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A review by leonidskies
It Was a Riot by Daniel Hall
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.
I didn't really enjoy this book - it unfortunately failed to grab me. The breadth of the story and characters was impressive, but the prose and pacing let it down. If you're a fan of very direct prose and no holds barred pacing, it might be your thing - for me it erred towards unsubtle to the point of boredom and rushed, especially towards the end of the novel.
A lot of the characters were messy in a very real way, and I appreciated it for that. I wish the book had focused more on its strongest characters rather than hurtling through its narrative - there was a LOT going on here, all carefully linked together to the themes, but it didn't quite work.
As someone who's conducted historical research on periods contained within this novel, I felt that its engagement with the history was surface level. If you're less familiar with the history, though, this book might be more for you! It's very compassionate in its examination of gay, working class men. However, there are elements - especially the depiction of the main character - which veer alarmingly towards negative and thoughtless depiction of HIV-positive men.
I'd recommend this to people who are looking for a medium paced read that's always very clear in its style, and are okay reading sad stories. It didn't quite fit together for me, but it might be a better fit for someone else.
I didn't really enjoy this book - it unfortunately failed to grab me. The breadth of the story and characters was impressive, but the prose and pacing let it down. If you're a fan of very direct prose and no holds barred pacing, it might be your thing - for me it erred towards unsubtle to the point of boredom and rushed, especially towards the end of the novel.
A lot of the characters were messy in a very real way, and I appreciated it for that. I wish the book had focused more on its strongest characters rather than hurtling through its narrative - there was a LOT going on here, all carefully linked together to the themes, but it didn't quite work.
As someone who's conducted historical research on periods contained within this novel, I felt that its engagement with the history was surface level. If you're less familiar with the history, though, this book might be more for you! It's very compassionate in its examination of gay, working class men. However, there are elements - especially the depiction of the main character - which veer alarmingly towards negative and thoughtless depiction of HIV-positive men.
I'd recommend this to people who are looking for a medium paced read that's always very clear in its style, and are okay reading sad stories. It didn't quite fit together for me, but it might be a better fit for someone else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Violence and Death
Minor: Abortion and Suicide