Mostly, I write this review of the novel Henry Hamlet’s Heart by Rhiannon Wilde because I want to put it out there so a discussion can occur.
First, a bit of history. I started this book ages ago as an online reader. I had trouble reading it, lost my place, just thought it was drawn out and too much about the “right this second every detail that really didn’t seem to do anything to move the story forward.” I lost my online copy and figured I wouldn’t finish it. That was until I thought, “Interlibrary loan.” I couldn’t remember the first part, but also didn’t want to start over as I did remember the dragging. Therefore I started in the middle where I remembered the dance scene and figured it was a good jumping off point. From there on out it moved faster. I think this was because I now had a physical book and partly because it started to have action.
That action is about Henry and his best friend Len. They are two Seniors in high school (or the Australian equivalent) and Henry is all about “I need to know the outcome of my life before I go to bed tonight because of how society is telling me to figure it all out.” Which, considering his family are for the most part easy going (his grandmother is going into her second marriage with her girlfriend (Grandma is bi), his father is an artist and later we learn his mother quits her (granted, high energy) job to live a little), this doesn’t really seem likely and he has wiggle room. But anyway, he is the typical angsty teen. Who happens to kiss BFF Len, gets all the feels and is the stereotypical “pining lover” the rest of the book. Whereas Len is dealing with his abusive father, dating and being the cool kid who just “wants to know why Henry is so into defining it and can’t go with the flow.”
Or in my opinion is a gaslighter who yes, has issues. I mean an alcoholic, abusive father, a sister who has her own life away from home, the pressures of sports and school is less than ideal, but don’t be a jerk to the one person who would do anything for you, has always been there for you!
In the end, of course, it is a happily ever after friends to lovers story that was not meant to have me as the audience, as you need to be into teen LGBTQ romances/romances in general. Therefore, if you do or have read it, what do you think? Did I miss the boat? Was I right? Some place in between?
