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historic_chronicles 's review for:
Henry Henry
by Allen Bratton
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton.
In this queer retelling of Shakespeare's Henriad set in 2014 during the lead up to the Brexit referendum, the reader follows the life of Hal Lancaster, as he attempts to pick his way through a very troubled life. From his abusive relationship with his father, to his drug use, and his conflicting relationship between his faith and his sexuality, Hal will attempt to process a difficult life and learn to start anew.
This was a very messy, dramatic and depressing piece of fiction. From the beginning it can be extremely difficult to feel for Hal due to his brash behaviour and unlikable personality, however as Bratton peels the layers from the complicated character, I soon found myself forming a sense of sympathy towards him despite not always appreciating his actions.
During reading, I distinctly noticed the similarities of this work to that of Ottessa Moshfegh - any fans of Moshfegh will love this book! You will find a cast of truly despicable characters, bold storytelling and dark scenes. Unfortunately I did not get along with the Moshfegh novel I last read, finding it a bit too grim for my liking, but with Bratton's work there is a real display of stunning prose. Bratton executes scenes beautifully, from the high society shooting parties, even to Hal's drug-fueled thoughts, and this is what made this a page turner for me.
Thank you to @vintagebooks for the copy!
In this queer retelling of Shakespeare's Henriad set in 2014 during the lead up to the Brexit referendum, the reader follows the life of Hal Lancaster, as he attempts to pick his way through a very troubled life. From his abusive relationship with his father, to his drug use, and his conflicting relationship between his faith and his sexuality, Hal will attempt to process a difficult life and learn to start anew.
This was a very messy, dramatic and depressing piece of fiction. From the beginning it can be extremely difficult to feel for Hal due to his brash behaviour and unlikable personality, however as Bratton peels the layers from the complicated character, I soon found myself forming a sense of sympathy towards him despite not always appreciating his actions.
During reading, I distinctly noticed the similarities of this work to that of Ottessa Moshfegh - any fans of Moshfegh will love this book! You will find a cast of truly despicable characters, bold storytelling and dark scenes. Unfortunately I did not get along with the Moshfegh novel I last read, finding it a bit too grim for my liking, but with Bratton's work there is a real display of stunning prose. Bratton executes scenes beautifully, from the high society shooting parties, even to Hal's drug-fueled thoughts, and this is what made this a page turner for me.
Thank you to @vintagebooks for the copy!