The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya (Pantheon), picked by bookseller Leslie
The country is Italy, specifically the island of Sicily. To me, the opening conjured images of lazy afternoons, reading, Aperol spritzes, and warm, family togetherness, while exploring. That’s not what this book is about.
The book takes place during present day London (during Covid) where the daughter, Sophia, has written a play, and about ten years earlier when Sophia is a teenager taking a holiday on Sicily with her father, a writer. Coming from a divorced family, Sophia believes that their holiday will be a time to connect while her father treats her like an employee at times, dictating his new book to her.
Flash forward to London – her father sits down to see his daughter’s play; he is horrified to see it is about him. Sophia is brutal in her characterization of her father and his old fashioned ways, and how he treated her during their holiday. The father can’t believe it!!
This book is about different generations, being uncomfortable, expectations, disappointment, love, all of it!
The book goes back and forth between Sicily and London, a format I love. I was surprised and uncomfortable at times while reading this book. There are no easy answers especially with family – I really thought a lot about that, and isn’t that what a good book should do?
~ Leslie