A review by birdwithabrain
Hotel Arcadia by Sunny Singh

4.0

"Hotel Arcadia" follows two characters, Abhi and Sam, during a 70-hour hotel siege. Sam is a war photographer who specialises in photographing the dead; Abhi is a hotel worker from a military family. The story of the siege is interspersed with flashbacks from their lives, adding depth to their characters and placing their feelings and reactions in context. It's cleverly written and a fascinating study in how people react to awful situations.

Sam is a likeable and relatable character despite her aloofness and detachment. She is wary of getting hurt and finds it easier to live her life alone with the dead. Her closest relationship is with her ex-partner, David, now married to someone else but present in her life like a regrettable tattoo. Her life is fascinating and tragic at the same time.

the scene with her parents reacting to her photography was predictable but heartbreaking - Sam deserves much more than what the world has given her

Abhi is kind-hearted despite his military upbringing and expectations of brutal masculinity from his father. His character is a perfect blend of military organisation and out-of-his-depth panic. I wasn't sure he needed to be portrayed vomiting quite as many times as he did, but it certainly hammered home how awful the situation was.

Overall, this is an interesting and well-plotted book that should appeal to fans of thrillers and character-driven stories.