The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
paigereitz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I struggled with how to rate this book. I didn't hate it. But it's very clearly dated, a relic of another time that does not hold up particularly well. As a Buffett Bookcase staple, I felt obliged to give it a shot - the story of a white man who buys a hotel on a whim in the Caribbean and gets his ass handed to him in his white superiority nonsense is, in fact, an important story. But the dated racial and homophobic language was gross, and the story dragged at times. It took me a while to chew through, in starts and stops, but it wasn't all bad. But it wasn't a top read of 2023 either.Â
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Deportation, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Infidelity, and Homophobia
saralynnburnett's review against another edition
5.0
This book... objectively is a 3-4 star read but I’m too close to it to be objective (this is a reread for me). Bad news first: its attitudes towards women, Caribbean people, and the LGBTQ community are ANTIQUATED. Capitalized. Underlined. Antiquated.
However, considering that it was written in 1965 it’s ‘forgivable’ in that it does accurately capture the zeitgeist of the time.
The good news: the story is a tragicomedy about the illusionary paradise of running a hotel as an outsider in the Caribbean and it really, really is just like that. What can go wrong will go wrong and often in the most uproarious ways. The author would know as Herman Wouk did spend some time running a hotel (The Royal Mail Inn) on Hassel Island in the US Virgin Islands before writing the novel.
The title of the book is a cheeky play on the Caribbean meaning of the word carnival = party / fete, and the western meaning = circus. Hotels really are sort of like freak shows... especially down here where people tend to take on their ‘cutting loose’ vacations with vehemence.
I was handed this book with a wink and a smile when I started in the Caribbean hospitality industry and read it then, and now a few years in it warranted a reread to see just how accurate this ‘field guide’ is. And it is. Unfortunately here in the Caribbean a lot of the antiquated attitudes are still accurate too, but that aside, whenever something goes wrong at one of the hotels I work with (which it inevitably will, even things you never imagined could go wrong) I often hear the phrase (or I say it myself) ‘don’t stop the carnival’ uttered in reference to this book. When nonsense occurs that you want to fix, ignore, or mask you simply don’t stop the carnival!
However, considering that it was written in 1965 it’s ‘forgivable’ in that it does accurately capture the zeitgeist of the time.
The good news: the story is a tragicomedy about the illusionary paradise of running a hotel as an outsider in the Caribbean and it really, really is just like that. What can go wrong will go wrong and often in the most uproarious ways. The author would know as Herman Wouk did spend some time running a hotel (The Royal Mail Inn) on Hassel Island in the US Virgin Islands before writing the novel.
The title of the book is a cheeky play on the Caribbean meaning of the word carnival = party / fete, and the western meaning = circus. Hotels really are sort of like freak shows... especially down here where people tend to take on their ‘cutting loose’ vacations with vehemence.
I was handed this book with a wink and a smile when I started in the Caribbean hospitality industry and read it then, and now a few years in it warranted a reread to see just how accurate this ‘field guide’ is. And it is. Unfortunately here in the Caribbean a lot of the antiquated attitudes are still accurate too, but that aside, whenever something goes wrong at one of the hotels I work with (which it inevitably will, even things you never imagined could go wrong) I often hear the phrase (or I say it myself) ‘don’t stop the carnival’ uttered in reference to this book. When nonsense occurs that you want to fix, ignore, or mask you simply don’t stop the carnival!
toniobarton's review against another edition
3.0
New York Jewish Broadway producer tries to manage a Caribbean hotel. Very Funny!
patlibrary89's review against another edition
3.0
silly book about the Bahamas recommended by a friend(Shelia) and is not a book club book that I checked out of the library
eed8's review against another edition
1.0
To be fair, I know that this book is a product of its time. But the overwhelming racism, misogyny, and homophobia is still revolting - I'm amazed that modern readers continue to rate this book so highly. I was so excited to read this because of my personal history with St. Croix, but I wound up abandoning the book halfway through in disgust after Wouk tried to portray an attempted sexual assault through a humorous lens. I'd give this negative stars if I could.
muggsyspaniel's review against another edition
1.0
A vague rambling book that never seemed to know what it's own point was. The supposed comedy wasn't funny and when we finally got round to the drama and tragedy it was rushed and seemingly sellotaped on to the end as an afterthought.
mandijoz16's review against another edition
4.0
My brother has been begging me to read this book for ages. It took a bit to get into it, but I wound up really enjoying the book.
saralynnburnett's review
5.0
This book... objectively is a 3-4 star read but I’m too close to it to be objective (this is a reread for me). Bad news first: its attitudes towards women, Caribbean people, and the LGBTQ community are ANTIQUATED. Capitalized. Underlined. Antiquated.
However, considering that it was written in 1965 it’s ‘forgivable’ in that it does accurately capture the zeitgeist of the time.
The good news: the story is a tragicomedy about the illusionary paradise of running a hotel as an outsider in the Caribbean and it really, really is just like that. What can go wrong will go wrong and often in the most uproarious ways. The author would know as Herman Wouk did spend some time running a hotel (The Royal Mail Inn) on Hassel Island in the US Virgin Islands before writing the novel.
The title of the book is a cheeky play on the Caribbean meaning of the word carnival = party / fete, and the western meaning = circus. Hotels really are sort of like freak shows... especially down here where people tend to take on their ‘cutting loose’ vacations with vehemence.
I was handed this book with a wink and a smile when I started in the Caribbean hospitality industry and read it then, and now a few years in it warranted a reread to see just how accurate this ‘field guide’ is. And it is. Unfortunately here in the Caribbean a lot of the antiquated attitudes are still accurate too, but that aside, whenever something goes wrong at one of the hotels I work with (which it inevitably will, even things you never imagined could go wrong) I often hear the phrase (or I say it myself) ‘don’t stop the carnival’ uttered in reference to this book. When nonsense occurs that you want to fix, ignore, or mask you simply don’t stop the carnival!
However, considering that it was written in 1965 it’s ‘forgivable’ in that it does accurately capture the zeitgeist of the time.
The good news: the story is a tragicomedy about the illusionary paradise of running a hotel as an outsider in the Caribbean and it really, really is just like that. What can go wrong will go wrong and often in the most uproarious ways. The author would know as Herman Wouk did spend some time running a hotel (The Royal Mail Inn) on Hassel Island in the US Virgin Islands before writing the novel.
The title of the book is a cheeky play on the Caribbean meaning of the word carnival = party / fete, and the western meaning = circus. Hotels really are sort of like freak shows... especially down here where people tend to take on their ‘cutting loose’ vacations with vehemence.
I was handed this book with a wink and a smile when I started in the Caribbean hospitality industry and read it then, and now a few years in it warranted a reread to see just how accurate this ‘field guide’ is. And it is. Unfortunately here in the Caribbean a lot of the antiquated attitudes are still accurate too, but that aside, whenever something goes wrong at one of the hotels I work with (which it inevitably will, even things you never imagined could go wrong) I often hear the phrase (or I say it myself) ‘don’t stop the carnival’ uttered in reference to this book. When nonsense occurs that you want to fix, ignore, or mask you simply don’t stop the carnival!
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