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A review by eleanorgking
Hotel Arcadia by Sunny Singh
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.