20 year gaps between each part of the book meant that a lot of time was spent getting used to new characters, and many events unfolding in the previous part were left forgotten.
I think the book had a lot of potential, and the style of writing allowed me to keep reading fairly easily, but there were so many loose threads and forgotten storylines that I enjoyed it less as time went on. I think leaving 20 year gaps between each part of the book meant that a lot of time was spent getting used to new characters, and many events unfolding in the previous part were left forgotten.