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valkeakuulas 's review for:
Henry Henry
by Allen Bratton
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Our main character Hal is tragic in a way that all english, gay, aristocratic, unhappy young men tend to be in literature but somehow it does not hinder the books ability to make the reader feel for him. Hal has the weight of being the first son of a duke and catholic church on his shoulders...and plenty other problems as well. It's a rough ride and there are several scenes where horrific emotional damage is happening to Hal, especially through his relationship with his father.
There are some technical choices Bratton has taken on his narration (namely re: the excessive use of said while writing dialogue) which irritated me but on the whole the book creates a convincing arc for our protagonist that makes the book worth reading. Also I would have liked to have seen a little bit more at the end, Hal's story stops very abruptly and could have done with few more chapters.
PS. The UK cover is horrendous compared with the US cover.
There are some technical choices Bratton has taken on his narration (namely re: the excessive use of said while writing dialogue) which irritated me but on the whole the book creates a convincing arc for our protagonist that makes the book worth reading. Also I would have liked to have seen a little bit more at the end, Hal's story stops very abruptly and could have done with few more chapters.
PS. The UK cover is horrendous compared with the US cover.