The Hurricane by Hugh Howey

Amy   

fiction

The Hurricane tells the story of Daniel Stillman's life and experiences immediately before, during, and immediately after Hurricane Anna hits his city in South Carolina. 

Amy's Review

This proves that even spectacular authors like Hugh Howey don't always write great books. The Hurricane can best be described as tedious. The beginning illustrates the tedium of high school when you happen to be an unremarkable loner. The middle illustrates the tedium of all the helpless waiting while hunkered down in a bathroom with your family when the eye of the hurricane goes through your town. The ending illustrates the tedium of cleaning up after a hurricane. Sure, there was some conflict and troubles of the human variety thrown in. But none of it was really gripping or overly interesting. It tried to be a family drama at times, but it wasn't dramatic enough. The small romance was cute but felt like some sprinkles on a pile of liver. The detailed section about removing the tree on the roof made me want to rip my ears off. If I were reading the book instead of listening to the audiobook, I would have skimmed over it. But, I couldn't do that. TORTURE! And, while on the subject of the audiobook, why select an older British gentlemen to read a story centered around an American, southern, teenage boy? It was a poor choice and was distracting. In fact, I probably wouldn't have finished listening to this novel if I had any other available audiobook to accompany my walking around the neighborhood. And I'm sure I wouldn't have finished reading it if it was in book form.

You would think with a title of The Hurricane that it would have been a harrowing story of the terror and destruction from the storm. But the hurricane itself plays a minor supporting role in this novel and doesn't pack any of the punch I was expecting. It serves, simply, as a setting. I will say that the final conversation between Roby and Daniel was the best part of the entire book. It was funny. I was glad that the story ended on a high note. I only wish that there had been more personality to enjoy throughout the story.