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leanneymu's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A gentle, sweet book, that went to some surprisingly dark places, but was ultimately very uplifting. Just what I needed after reading a few hard-hittin recently.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Xenophobia, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Suicide, and Racism
withlivjones's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What I was expecting: a cute heartwarming little book about an old man getting strangers to pose as his friends so he doesn’t disappoint his daughter
What I got: an absolutely gutpunchingly sad (but still heartwarming) book that deals with themes of grief, life as an immigrant in the 20th century and today, racism, isolation, and both blood and found family.
The diverse range of colourful characters clearly demonstrates the book’s message that anyone of any age, race, or background can experience loneliness, and all it takes is a little effort to discover that we aren’t so different from each other after all. Although the “present day” in this book is set in 2018, this message is particularly poignant after the pandemic, which left so many people literally isolated from a community. Hubert is an extremely likeable protagonist, and his journey throughout the book, both in the present day and in the flashbacks to his younger years, is told in a genuine and heartfelt way that makes the reader sympathise with him even though he has his flaws. I’d be interested in what people who live or have lived in Bromley might say about the setting, and whether it is as much of a love letter to the area (both the good and bad parts of it) as it appears to be to someone who has only ever been there once.
I felt that the pacing of the second half of the book could have been drawn out more as so many major events happen in such a short space of time that it is quite overwhelming. The speed at which the campaign grows, in particular, could have definitely been slower for it to have been more realistic. The twist fully came out of left field for me, and I’m still slightly conflicted as to whether or not I liked it, but I think it would have been great to have had a little more space to process it before moving on.
Overall, this was not the book I was expecting but I am nonetheless very glad I read it.
What I got: an absolutely gutpunchingly sad (but still heartwarming) book that deals with themes of grief, life as an immigrant in the 20th century and today, racism, isolation, and both blood and found family.
The diverse range of colourful characters clearly demonstrates the book’s message that anyone of any age, race, or background can experience loneliness, and all it takes is a little effort to discover that we aren’t so different from each other after all. Although the “present day” in this book is set in 2018, this message is particularly poignant after the pandemic, which left so many people literally isolated from a community. Hubert is an extremely likeable protagonist, and his journey throughout the book, both in the present day and in the flashbacks to his younger years, is told in a genuine and heartfelt way that makes the reader sympathise with him even though he has his flaws. I’d be interested in what people who live or have lived in Bromley might say about the setting, and whether it is as much of a love letter to the area (both the good and bad parts of it) as it appears to be to someone who has only ever been there once.
I felt that the pacing of the second half of the book could have been drawn out more as so many major events happen in such a short space of time that it is quite overwhelming. The speed at which the campaign grows, in particular, could have definitely been slower for it to have been more realistic. The twist fully came out of left field for me, and I’m still slightly conflicted as to whether or not I liked it, but I think it would have been great to have had a little more space to process it before moving on.
Overall, this was not the book I was expecting but I am nonetheless very glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Racism
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Addiction, Dementia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Suicide, Infidelity, and Vomit
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Hubert Bird is a dapper, elderly widower who was born and raised in Jamaica before immigrating to the U.K. as a young adult in 1958. When we meet him, he has shut himself off from the world, spinning stories of a vibrant life of retirement to satisfy his daughter Rose's expectations during their weekly phone calls. Cracks start to form in his isolation when he gets a friendly, chatty, persistent new neighbor and when he discovers that Rose will soon be visiting from Australia. As Hubert attempts to create the life he has been pretending to live, we see moments from his past that have led to the life he's living now — and that may empower the life he wants and needs.
An unexpectedly touching, well-crafted story of isolation, connection, love, and friendship. Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, The Reading List, and other stories of curmudgeonly elders opening their hearts and finding their communities.
An unexpectedly touching, well-crafted story of isolation, connection, love, and friendship. Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, The Reading List, and other stories of curmudgeonly elders opening their hearts and finding their communities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Vomit, Addiction, Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Dementia, Medical content, Mental illness, Excrement, and Torture
Minor: Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Infidelity
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