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A review by carriebee
Henry Henry by Allen Bratton
5.0
Hal, the future Duke of Lancaster, lives in the shadow of his noble family and expectations for his future but all he wants to do is drink and do drugs and sink into oblivion. Not big on plot, Henry Henry is primarily a character study of Hal as he navigates the environment he exists in and comes to terms with his family and their past and himself. The novel explores a complicated father son relationship as well as a complex family history that hangs heavily over Hal.
I’m not sure I have adequate words to express my experience with this novel. I was absolutely riveted by Hal. The way Bratton portrays the depth of pain, self loathing, emptiness, unworthiness, and lack of feeling or care for anything is so convincingly crafted. Hal comes off as an entitled, spoiled brat throwing his life away. But as the novel progresses Bratton weaves elements into Hal’s character that create a highly nuanced portrait of a human navigating the complex systems and structures that we exist in. The weight of wealth, faith, and family pulls Hal down to the lowest depths; so far down that he is completely and utterly lost and unsure of how to live or survive and has given up on trying. Behind this wall of protection is a traumatized person responding in the only way he can to his experiences and the environment that surrounds him. In so many ways Hal is a deplorable, unlikeable character but the manner in which Bratton conveys the depths of his humanity is masterful. Despite the dark and heavy content there is an arc of redemption and hope. It is a minimal, understated shift and in a way this made it more realistic and impactful.
As someone who doesn’t gravitate to romance, the romance contained in these pages worked for me. Even when it felt like it might veer over the edge of being too cliche and cheesy for my taste, it never did. It always felt like it went just far enough to explore the issues Bratton brings forward in this novel including deep shame and homophobia and feeling worthy of/deserving of love. There is so much depth to this novel I can’t do it justice in a short Instagram review you’ll just need to read it yourself.
This book has been referred to as a queer contemporary take on Shakspeare’s Henriad which I am not familiar with. While I could envision a Shakespearean connection based on my limited exposure to his work, my lack of knowledge did not negatively impact my experience with this novel.
Please check and heed trigger warnings. There are graphic scenes of abuse that can be very difficult to read. I do think the inclusion furthers aspects of the story, especially how those experiencing abuse navigate the experience and grapple with the role they play in what has occurred and who to tell and when to share their stories. I imagine scenes in this novel could be very triggering for some so please take note and read with caution. I have seen other trigger warnings as well so check them if needed.
I am certain this will be one of my top reads this year, highly recommend it.
Thank you @unnamedpress @netgalley for the #gifted ARCs
I’m not sure I have adequate words to express my experience with this novel. I was absolutely riveted by Hal. The way Bratton portrays the depth of pain, self loathing, emptiness, unworthiness, and lack of feeling or care for anything is so convincingly crafted. Hal comes off as an entitled, spoiled brat throwing his life away. But as the novel progresses Bratton weaves elements into Hal’s character that create a highly nuanced portrait of a human navigating the complex systems and structures that we exist in. The weight of wealth, faith, and family pulls Hal down to the lowest depths; so far down that he is completely and utterly lost and unsure of how to live or survive and has given up on trying. Behind this wall of protection is a traumatized person responding in the only way he can to his experiences and the environment that surrounds him. In so many ways Hal is a deplorable, unlikeable character but the manner in which Bratton conveys the depths of his humanity is masterful. Despite the dark and heavy content there is an arc of redemption and hope. It is a minimal, understated shift and in a way this made it more realistic and impactful.
As someone who doesn’t gravitate to romance, the romance contained in these pages worked for me. Even when it felt like it might veer over the edge of being too cliche and cheesy for my taste, it never did. It always felt like it went just far enough to explore the issues Bratton brings forward in this novel including deep shame and homophobia and feeling worthy of/deserving of love. There is so much depth to this novel I can’t do it justice in a short Instagram review you’ll just need to read it yourself.
This book has been referred to as a queer contemporary take on Shakspeare’s Henriad which I am not familiar with. While I could envision a Shakespearean connection based on my limited exposure to his work, my lack of knowledge did not negatively impact my experience with this novel.
Please check and heed trigger warnings. There are graphic scenes of abuse that can be very difficult to read. I do think the inclusion furthers aspects of the story, especially how those experiencing abuse navigate the experience and grapple with the role they play in what has occurred and who to tell and when to share their stories. I imagine scenes in this novel could be very triggering for some so please take note and read with caution. I have seen other trigger warnings as well so check them if needed.
I am certain this will be one of my top reads this year, highly recommend it.
Thank you @unnamedpress @netgalley for the #gifted ARCs