I think I might need to start making a list of where I heard about certain books, that way once they are finally available at the e-library I will know why I wanted to read them in the first place. This book overall was fairly good, but it was strange an a bit manipulative and I wonder who told me to read it.
“The Lonely Hearts Hotel” is a book set in and around the Great Depression and follows the lives of two orphans in Montreal. Rose and Pierrot are abused by the nuns tasked with caring for them, but despite all that are able to maintain their spirit and imagination and even start entertaining the wealthy citizens of the city. Separated by circumstance, they feel they are meant to be and never forget about the other.
As time goes on, both become embroiled in tragedies but one can easily imagine that poverty would make people do desperate things. There are some aspects that are unclear if they are magical realism or delusion which I found unusual. There were times that the two lovers had such near misses to meeting again which was thrilling. The ending left something to be desired in my opinion, I won’t say much as not to spoil things, but I found it to be emotionally manipulative and if it wasn’t an e-book I may have thrown it across the room as a result.
Having said that, some of the things in the book resonated with me on a personal level so others might not be affected in the same way. The book is well written and fast paced and kept me entertained over the last few days, but I don’t think I will think of it much now that it has been read and reviewed.
I think I need to start tracking where I heard of books too, just to see who I should get my recommendations from. Definitely agree with your review 100%. I think I heard about it bc it was long listed for the Bailey’s Prize, but I had mixed feelings.