2020 has been a year where a lot of us have had to learn how to spend time with just ourselves. Over lockdowns and restrictions, we’ve had to learn new ways to be productive as well as new ways to not be productive. We’ve had to learn how to take things slowly amidst so much uncertainty. Above all, we’ve had to learn to be kind to ourselves. And it’s in this strange and quiet environment that Rónán Hession’s Leonard and Hungry Paul has come into its own. In what is astoundingly his first novel, Hession offers us a maturely crafted and heart-warming story of ordinary people doing their best. With a beautifully written focus on life’s littlest details, the book feels like a guide in how to simply exist and enjoy the present moment around you, even if that just means sitting in a park or playing a boardgame.
Leonard is a kind of ghostwriter for children’s encyclopaedias. He types away in a multi-purpose office space and allows other, more established people to take credit for his work. Hungry Paul is a very, very part-time postman who sees the world in the most peculiar and unique way, and is happy to let life happen around him. The two of them meet every week to play boardgames and to talk sensibly about the things that interest them; the Romans; judo; the endless expanse of the universe. Both are in their mid-thirties and both live with their parents. Or rather, they did until Leonard’s mother passes away at the beginning of the book. And this is the unfortunate first sign that 21st century life is moving and changing fast for these men. With his sister getting married and his parents retiring and looking to restart their lives, Hungry Paul (whose nickname is never explained) is in danger of getting left behind. And so these two friends must learn to navigate life’s currents as best as they can, getting to grips with jobs, relationships and the responsibilities that come with both.
What follows is a series of episodes of the slow everyday whirlwind; wedding planning; family dinners; even a competition for who can create the best email sign-off. With a charming self-awareness, Hession seems to be experimenting with just how mundane life can get. With this strategy, there are moments when he doesn’t quite nail the tightrope walk between realism and parody, and the events do come off as just a little plain. However, for the most part, Hession inserts just the right amount of detail and quirkiness into these slices of life that blankets the book in a wonderfully warm and accepting atmosphere. At its best, there is such a tenderness and gentle wit to each sentence that it’s almost as if the pages are reaching out to the reader to say: ‘It’s okay. Take your time.’
And this feels like the main sentiment to take away from the novel: try not to get swept up into the world’s rollercoaster. Take a step back. Look around. Today’s virus-ridden world seems to be changing faster than ever, and there have been times this year where it’s all been too much to take. But turning the final pages of Leonard and Hungry Paul makes the world feel like a much less scary place, and instead of feeling overwhelmed by the big picture, we feel open to appreciate all the tiny unnoticed things that are happening around us. Through the lens of Hession and his simple but loveable characters, the ordinary world feels like the best possible place to be.
Leonard and Hungry Paul is produced by Bluemoose: https://bluemoosebooks.com/
review written by Alex George
What follows is a series of episodes of the slow everyday whirlwind; wedding planning; family dinners; even a competition for who can create the best email sign-off. With a charming self-awareness, Hession seems to be experimenting with just how mundane life can get. With this strategy, there are moments when he doesn’t quite nail the tightrope walk between realism and parody, and the events do come off as just a little plain. However, for the most part, Hession inserts just the right amount of detail and quirkiness into these slices of life that blankets the book in a wonderfully warm and accepting atmosphere. At its best, there is such a tenderness and gentle wit to each sentence that it’s almost as if the pages are reaching out to the reader to say: ‘It’s okay. Take your time.’
And this feels like the main sentiment to take away from the novel: try not to get swept up into the world’s rollercoaster. Take a step back. Look around. Today’s virus-ridden world seems to be changing faster than ever, and there have been times this year where it’s all been too much to take. But turning the final pages of Leonard and Hungry Paul makes the world feel like a much less scary place, and instead of feeling overwhelmed by the big picture, we feel open to appreciate all the tiny unnoticed things that are happening around us. Through the lens of Hession and his simple but loveable characters, the ordinary world feels like the best possible place to be.
Leonard and Hungry Paul is produced by Bluemoose: https://bluemoosebooks.com/
review written by Alex George
RSS Feed
