A review by bluepigeon
The Fallow Season of Hugo Hunter by Craig Lancaster

3.0

I don't read chick lit, but I imagine The Fallow Season of Hugo Hunter is like chick lit written from a guy's perspective? I don't even know if that makes sense. The writing shines at moments, and at others, is over the top. Some events are repeatedly evaluated by several of the characters, which makes the plot seem stationary. Perhaps the most puzzling character is the narrator; somehow his first marriage was doomed to fail, though we never really understand why, and now he is in this great relationship, with an amazing woman, who brings out the best in him. Really? Sounds implausible, especially for someone who hasn't had any other major tries at being in relationships. He also insists on calling younger males "bud" and his girlfriend/wife "girl," which must be a Montana thing... The basic plot is set well, and the plot twists (secrets in the common past of the characters) are revealed at a good pace, but the reader spends too much time in the narrator's head, a time that is spent mostly on psychoanalyzing everyone and evaluating and re-evaluating where things went wrong. There is a lot of talk about how a journalist is supposed to be and how the narrator fails to be objective like a proper journalist regarding Hugo, but the heart of the matter never really goes beyond some sentimental banter (for example, if the journalist did his job, Hugo's failures would be known fully in the media, which might have helped Hugo clean up his act [or not], and Hugo's birth father would come to light, which, again, could have significantly altered the boxer's life.) In the end, I didn't care much about the narrator, his new life, or anyone else; maybe a little about Hugo, only because he was portrayed as such an affable loser.