The Lonely Hearts Hotel: the Bailey's Prize longlisted novel

Can’t get enough of her stories. It’s seems to revolved often about orphans, misery, drugs, Montreal underworld, despair, a thirst for love… but always with a funny twist to it all, even in the darkest moments.

initially i picked this up from my local library but after loving it so much i had to pick up my own copy so i can reread it! you have to read this book it is amazing and so underhyped!!

The Lonely Hearts Hotel transports readers to a cinematic tale that is as vulgar and harsh as it is sensational and decadent. Step right up and delight in this literary drama that's evocative of '40s film noir.Be charmed by the seemingly magical connection shared between Pierrot and Rose. Relish in the peculiarities of these characters, two creatures both flawed yet beguiling. Flamboyant artists. Dauntless performers. Lustful night-owls. Ruthless business owners. It seems there's no end to the complexity of these seductive entertainers.Revel in the guilty pleasure of paying to see a veritable freak show. Peek behind the curtain to delight in viewing scintillating liaisons, and watch as love is explored, challenged, and manipulated in tantalizing and heartbreaking ways. But viewer beware, for the first one hundred pages portrays rape and child molestation against a backdrop of enchantment and whimsy - a jarring juxtaposition of grit framed by beauty.Be dazzled by a quirky array of similes that make exemplary use of references relevant to the glittering underworld Rose and Pierrot inhabit."There was a fishbowl by the window with two fancy goldfish that swam in circles, like tassels on a burlesque dancer's nipples.""When the tailor was done, there was a pile of measuring tape on the ground as if a mummy had just performed a striptease."Observe a heavy reliance on sentences that begin with "There was" or "There were." Weigh in on whether or not those sentences are redundant or rhythmic, poorly constructed or cleverly arranged. Be baffled by the long-winded yet quirky descriptions that sometimes tarry long past their welcome.Leap from one instance to another where Pierrot plays the piano and Rose is compelled to dance. Dare to ask if these talented thespians haven't evolved into a one-trick pony.Before the night is over, women will weep, men will curse, and children will shriek in fearful joy!Happy endings are as high in the sky as an acrobat's tightrope in this moody, eccentric tale of two people drawn together as though by fate. The Lonely Hearts Hotel is a spectacular show guaranteed to entertain only the most intrepid of audiences.

Reading this book is like being immersed in a dark and sometimes magical fairytale. There's such a striking balance of whimsy and depravity.The story centers around Rose and Pierrot, both abandoned at birth at a Montreal orphanage shortly before the Great Depression. The two children are drawn to each other from a young age, linked by their complementary talents: guileless Pierrot is a piano prodigy and feisty Rose choreographs comedic dance routines.Separated as teenagers, Rose and Pierrot are swallowed by the seedy underbelly of Montreal. Rose takes up with a dangerous and possessive gangster, while Pierrot becomes addicted to heroin. But neither can let go of the memory of the other, and their mutual dream of putting on a real show.Going into this, I was pleasantly surprised by how dark and gritty and perverted it was; since "whimsy" and "magic" aren't really my thing, the darkness keep me engaged. Though out of my usual comfort zone, I'm glad I gave it a chance. O'Neill writes with joy, sadness and conviction about the corrupting powers of the world and the yearning to retain innocence in spite of it all, concluding with a final page that really cements the tragedy of this dichotomy.I suspect many readers will enjoy this book—so long as they're prepared for the darker aspects of it.

One of my goals this year is to read more books by Canadian authors. I am SO happy I picked this book up. It was sitting on my Kindle since 2017 when it was long listed for the Women's Prize. It blows my mind that it was not short listed (and that it did not win!). This is a beautiful, dark and gritty book about love, childhood innocence, missed opportunities, imagination, art and so much more. I was completely enraptured throughout the whole narrative. This is a book that I will definitely be revisiting in the future. Highly recommend!