I don’t know anything about the play this was based on or about Catholicism, so most if not all the references were completely lost on me. I thought it was well written if a bit meandering. I understand the British aristocracy really only has four names to choose from but everyone being named henry really was as confusing to keep track of as I expected.

4.5 rounded up to 5 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for letting me get an early copy of Henry Henry in exchange for my honest review! ✨

This book is for fans of John Williams' Stoner, Succession, and Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life (although this one is like a squint-to-see-it relation). We follow Hal, a gay man in his early 20s who also happens to be the eldest son of the Duke of Lancaster. This novel is about Hal - his exploits, his addictions, his secrets and what he does (or doesn't do) to conceal them. The book gives readers a tiny glimpse into Hal's life, a slice of who he is, and how he loves and hates those around him. Hal suffers with so much and yet we never really see him try to dig himself out of his suffering - it's as if he's been completely resigned to his fate, letting events unfold around him and happen to him, whether he wants them to or not.

Most of what I loved about this book was the obvious intelligence of the author; I could tell they knew exactly what they wanted to say and when to say it. Hal was not a sympathetic character, despite the awful things that he has to go through, but he isn't supposed to be. I don't think you're supposed to like anyone in this novel (which is why it reminds me of Succession so much, but if Kendall Roy was English). I was attached and attracted to the story; even with its open and a bit dissatisfying ending. We aren't supposed to get this sweeping, romantic coming together of ideas and/or a hopeful message in the form of Hal's acceptance of himself or his circumstances - that's not the point. He's just a very privileged guy, and this is a chunk of his life.

The only real complaint I have is that the UK edition of this book is so fugly and doesn't represent its contents whatsoever. But oh well, I'll figure out how to get my hands on the US edition. Super excited to see what Allen Bratton brings out next!! 💕

i'm a sucker for shakespearean retellings and this one was very enjoyable. the language itself was what pulled me in. it's almost magical with a bit of naturalism and its depictions of reality. it's sad and harsh, sometimes melancholic and very very wild and raunchy. while i wouldn't go as far as calling it a queer masterpiece it comes pretty close. i believe it's a brilliant book to pick up during pride month and expand ones reading tastes.

Oh I thought I was so clever when I decided this book was a mix of A Little Life and Red, White, and Royal Blue only to find out that someone else already came up with that comparison. Still it stands. I did think this was well done, though the ended petered out a bit slowly or uneventfully for me. I feel like a bad English major for not getting the references to the history plays, will have to work on that.

Why were so many characters called Henry? One Henry would've been fine but we HAD to have so many? Withering Heights was less confusing. Anyway, I really liked the themes this book touched upon, aristocracy, catholicism, sexuality and more. I connected and understood the characters despite their questionable actions. Really good reading experience.

A great retelling of Henriad. It was a tough read, though a compelling one as well. Will definitely recommend this.

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.