Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 Voices by Garth Stein

Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 Voices Reviews

• 
  Ellie

  Written by 36 different authors, it is not, as you may be thinking, a collection of short stories but a surprisingly coherent novel written live on stage!
  
  Yes you read that right. Hotel Angeline: A Novel In 36 Voices is the product of The Novel: Live! Each writer wrote a chapter in two hours and the whole novel was completed in just six days! Now I'll forgive you for thinking, that's great entertainment but surely the book is a bit hit and miss? No, no, no. It turned out a wonderful story about a girl called Alexis who has an absent mother and is trying to keep a residence hotel running whilst there's a terrorist plot afoot and a body in the basement.
  
  There are of course changes in style but, with a handful of exceptions, you can barely notice the changes unless you're looking for them. I was too absorbed in the plot which is how it should be. I may be tempted to go back through the chapters and match up the writers at a later date. I'm not familiar with the majority of them but this book will definitely make me look out for their work.
  
  It's a bittersweet, sometimes darkly comic, charming, coming of age story and I had a teary-eyed moment towards the end.
• 
  Alexis Villery

  Whether you like this book or not might just depend on why you are reading it. If you are curious about a novel written by 36 different authors in 6 days this is for you. It is quite an amazing feat and in many aspects quite impressive. The writing, as expected, is quite impressive. I was most impressed with the fact that the characters were the same throughout the work. I didn't feel as if I was reading 36 versions of each character. Alexis (isn't that such a wonderful name), the main character and protagonist, was consistent throughout the novel which I think is quite an accomplishment in a book like this. Again, the writing was impeccable.
  
  BUT. If you are reading this for a relaxing read by the pool, you might just be disappointed. I thought this book was about saving a hotel, Hotel Angeline. But it involves the coming of age story of a 14-year-old, death, identifying a parent, discovering the truth about the past, sexual and identify confusion, a terrorist/conspiracy plot, running from authorities, saving a hotel, starting over, and everything that has to do with all of those issues. It was just too much going on. To be fair, this was probably a technique that was used in order to make sure the novel flowed since it was written under pressure by different authors. I think this technique worked in terms of achieving a well-written work, but it did not work in terms of producing an enjoyable read.
  
  Read this if you are curious about the process and the outcome. It was quite an amazing accomplishment but not that fun of a read.
• 
  Rosemarie Donzanti

  Such an interesting structure and development process. Written by 36 authors, some very well known such as Robert Dugoni, Erik Larson, Garth Stein and Jamie Ford. This book was written real time, onstage for a Seattle literary event titled "The Novel: Live". Each author took to the stage and had two hours to write a chapter. The entire book was written in six days. I found it to be a very interesting collaboration and bonus, half of the profit went back to the literary community providing grants for literacy.
  
  Overall an enjoyable coming of age tale, sometimes dark and often very witty, that was written for a very good cause. 4⭐️s for the story, the purpose and the process.
  
  "She reflects on the girl she had been in this place, and the things she had to do in order to survive. For a long time, she'd had to live her childhood backward, forced to step up and take charge of things that were thrust into her hands."
  
  Nancy Pearl - Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 voices
• 
  Bethany

  I found this randomly in the library, and truth be told I wasn't expecting to like it very much but how could I resist seeing how in the world 36 different people write one novel?
  
  I actually enjoyed this way more than I thought I was going to. Some chapters are better than others, of course. Some chapters seamlessly fade into each other while some jar you with the remembrance that "Oh yes, this is not the same author."
  
  One reason I was drawn to this book was the word "hotel" in the title. (And that's what it was listed under on the library shelves!) I love hotel settings for books or films or what have you. But sadly the scenes revolving around the hotel and its inhabitants were my least favourite. Ah well. However, the main character was a lesbian, so that made me really happy. (And further proved that my book gaydar works with frighteningly involuntary accuracy and silence.)
  
  3.5 stars, perhaps?
• 
  Jeanne

  Alexis is taking care of the Hotel Angeline and its quirky tenants all by herself. She is 14, her mom died and no one realizes she is missing. This book has 36 chapters, each one written by a different author. Each author had two hours to write a chapter picking up the story where the last author left off. I read this on my kindle so I couldn't read chapter 11, the graphic novel chapter - it was too small to see. Sometimes the story felt like a dream where things seem to be connected but when you wake up it makes no sense. It was kind of a fun read though and an interesting writing experiment.
• 
  Dixie

  
  Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 Voices is unique in that it is one complete novel written by 36 distinct authors. Each chapter represents the work of one author. The novel was originally written in front of a live audience during an event was called The Novel: Live!. You can read more about the original concept
  here. Given the parameters of the original event, the outcome is pretty incredible.
  
  Hotel Angeline centers around fourteen-year-old Alexis Austin, who lives in a former mortuary turned hotel. The basement is filled with coffins leftover from the mortuary business. The hotel houses several long-term residents, including a pirate with a peg leg and a bonsai gardener. Alexis' mother, also the hotel manager, is sick and no one has seen her for a while. In her absence, Alexis takes over and tries to run the hotel, dealing with everything from repairing the plumbing to serving afternoon tea. Alexis soon finds herself overburdened with grown-up responsibilities. What's a girl to do? Go on a wild adventure and try to save the hotel from creditors! The long-term residents are like family to Alexis and she cannot bear to see them (or herself) lose their home.
  
  Even though the novel is written by 36 different authors, the change in writing is mostly unnoticeable. There were only a handful of chapters where the writing style seemed noticeably different to me. In the foreword, librarian extraordinaire Nancy Pearl recommends that you read the novel once without noticing the author and a second time paying attention. I was not familiar with many of the authors so I did not have a need to pay close attention to which chapter went with which author on my first reading. I plan to go back through and take note of who wrote the chapters that I enjoyed the most.
  
  Disclosure: I received a free e-galley from the publisher, Open Road Media, via NetGalley.
• 
  Heather

  I mean, it's a novel written by 36 authors in six days in front of an audience so no, it's not the greatest thing ever written. But it's a fun concept and an easy read so I think it's worth checking out. But I'm not going to rate it.
• 
  Angie

  I really wanted to like this book. 36 writers who wrote this in a week? Interesting concept. But didn't like the story or the characters.
• 
  Ken Howe

  The idea behind Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 Voices, brainchild of Garth Stein and Jennie Shortridge of Seattle7Writers, is as fascinating as the book promises to be: a cadre of 36 well-known writers gathering in Seattle in October of 2010 to write a complete novel in six days. Before a live audience. Each writer completing one chapter in two hours.
  
  How cool is that?
  
  As an experiment in literary creation, the book accomplishes three very ambitious goals: first, the rendering of a (mostly) cohesive story and, second, proving that the act of creative writing doesn’t always have to be a solitary process carried out in private. The 60,000-word genre-spanning novel is remarkable for its uniqueness and for its display of (raw) talent. The final goal was to raise funds for literary organizations and, indeed, ten thousand dollars was collected to promote literacy.
  
  The story follows fourteen year old Alexis, who inherits the thankless job of running a residential hotel in Seattle when her mother falls ill. It’s an interesting premise and one ripe with potential. One can imagine the storyline veering unexpectedly into any number of tracts. Unfortunately, it does, sometimes a bit jarringly. I’m not sure if the over-the-top feeling is a result of some unconscious need by the authors to infuse everything they think about the story and its characters into their one chapter (something normally spread out over the course of the entire book, or at least with greater restraint), but it felt a bit excessive at times. It was almost like watching the character(s) reinvent and reintroduce themselves over and over again, with the result feeling somewhat…schizophrenic.
  
  Having said that, in many places the writing absolutely sings, and it’s in these moments that the beauty of the book—and the skill of the individual writer—shines forth. There were other times, however, when the writing tended to flag or felt self-congratulatory. Not surprising, given the number of voices involved. And so it is remarkable that despite these caveats the story is as cohesive as it is.
  
  This is, however, not to say that the story doesn’t work and that it and the characters don’t engage the reader. They do a fairly decent job of it, though certainly not with the seamlessness one is accustomed to with a single-author book. Some transitions were more disruptive than others, especially those where the entire format changed. Knowing the book’s history does prepare one to expect this. In fact, the transitions become a part of the character of the book, propelling the reader onto the next chapter in expectation of finding something new. Special props go to the organizers and the writers for bringing the story to a satisfying conclusion.
  
  I think it behooves the authors to continue talking up the book’s conception and creation, both as a literary experiment and a literary device, especially for readers interested in more than reading-for-pleasure, readers who are more attuned to style and voice and language. Readers who simply want to completely immerse themselves in a good story will probably find Hotel Angeline a bit like a subway ride, with far too many stops and starts.
  
• 
  Julie G

  Intrigued by the story of its creation, I chose to read and review Hotel Angeline because of the subtitle. A Novel in 36 Voices says it all.
  
  Jenny Shortridge and Garth Stein were asked to help brainstorm ideas for the literary week of ArtsCrush, the Seattle month-long arts festival. The cofounders of non-profit Seattle7Writers wracked their brains until Stein had a ... novel ... idea: A writing marathon.
  
  Over six days in October 2010, twelve hours a day, thirty-six writers took a turn. For 2 hours - on stage, simulcast on the Internet - each writer wrote. The result of this event, The Novel: Live! , was this book.
  
  *****
  
  Alexis Austin has troubles. She's fourteen years old, living in a former mortuary with a collection of kooks, misfits, and anti-establishment former (or not so former) protesters.
  
  With her mother unable to run the hotel, Alexis has taken over the cleaning and repairing and afternoon teas. And the care and maintenance of her extremely quirky tenants. The roof leaks, the plumbing's bad; a crow, a snake, and a bathtub full of fish only add to the chaos.
  
  Then, things get worse: There is a plot to sell the hotel.
  
  This is the only home her tenants have; the only home Alexis has ever known. How can a young girl and a sea of lost souls, with widely varying grips on reality, save Hotel Angeline? What about Alexis' missing father? her suddenly militant surrogate dad?
  
  As things continue to go from bad to worse, which almost seems impossible, Alexis learns about herself, her strengths, and who her friends truly are. She also discovers what makes a family and that, sometimes, it's okay to just be fourteen.
  
  *****
  
  Not surprisingly, with 36 minds telling Alexis' story, the novel is a little uneven. The jumps in perspective between some of the chapters is a bit jarring; especially the illustrated chapter. But, oddly enough, when push comes to shove and you turn the last page - it works.
  
  The best advice - taken from the foreword - is to read this book as you would read any novel: Sit down, open the cover (fire-up the ereader), and dig in. Ignore the author names at the beginning of each chapter.
  
  Get to know Alexis, Linda, LJ, Habib. Enjoy the characters who are Ursula, Roberta, Otto, and Mr. Kenji. They are fascinating.
  
  Trust me.
  
  
  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com professional readers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
  
• 
  Cleffairy Cleffairy

  Full review at:
  Over A Cuppa Tea
  
  When I requested this book for review in Netgalley, I am not quite sure what to expect, considering that it’s one story written by 36 authors live. Yes… it’s just one story…not a collection of story. I was rather skeptic a with the end result even before I began reading.
  
  I wondered if it will even have coherence, but much to my surprised, it’s not only decipherable, but the story is amazingly well written and I’m pleased to say it’s one of the best novel I’ve ever read. It’s highly entertaining, inspiring and not to mention, unpredictable in a good way. I was really hooked on the story and i find it hard to put down. This book, is a gem, a treasure and definitely a keeper.
  
  If you’re a reader who is bored of the conventional novel with predictable plot, you might want to try reading Hotel Angeline. I daresay that you won’t be disappointed and will crave for more. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for not only the effort done by authors, but also for the sheer brilliance of it.
• 
  Ellen

  I think that this book would appeal to someone who reads Y A books. It was quirky but also depressing. Sort of an Oprah type book for teens.
• 
  David Crawley

  Expanding the Limits of Creativity ... I wouldn’t think it possible for 36 writers to each pen a separate chapter for a novel and the result be a coherent story. It was all done over six days on stage before a live audience with each writer having a two-hour slot to put a chapter together. Understandably, the authors of the first few chapters had the most difficult job; as Yogi Berra once said, “If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” But each of these talented artists somehow picked up the developing theme and added their own unique ingredients to it as it slowly coalesced into a logical story arc. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it during the first part of the book, and I had the feeling none of the writers knew exactly where the story was going; by the end I was fully engaged. I loved it, and I pronounce this crazy project a resounding success. – David B. Crawley, M.D. – Author of “
  Steep Turn: A Physician's Journey from Clinic to Cockpit” and “
  A Mile of String: A Boy's Recollection of His Midwest Childhood.”
  
• 
  Katherine Strom

  I was very intrigued about the concept of this book. 36 local authors coming together and creating a story, each one with their own chapter. I like reading local authors and fell upon this book because I was down an Erik Larson rabbit hole. I'm happy to own a book with a list of other authors to look into - being able to re-read their chapter and find something I might be more in the mood for at any given time.
  
  The story was also interesting, although I found myself losing investment toward the end. I put it down for awhile, hoping for the spark to return. It started to feel a tad bit repetitive is all. The "Too much is happening to me, I'm too young for this, It's not fair" or "Do I have it all wrong?" inner dialogue Alexis constantly had, got old quick but everything else I really appreciated. I'm also not sure how I feel about Linda. I both liked and disliked her character at times. The quirkiness of the Hotel tenants was thoroughly enjoyable and I was pleased with Uncle Burr in the end. The eulogy that Alexis recited for her mom bothered me a bit too. I had warmth for Edith the entire time, and the "you tried" remark rubbed me wrong for some reason.
• 
  Alli Garrison

  I love a gimmick (see Ella Minnow Pea) and this one does not disappoint. Written by 36 authors in two-hour stints in a public setting and it flows better than some furiously edited single-author books I've read recently. I loved Alexis - she's quirky and precocious. Rich characters all-around.
  
  I liked knowing that each new chapter brought talent to the story. I also liked the nods-to-self that some authors added to the story-line. I thoroughly enjoyed this experiment in writing. Some readers may balk at the plot twists that each new writer brings to the table, but I relished the whole book.
• 
  Sarah Jane

  This book was a weird and wild ride. I started this book because I wanted to read all of Julia Quinn's books and she writes one of the chapters. This book was definitely a weird read that made me put my hand on top of my head and exclaim "what?!?" into the void. At which point my husband would look amused and I would tell him the latest thing that happened in the book. (the birds. I just couldn't with the birds.) I found that with each chapter and a new author it was almost like starting a new book with each chapter, I found it hard to get into sometimes. I'm happy I finished it though and I was happy Alexia found some stability in her life at the end.
• 
  Sara

  When I was in Washington over the summer, I tried to visit a new bookstore each time I went out. While coming back to my parents, after a weekend at North Cascades, we passed through La Conner and stopped in at Seaport Books. I didn’t need anything (my #TBR is packed), but this book, a novel in 36 voices, seemed like such a clever idea. Written by 36 different PNW writers, each penning a chapter that furthers the story, this was a fun read and the different voices didn’t negatively impact the flow.
  
• 
  Elisa

  36 authors managed to write a captivating, dark, funny novel about a fourteen year old girl and her relationship with Hotel Angeline. I didn’t have any expectations going in, but was pleasantly surprised. The authors captured their protagonists wry, whip-smart, older-than-her-years voice while at the same time indicating her youthfulness. I was engrossed in the novel and read it in a week. I did notice the style changes in a number of chapters, but it was fairly minimal. My favorite was the cartoon chapter. Kudos to the authors for putting together a cohesive novel in less than a week.
• 
  Anne-Gigi Chan

  Mixed feeling...
  
  The concept behind this book fascinated me and being a resident in the Seattle area for over a decade made me very interested in reading it. The story was slow to start and I almost gave up after a while. Reading this was like reading a train wreck in slow motion so I am not sure I really liked the story line. However, given it was written by 36 different people, it was surprisingly coherent.
• 
  Jack Martin

  Coming of age.
  
  This was the most interesting book in years. The eclectic and creative genius of each writer chapter by chapter made this book unique and enjoyable.
  What a brilliant idea to use stand-up comedy improve and transfer it to a story well worth ready.
  It changed my view on young street kids of Seattle. Alexis is a heroine in her growth their tragedy, loss of family and awakening.
  Brilliant does not do this book justice.
  Thank you.
  JM
• 
  Marilyn

  Being a fourteen year old girl is hard work. Alexis understands better than others. She has had to hide her mother's death and body, keep running the "hotel", keep secrets from her best friend, and still go to school like every other teenager. The book is made even more interesting knowing that each chapter was written by a different author.
• 
  Ken Hunt

  What a fun concept well executed. A lot of Seattle's most famous writers each writing a chapter in sequence, that held together nicely. My favorites involved included, Garth Stein, Erik Larsen, and Jamie Ford. You can actually see their styles and filters imprinted on their chapters. Fun, quick, total brain candy. Must read for Seattleites, fun read for all.
• 
  Jackie

  I would rate this a 2.5. I really wanted to like it. I love the concept behind it, and admire the skill of the authors to create a cohesive story under the circumstances. Unfortunately, I think the weakness was also in the process, since the tone kept shifting. The story was just too chaotic for me, and I just could never get behind the protaganist. I really am impressed with the authors though.
• 
  Frank Scherrman

  This is a pretty fascinating project. 36 different authors write a chapter and finish a fun story in 6 days. It was fun to see different approaches in each chapter. I do wonder if a few were messing with each other at the end of their chapters. I think I would of. A quirky story, but had some laugh-out-loud moments as well.
• 
  Donna

  Picked this as an audio “read” on a trip. It was perfect for this. I was interested in how 36 people who only wrote for 2 hours could tie a story together. They did a fabulous job. I loved hearing the different author voices with each chapter. Some authors I have never read, and after this I will explore their writings further.