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A review by ashleighkaaate
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think it’s going to take me some thought to unscramble my thoughts on Henry Henry. I was so excited to have access to an advance copy because it seemed like exactly the kind of book I enjoy and is very much in my wheelhouse.
Hal is a very unlikeabke main character, which creates a complex reading experience. Usually this is something I really enjoy, but I think it was incredibly difficult to empathise with someone in his position in life and so as a lead, he missed the mark a little bit. I wasn’t super invested in his relationship and it felt quite underdeveloped. All in all, I’m not sure what was A Plot and what was B Plot as the stakes were off and I wasn’t rooting for anyone and not super bothered about the outcomes.
On the positive side, this is really well written and reminds me of something Melissa Broder would write (a big compliment!). I think it’ll become a cult favourite before long.
Hal is a very unlikeabke main character, which creates a complex reading experience. Usually this is something I really enjoy, but I think it was incredibly difficult to empathise with someone in his position in life and so as a lead, he missed the mark a little bit. I wasn’t super invested in his relationship and it felt quite underdeveloped. All in all, I’m not sure what was A Plot and what was B Plot as the stakes were off and I wasn’t rooting for anyone and not super bothered about the outcomes.
On the positive side, this is really well written and reminds me of something Melissa Broder would write (a big compliment!). I think it’ll become a cult favourite before long.