Friday 18 April 2014

Review ~ Zenith Hotel by Oscar Coop-Phane.

Title: Zenith Hotel.
Author: Oscar Coop-Phane.
Publisher: Arcadia Books.
Genre: Contemporary.
Release Date: March 15, 2014.
Source: Won from The Book Corner.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Purchase: Amazon UK

Narrator Nanou, a street prostitute, gives a detailed account of her day, from the moment she wakes up with a foul taste in her mouth, in her sordid rented room, until the minute she crawls back into her bed at night to sleep. Interwoven with her story are portraits of her clients.

Oscar Coop-Phane invents an astonishing cast of original and deeply human characters - losers, defeated by the world around them - who seek solace in Nanou's arms. Original and moving, this short book deftly paints a world of solitude and sadness, illuminated by precious moments of tenderness and acts of kindness.




Review:

Zenith Hotel was short, spectacular prose detailing the typical day of Nanou, a street prostitute in Paris. Zenith Hotel is stunning and powerfully written, a fresh and original book which is unbelievably Oscar Coop-Phane’s debut.

On this journey through Nanou’s day, we learn about each of the clients she encounters. Each character was very different and their stories were equally fascinating. From a less talented author, it could have just been a book full of sleaze but instead, we’re brought bleak, raw tales, told perfectly.

Nanou, as the protagonist in Zenith Hotel, was brutally honest about her lifestyle and whereas, in real life, her story would be one to avoid, every word in this book was meaningful and necessary. The pacing was great too – short sections for a fast, engaging read yet still detailed and descriptive.

Zenith Hotel was much more emotive and moving than I had been expecting. It’s strong and nothing is held back – a captivating book, written fantastically and hard to forget.

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