I was expecting this to resemble the Henriad more but it does something completely different instead.

I'm sure this book is as good as the reviewers say it is, but I found it too slow and unimpressive enough to finish reading. I think I got maybe 30% in and just nothing was happening. It's what I get for picking a literary fiction style novel.

I loved this absolutely magnificent retelling of Shakespeare's Henriad. The characters were endearing and frustrating, relatable and detached. So many engaging moments and beautiful, nuanced relationships. This was a masterpiece of modern queer lit, and I'm so glad to have read it.

I am always a lover a good Shakespearean retelling, and better yet, a queer one. A retelling of the Henriad is not something I ever envisioned but I am so glad Allen Bratton did. Henry Henry is devastating and witty, and a thoroughly enticing retelling.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Henry Henry.

Beautifully written, and a great exploration of the queer experience with prose that kind blew my brain apart. Henry, Henry is for all the Shakespeare nerds out there!

Beautifully written a book that drew me in a book I will be recommending .Characters that are so involving that really come alive.#netgalley #henryhenry

I liked the way it was written, a beautiful one! I liked the prose and it felt like a modern retelling.

I have three major gripes with this book: 1. everyone is named Henry/Harry/something similar, 2. nothing happens, and 3. there are entirely too many characters. I appreciate what the author was trying to convey. The premise was compelling enough to make me finish the book, but as soon as I flipped the last page I went "huh." And that's how I sum up my feelings on this book. Huh.

I love a retelling of a classic and this is a good one. Henry Henry is delightful and sad and messy in the best ways. I wanted more time with Henry.

Not many adaptations of Henry IV, could work as well as this one turned out. With meticulous prose and an eye for translation, Bratton has brought this obscure, and pivotal play to the 21st century.

Thank you, NetGalley, Unnamed Press | The Unnamed Press, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Hal Lancaster is the heir of Henry, Duke of Lancaster and his life is complicated. His mother is dead, his father is dying or remarrying or both, none is leaving him alone and over the course of a year of drinking, partying and flirting, he will be tested over and over again by fmaily legacies, Catholic guilt and more.

Recasting of Henriad, Hal is the queer main character of this unique and brilliant retelling, where the author talks about legacy, history, familial and personal struggles and failures, growing up, facing the world and what it means to be alive. The weight and the importance of privilege and being part of a certain family, money, the reader follows Hal in drinking, sex, drugs, growing up and facing himself and others and what family and being alive means.
Witty, smart, very profound and impossible not to love, Hal is a magnificent main character and it was both brilliant and painful following him and his changing.

Henry Henry... Where to begin. I have to say, the cover really drew me in on this one, and I didn't really do my due diligence in researching the book before I started. I will say, the writing here is beautiful, which helps the reader navigate a VERY messy protagonist who really needs extensive professional help. This book could be quite triggering for a lot of people, but the basis in shakespearean tragedy is clear. This is a true love letter to the Henriad, so I think the goal of the author here was certainly met.

I'd recommend this book to fans of writers like Eliza Clark, Otessa Moshfegh, and other "that girl needs help" lit fit fans who want a queer take on this emerging sub-genre. I think this is one of those books that deserves a second read before I really give an update on my experience reading this novel. I will absolutely read more of Allen Bratton's work in the future.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the Unnamed Press for this ARC copy in exchange for my review.

I was expecting a queer male counterpart to so many of the "messy girl" lit fic that I read, but in reality this was just depressing. The MC is a mess but has very good reasons to be, so instead of feeling messy in a good way, it was more of a "please get help" messy. I think Allen Bratton has a lot of potential and I didn't hate this, I just found it kind of a challenge to want to finish it. Lots of really beautiful writing though!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Unnamed Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There were aspects of this book that I liked, but too many parts of it fell short. While it had a lot of potential, it ultimately fell flat to me. I found that the book oftentimes dragged and I didn't care about the characters. This book had everything to be right up my alley, and I honestly may re-read it in the future to see if I like it more.

thank you to netgally and the publisher for the e-arc!

i find that this novel had alot of potential. in my opinion, much was done well, much could have been done way better. and unfortunately, though i feel very conflicted, i did not finish my reading.

this queer retelling of shakespeare's henriad had a good start. though i had difficulties in the beginning to differentiate the characters, the prose was pretty and slightly somber. the aggressively religious environment of hal and his practices had some slight inconsistencies (credentials: i used to go to christian summer camps) but i find it's nothing too dramatic. i think allen bretton did a great job at portraying trauma and repression. the incestuous and sexual abuse is well-written as far i could tell. but then... it kinda dropped in the middle of the novel.

at the end of pretty paragraphs, i would find awkward and clunky sentences that didn't fit. at first the textos were a fright, and god, why would you use emoji in literary fiction? it has its place in YA and thrillers but god, i abhor it in literary fiction... i started noticing that for a novel confronting queerness, abuse and catholicism, the catholic elements were not enough. we should get more confessions, for exemple. the narration was already confusing (is it 3rd? or 1st? are we doing jane austen style?) but as i progress it became jarring. sometimes, it didn't feel like 20 something year-old hal speaking... at this point in my reading, it felt awkward and stunted

i feel everything just dropped and to be honest, it became a drag to read. i'm really sad that my first arc is rather a negative one but i do think allen bratton has alot of potential as an author. i'd say just allen bratton to keep it short, succinct and ofc always pointed (when it comes to themes). for me, it's a 2.5. very middle of the road and no more.

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.

Henry Henry is not a traditional story. There is no real plot, no character growth, no great conflict, and no resolution. It is, instead, a character study of Hal Lancaster, a twenty-three-year-old man who speaks with the weariness of a man three times his age and who is slowly and methodically destroying his life. He drinks, does cocaine, hates himself with such a weary loathing, and wanders through the world with a passive indifference. If this character does not sound interesting to you, you will not enjoy this book, because the entire thing is just … Hal.

The conceit of the book is that this is a “queer reimagining of Shakespeare’s Henriad,” mostly taking influence from Henry V. I’m saying this not because it will be a factor in my review, but because the author was attempting to say something that, in my opinion, they did not manage to convey. Henry, Hal’s father, is the focus of all of Hal’s attention. Pleasing his father, obeying his father, defying his father, enduring his father, and both resenting and accepting the fact that his father molested him when he was a child and that this toxic and damaging relationship continues even now.

Henry bemoans the fact that, as the Earl of Hereford, he has lived long enough to see the family title and estates decline. He sights and frets about how his sons will probably run through the remaining money after he’s dead and sell all the properties. He whines about how he’s going to die, waiting for Hal to come dance attendance on him so that he can bask in the attention, knowing that his son still loves him, and then — should they fall into sin with one another — he can then go to church like the good Catholic he is, confess his sins, and have it all washed away, so he can do it again and again.

Hal was a child when the abuse began and, as the eldest of six children and a people pleaser, he had no idea how to handle it. So he didn’t. And now, twenty years later, he still accepts the blame of it on his own shoulders. Hal feels he should have done something, but he didn’t, and now he thinks it’s too late, so he drinks and does drugs and is an asshole to people. Some of that changes when he finally gives Henry Percy a chance in his life.

Percy is the child Hal was measured against by his father. A boy with perfect grades, perfect looks, perfect manners, and a lot of money. Percy is good with people, charming, handsome, earnest, and kind. The two of them get along, when Hal finally gives him a good look. They share a dry humor, a sexual compatibility, a common background, and Hal even comes to think he might love Percy. So he lets him go, because loving Percy means dealing with being with Percy, welcoming him into his life. Replacing his father as his lover with someone else.

I like broken characters, I honestly do. Seeing someone shattered beneath a crushing weight, damaged by circumstance and trying to put themselves together, crawling their way out of the dark and learning to be who they are now, turning to face all the pain and suffering and telling it to fuck off … or accepting it, reshaping it, and welcoming it. Hal, however, as broken as he is, does none of this. Hal seems comfortable with his life. Comfortable doing nothing, comfortable feeling nothing, comfortable being nothing.

His ‘friends’ have lives and move beyond Hal. The only person who doesn’t is his father. So, in the end, it’s a book about nothing. There is no character arc, no growth, no change. It’s just giant character study of a person who I personally found boring. I do understand that Hal is only 23, that change is hard, and that because he is content and comfortable, he has no incentive to change … but there’s only so much time I can spend with someone sighing about how miserable they are when all they seem to want to do is keep being miserable.

The writing, especially in the first few pages, felt stiff, with so many sentences the same length, only rarely broken by a longer sentence. I didn’t enjoy it and struggled to make myself continue, but the next few chapters relaxed and, by the end, the book was readable. There were moments where the dry wit landed and some banter actually made me snort — but in the whole book, there were only four of those exchanges, and that isn’t enough to make up for how much I had to force myself to read the rest of it.

This is a solid pass on every level. However, if you’re a fan of this author’s work or just want to give the book a try, I do suggest reading a sample first. Hal’s voice and character do not change from chapter one to the last chapter, and what you see is going to be what you get. Should you pick this book up, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the opportunity to read “Henry Henry” in exchange for an honest review.

[please check the content warnings prior to reading this novel]

Henry Henry is a contemporary queer reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Henriad, and is presented through the lens of Hal: Son of Henry, Duke of Lancaster.

Like many others, I am not a Shakespeare expert, so I went into this relatively blind. Overall, though, I think it was a pretty solid debut.

Bratton was able to build a lot of complexity into Hal as a character. At first, Hal comes across as pretentious and unlikeable, to the point that I felt quite unmotivated to read about him in the initial chapters. However, once I got to know him, I came to understand that there is a lot of nuance to Hal; in the way that he understands and connects with his identity, the way he processes his familial trauma and his complex relationship with his father, and in the way he views his role with his loved ones. The more time I spent with Hal, the more interested I was to really understand him.

Bratton’s writing style also leans more towards lyrical, and whilst I really struggled with this at first (unusual for me, lyrical is normally my jam but something about it just wasn’t quite connecting), at around the 30% mark I found myself falling in love with the way Bratton used this style to create depth of connection between Hal and Harry Percy. This was actually my favourite part of the novel: there were so many beautifully written, well-formed, and powerful moments between Hal and Percy that I’ll take with me after reading.

My main criticism of Henry Henry, though, was the fact that some sections (especially the first 30%) were quite meandering, and some plot points felt much stronger than others. It almost felt as though there was lacking continuity in the decisiveness of the story and therefore in my enjoyment of it; I flipped between effectively inhaling parts and feeling rather bored in others.

Overall, I think Henry Henry was a compelling read. I do, however, wish Bratton had built upon what he achieved in the middle 50% to create something beautiful.

Recommended for: lovers of literary fiction, lyrical writing and prose, complex characters, toxic relationships, and contemporary retellings.

Actual rating 3.5 stars

This such a messy, complex read. As someone rather unfamiliar with Henriad, I went into this modern reimagining blindly, ready to take it where it's at. Hal Lancaster is an upperclass, gay, catholic, mess of a person who struggles deeply through life. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and his family all trouble him. This is a rough read with all the physical injuries and the unfiltered realities of life, including several incestuous scenes. It's a book that doesn't shy away from uncomfortableness.

I enjoyed the vivid language and especially Richard as a character representing queer history and the legacy of gay culture from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the complicated relationship of Hal and Harry Percy. But I also had some issues with this book, mainly in inconsistent style and pacing. The jumps in time were hard to pick up at times as well. Also, someone take away the word "prick" from this author.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to delve into Allen Bratton's latest work, "Henry Henry," courtesy of NetGalley and the author.

Bratton's debut presents a refreshing spin on Shakespeare's Henriad plays, with Hal Lancaster taking center stage as a queer protagonist navigating the complexities of family, legacy, and self-discovery in contemporary London. Through Hal's eyes, we're immersed in a world of familial strife, personal turmoil, and the quest for love and acceptance.

What truly shines in "Henry Henry" is the dynamic between Hal and Percy, two characters who leap off the page with their charm, flaws, and undeniable chemistry. Despite Hal's exasperation with Percy's antics, there's an unmistakable bond that draws them together, adding layers of depth to their relationship.

Hal's voice is a force to be reckoned with—wild, unique, and utterly captivating. As he grapples with his heritage, Catholic guilt, and the pursuit of happiness, readers are taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, all expertly woven together by Bratton's skilled storytelling.

In the end, "Henry Henry" earns a solid four stars from me. Bratton's lush prose, rich character development, and modern reimagining of classic themes make for a compelling read that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. This is a debut not to be missed, and Allen Bratton emerges as a promising new voice in contemporary literature.

Thank you again for the ARC, in which I am leaving my honest review.