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jove64's review
5.0
I bought this because I follow the author on Twitter and we chat sometimes and she seems like a smart person so I thought I'd read her book. I am glad I decided to do that. I really enjoyed this book. I know character is really important to me and this book really is character driven. Emotion. Relationship. The writing is gorgeous. The combination of a short timeline with occasional flashbacks works really well. Trauma. Art. Photography. Might be difficult for anyone with battle related PTSD.
storymi's review against another edition
2.0
Gewoon een leuk boek (drie sterren), maar vond 't einde niet tof. Veel te open. Ik zag ook telkens allemaal gemiste kansen tijdens het lezen. Qua plot vond ik het knap in elkaar geweven (personages).
glitterbritta's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
eleanorgking's review against another edition
3.0
I'm lucky enough to have Sunny Singh as one of my lecturers this year and was fortunate to listen to her talking about her views on writing, being an author and the issues she explores in Hotel Arcadia.
But, I do have issues with this novel.
The premise and concept is brilliant, especially when commenting on today's global events. But the plot is weak and the fragmentation of narrative, the constant revert to character's memories seemed unnecessary and overdone. If the description of photographer Sam's past experiences of terror attacks was to add more to her character, it could've be done using one or two examples. But there's so many it became unhelpful.
I had issues with the inconsistency of the characters, mainly Sam. She is constantly flitting between being strong and confident to being weak and needy. In one passage she begins by stating over and over again how she is emotionally cut off and not embarrassed by that, which she thinks proves detrimental to her relationships, but then switches to being incredibly emotionally insecure over a guy. Maybe this was the point, maybe Singh did this to show how there is a hidden inner-self even in the strongest of us, but it didn't read like it was intentional.
However, the blatant absence of the terrorists pov was interesting. As in the news, whenever there is a violent attack, we are invited to almost "get into the mind" of the attacker(s). But Singh denies us this and it's so refreshing. They become a juxtaposition. They are the cause of the attack, of the novel, but they become unimportant. It's about the people involved, the relationships affected and the power of basic instinctive humanity that is brought to light.
Singh is a highly talented and descriptive writer, but unfortunately I didn't fully enjoy Hotel Arcadia as much as I would've liked.
But, I do have issues with this novel.
The premise and concept is brilliant, especially when commenting on today's global events. But the plot is weak and the fragmentation of narrative, the constant revert to character's memories seemed unnecessary and overdone. If the description of photographer Sam's past experiences of terror attacks was to add more to her character, it could've be done using one or two examples. But there's so many it became unhelpful.
I had issues with the inconsistency of the characters, mainly Sam. She is constantly flitting between being strong and confident to being weak and needy. In one passage she begins by stating over and over again how she is emotionally cut off and not embarrassed by that, which she thinks proves detrimental to her relationships, but then switches to being incredibly emotionally insecure over a guy. Maybe this was the point, maybe Singh did this to show how there is a hidden inner-self even in the strongest of us, but it didn't read like it was intentional.
However, the blatant absence of the terrorists pov was interesting. As in the news, whenever there is a violent attack, we are invited to almost "get into the mind" of the attacker(s). But Singh denies us this and it's so refreshing. They become a juxtaposition. They are the cause of the attack, of the novel, but they become unimportant. It's about the people involved, the relationships affected and the power of basic instinctive humanity that is brought to light.
Singh is a highly talented and descriptive writer, but unfortunately I didn't fully enjoy Hotel Arcadia as much as I would've liked.
annieks's review
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jackielaw's review
5.0
Hotel Arcadia, by Sunny Singh, is a work of discernment and contrasts. Set largely within the sterile opulence of a luxury hotel in an unnamed city it tells the tale of war photographer Sam and hotel manager Abhi who are caught up in a siege when a group of terrorists storm the building killing many of the staff and residents. As the country’s armed forces gather outside to deal with a volatile situation these two hunker down in the relative safety of their respective rooms building up a rapport over the telephone. Although their lives are very different it turns out that they have much in common.
Sam is well used to danger having spent many years touring conflict zones around the world to photograph the dead. Initially she views the unexpected mayhem of the hotel in which she had hoped to anonymously unwind as just another assignment. She leaves her room to explore and capture the images which have become her life’s work. However, as her empathy with Abhi penetrates her carefully constructed protective veneer she chooses to take a risk that could be her undoing.
The story takes us back to other assignments and to how Sam came to follow this macabre career. She is strong and resilient but damaged, feeling misunderstood and rejected by those she has loved. She has little time for romance seeking out men for her satisfaction rather than love.
‘happy love stories are only so because they end with the first consummation. Those aren’t really love stories but rather tales of chase, of gratification delayed’
She shields herself from the bloody gruesomeness surrounding her photography by capturing the peace and aesthetic beauty of the dead. She rarely photographs the living who still embody the terror that has befallen them. Her defense against the horrors that surround her requires that she should never become involved.
Abhi was raised in a loving home, a quiet child who appeared to happily follow where his lively brother led. Their father was a much decorated soldier who expected his sons to follow him into the military. When Abhi secretly arranged to go to a university it was regarded as a betrayal. Abhi has not spoken to his father since.
He enjoys the life that he has carved for himself in the hotel and had hoped to find love with one of the regular guests with whom he had become intimate. As he struggles to carry out his duties in the aftermath of the attack he must deal with the knowledge that his lover was likely in a bar where the terrorists have rampaged. It is possible that his lover is dead.
The writing is evocative and powerful. The reader feels the heat, smells the fear, experiences the beauty which remains despite the gruesome scars that war cuts through lives. The author avoids cliches, building characters with the flaws and hurts that life inflicts. By remaining vague about exactly where the hotel is situated, by not dwelling on local styles of dress, preconceptions are avoided. This is a story about people, not race.
I loved the character of Sam. She was atypical of females in literature seeming true to life with her suppressed hurt and determination to survive. When she encounters a living child among the dead she shows humanity but does not suddenly revert to some societally expected maternal type. She is a woman but does not allow her sex to define her.
Abhi is just as strong. A male hero who shows courage and compassion without having to leave the office from where he can be the most use to survivors. He is refreshingly different to the all action heroes beloved of so many fiction writers. He came across as believably real.
This story is of two disparate lives drawn together in a crisis. It explores familial and societal expectations and the profound effects these can have. It looks at loss, the transience of memory, the comfort of mementos. It contains an undercurrent replete with anger and defiance against a society schooled in archetypes
It is rare for any book to move me to tears. That this one did so, in the best possible way, highlights the power of the story and the quality of the writing throughout. The plot is fast moving and compelling. It shows that the hardest battles are those we fight with ourselves.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Quartet Books.
Sam is well used to danger having spent many years touring conflict zones around the world to photograph the dead. Initially she views the unexpected mayhem of the hotel in which she had hoped to anonymously unwind as just another assignment. She leaves her room to explore and capture the images which have become her life’s work. However, as her empathy with Abhi penetrates her carefully constructed protective veneer she chooses to take a risk that could be her undoing.
The story takes us back to other assignments and to how Sam came to follow this macabre career. She is strong and resilient but damaged, feeling misunderstood and rejected by those she has loved. She has little time for romance seeking out men for her satisfaction rather than love.
‘happy love stories are only so because they end with the first consummation. Those aren’t really love stories but rather tales of chase, of gratification delayed’
She shields herself from the bloody gruesomeness surrounding her photography by capturing the peace and aesthetic beauty of the dead. She rarely photographs the living who still embody the terror that has befallen them. Her defense against the horrors that surround her requires that she should never become involved.
Abhi was raised in a loving home, a quiet child who appeared to happily follow where his lively brother led. Their father was a much decorated soldier who expected his sons to follow him into the military. When Abhi secretly arranged to go to a university it was regarded as a betrayal. Abhi has not spoken to his father since.
He enjoys the life that he has carved for himself in the hotel and had hoped to find love with one of the regular guests with whom he had become intimate. As he struggles to carry out his duties in the aftermath of the attack he must deal with the knowledge that his lover was likely in a bar where the terrorists have rampaged. It is possible that his lover is dead.
The writing is evocative and powerful. The reader feels the heat, smells the fear, experiences the beauty which remains despite the gruesome scars that war cuts through lives. The author avoids cliches, building characters with the flaws and hurts that life inflicts. By remaining vague about exactly where the hotel is situated, by not dwelling on local styles of dress, preconceptions are avoided. This is a story about people, not race.
I loved the character of Sam. She was atypical of females in literature seeming true to life with her suppressed hurt and determination to survive. When she encounters a living child among the dead she shows humanity but does not suddenly revert to some societally expected maternal type. She is a woman but does not allow her sex to define her.
Abhi is just as strong. A male hero who shows courage and compassion without having to leave the office from where he can be the most use to survivors. He is refreshingly different to the all action heroes beloved of so many fiction writers. He came across as believably real.
This story is of two disparate lives drawn together in a crisis. It explores familial and societal expectations and the profound effects these can have. It looks at loss, the transience of memory, the comfort of mementos. It contains an undercurrent replete with anger and defiance against a society schooled in archetypes
It is rare for any book to move me to tears. That this one did so, in the best possible way, highlights the power of the story and the quality of the writing throughout. The plot is fast moving and compelling. It shows that the hardest battles are those we fight with ourselves.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Quartet Books.
birdwithabrain's review
4.0
"Hotel Arcadia" follows two characters, Abhi and Sam, during a 70-hour hotel siege. Sam is a war photographer who specialises in photographing the dead; Abhi is a hotel worker from a military family. The story of the siege is interspersed with flashbacks from their lives, adding depth to their characters and placing their feelings and reactions in context. It's cleverly written and a fascinating study in how people react to awful situations.
Sam is a likeable and relatable character despite her aloofness and detachment. She is wary of getting hurt and finds it easier to live her life alone with the dead. Her closest relationship is with her ex-partner, David, now married to someone else but present in her life like a regrettable tattoo. Her life is fascinating and tragic at the same time. the scene with her parents reacting to her photography was predictable but heartbreaking - Sam deserves much more than what the world has given her
Abhi is kind-hearted despite his military upbringing and expectations of brutal masculinity from his father. His character is a perfect blend of military organisation and out-of-his-depth panic. I wasn't sure he needed to be portrayed vomiting quite as many times as he did, but it certainly hammered home how awful the situation was.
Overall, this is an interesting and well-plotted book that should appeal to fans of thrillers and character-driven stories.
Sam is a likeable and relatable character despite her aloofness and detachment. She is wary of getting hurt and finds it easier to live her life alone with the dead. Her closest relationship is with her ex-partner, David, now married to someone else but present in her life like a regrettable tattoo. Her life is fascinating and tragic at the same time.
Abhi is kind-hearted despite his military upbringing and expectations of brutal masculinity from his father. His character is a perfect blend of military organisation and out-of-his-depth panic. I wasn't sure he needed to be portrayed vomiting quite as many times as he did, but it certainly hammered home how awful the situation was.
Overall, this is an interesting and well-plotted book that should appeal to fans of thrillers and character-driven stories.
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