Hood

“Hood” by Emma Donoghue

Published by

Read on Nook – finished 3/12/15

2/5 stars

I read this book as part of a challenge to read outside of my normal genres.  It won the American Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Book Award for Literature so it fit one of the categories I needed to fill.  It is the story of a young woman morning the sudden loss of her partner of the last 13 years.  The story only takes place during one week, however, there are a great deal of flashbacks during that week.  I thought that would make for a great love story but to me, it feel way short.  Admittedly, the sex scenes were too detailed and uncomfortable so I found myself speed reading through most of them but I don’t think that affected my opinion.  I think the author did a good job on the effects of the main character living in the closet with her job and family and thus having to mourn a best friend rather than a lover/spouse but missed many opportunities to show love and instead chose lust.  She also seemed to prefer to cheapen the relationship with affairs by one of the women rather than have more romance.  Overall, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone but wish I had picked a better book.