419. Hangover Square

Hangover Square

Patrick Hamilton
1941
Around 335 pages

Oh good, another story about an alcoholic man taking his rage out on women. Can't get enough of these.

George Bone is an alcoholic living in London in the days before Britain declared war on Germany. He has a crush on a failed actress, Netta, who uses him for money and alcohol with her friends. Hamilton does everything he can to make Netta repulsive to the reader, she even says she is sexually attracted to Hitler (but she admits Mussolini is a total grenade). George decides he needs to kill Netta for the way she has treated him.

Well, it's certainly a timeless theme. But I didn't like it. It felt like the entire novel was set up so the audience would be rooting for George to commit this violence. Whereas a novel like Native Son does the opposite.

And besides that, I wasn't too impressed by the writing.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

The title of the book is a pun on the name Hanover Square, an area of London that was known for its bars.

Adapted as a film in 1945, where the setting was changed to Edwardian London.

UP NEXT: The Living and the Dead by Patrick White. Back to back Paddy's.