Description
Book SynopsisA woman granted a superpower discovers it’s more trouble than it’s worth. A neighbourhood forum becomes the setting for a bizarre ghost story. A children’s entertainer wrestles with problems that are nothing to joke about. A harassed dad attempts to meet the challenge of the primary school cake competition.
By turns tender and satirical, witty and bizarre, the stories in this debut collection cast a fresh eye on first-world problems. Funny and humane, they zoom in on the absurdities and poignancies in work, family, love and loss in our frenetic modern lives.
Trade Review[These stories] chart the transformative, vengeful, poignant moments of everyday life with an appealing down-to-earth candour.
* Daily Mail *
An impressive debut.
* The Irish Times *
Brotzel packs each mini escapade with surprise and wit, playing deftly with form and tone and probing what is absurd and poignant in everyday life. Each story can turn on a phrase, and there’s a powerful sensation that something sinister is inching towards you with every line.
* The Herald *
Thoughtful and satirical, Alan Bennett meets David Sedaris meets Jasper Fforde. Dan Brotzel’s collection turns clichés on their heads.
* Press & Journal *
Alive with humour, wit and subtle observations...and, then, when we’re least expecting it, a darkness, a deeper reality,a shadow that creeps up behind and holds up a mirror
This book is unique, original and, most importantly, a joy to read – a masterclass in short story writing.
A bouncy and heartfelt read. Get ordering!
* Storgy Magazine *
Hotel du Jack is funny, sad, excruciating and poignant.
Brotzel’s prose style is anarchic and economical. His dialogue fizzes along brilliantly and he’s genuinely a laugh-out-loud writer, but with some real pathos and depth to his characters too.
Funny , but also touching,and sometimes a little bit odd. For that I truly enjoyed them.
* NetGalley *
A contemporary collection with 21st century themes. Brexit, Trump, Alexa and other themes abound, but never does the author skimp on the portrayal of characters... A great read.
* NB Magazine *
The kind of collection that gets more interesting and fuller with every subsequent analysis or discussion.
* Superfluous Reading blog *
Hotel du Jack brings together 28 stories, frequently marrying style and substance to pull off a fresh, witty and insightful collection.
* The Short Story *
