The Boiling Season

by Christopher Hebert

An ambitious young man struggles to define himself and his future while his Caribbean homeland plunges into a violent revolution, in a novel that recalls Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day: Hopwood Award-winning writer Christopher Hebert’s The Boiling Season. A passionate, intimate exploration of one man’s loss of innocence and reclamation of identity, this compassionate and compellingly character-driven novel will speak to readers of Barabara Kingsolver and J. M. Coetzee, as Hebert’s illuminating and visceral portrayal of a popular insurrection against an all-powerful dictator—a backdrop that echoes events in Haiti—beautifully translates the struggles of our contemporary world into a work of soaring and unforgettable literary fiction.

Genres: Fiction

432 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2012

About the author

CHRISTOPHER HEBERT is the author of the novels Angels of Detroit (Bloomsbury 2016) and The Boiling Season (HarperCollins, 2012), winner of the 2013 Friends of American Writers award. He is also co-editor of Stories of Nation: Fictions, Politics, and the American Experience (forthcoming UT Press). His short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in such publications as FiveChapters, Cimarron Review, Narrative, Interview, and the Millions. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and is editor-at-large for the University of Michigan Press. Currently he lives in Knoxville, TN, where he is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Tennessee.

Reviews

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set on an unspecified Caribbean island and narrated by the protagonist, The Boiling Season is a look at one young man's unwillingness to accept the identity handed to him by birth and by skin color. It's important to note that this is more a character study than a piece of historical fiction.

Alexandre is raised in the slums by his father, a shopkeeper with socialist leanings and no interest in improving his lot. The memory of his dead mother's love of beauty instills in Alexandre the belief that he is somehow superior to the other slum dwellers. His ambition is admirable, but his disdain for his compatriots reveals the deep feelings of inferiority for a black person on a formerly colonial island, where wealth and whiteness are still prized. Alexandre spends his life refusing to acknowledge that he belongs to this island, refusing to identify with the other islanders as his people.

After Alexandre's early years working for Senator Marcus, he goes to work at Habitation Luvois, where the bulk of the novel is set. Habitation Luvois is a derelict estate which Alexandre restores to its former glory while in the employ of Mme Freeman, a wealthy American woman. The estate becomes a lavish hotel catering to glamorous foreigners. Alexandre aspires to become one of these people, somehow believing that simple proximity will transform him and eradicate his identity as a native.

If you're familiar with Haitian history, you'll recognize some parallels with the events in this story. As his country becomes increasingly violent and unstable, Alexandre remains locked away on his oasis, dreaming of the day when things will settle down and guests will once again grace the hotel.

Even when the inhabitants of Cite Verd, the nearby slum, encroach on his idyll, Alexandre still remains a non-participant in the real world. This is a man who so deeply denies his true identity that he becomes almost invisible to the revolutionaries with whom he is forced to share space.

Some patient reading is required in the middle of the story, which is often devoted to the routine tasks of restoring and maintaining Habitation Luvois. These activities are interspersed with Alexandre's longings and the life he lives in his mind. While insightful and well written, these portions of the book can come to feel a bit repetitive.

This is a quietly alarming novel from an author who puts great care into the crafting of every sentence. The conclusion is understated, giving us hope that Alexandre is on the way to accepting the truth about himself and his role as a citizen of his native land. He appears willing to finally participate in creating positive change rather than remaining a judgmental bystander.

[Jillian (Peapod Historical Bookery) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for free as a First Reads giveaway.

Before I started this book, I read a review that said this was more of a character study, and I agree. This book is about Alexandre and his development as a person, about his journey to find his purpose and his place in the world. It is set on an unidentified island in the Caribbean in the midst of war, rich and powerful vs poor and powerless.

Alexandre starts out wanting to distance himself as much as possible from the people around him, and he is adamant that they are not "his people." He sees himself as apart from and above them. He wants more to life; he wants the beauty that his mother sought. He pours his time and effort in restoring Habitation Louvois, an old estate that is his version of paradise: green and untouched. His world revolves around Habitation Louvois, and the outside people and their problems are nothing but an annoyance to him.

I enjoyed reading along as he struggled to develop Habitation Louvois and then struggled to maintain it. Alexandre escapes the real world and envelops himself in preparing the estate, which has now become a hotel, for wealthy foreign visitors. As it becomes popular, I felt fulfilled along with Alexandre; things were going so right, and all his hard work was paying off.

But as you read, you know in your heart that the success of Habitation Louvois cannot last, that the peace at the hotel cannot withstand the violence outside its walls. It was heartbreaking to see all Alexandre's hard work disintegrating right before his eyes as the armies march in. The book ends on a bittersweet note, with a feeling of hope and an Alexandre who has truly discovered who he is, despite all he has lost throughout the book.

I'm not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but I'll hide it just in case. This line in the middle of the novel stuck with me, and looking back on it after reading to the end, it is as if Alexandre is foretelling his own future, although I'm sure not in the way he envisioned at the time. He says about Habitation Louvois, "The walls have lasted two hundred years, and they will last two hundred more - or at least as long as I am here to watch over them."

[Christine Boyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think most people would agree that it is difficult to write good "epics" - those stories that span 30 or more years. Well, there were several flaws about this novel that made me want to stop reading, but the main problem was just that - the "30-year" thing just never worked. When a line would say, "3 years have passed and he ..." I thought huh? where? when? At the end, the main character, Alexendre, makes some comments about a teen who he had very few scenes with earlier such as, "I missed him, we spent so much time together, like a son..." huh? where? when? The author never developed any relationships early on so all these comments at the end did not connect. The only time I ever felt "pass" was my own time slipping away as I trudged through this thing.

Two other major problems. The theme is unclear. I kept thinking the story would delve into the whole race issue, but it never got there. Also, it is clear that this was supposed to be a "character study" - hence, no mention ever of exact location, or dates. That was fine, but if it's going to be truly about the character, plese give me more than a one-dimensional character. Alexandre seemed very flat and his only characteristic was his drive to clean and repair the villa & hotel! Am I supposed to believe he NEVER had a love relationship (or even flirtation?). On the last 10 pages the author tries to make it seem like he might like some young lady, but it falls flat at that point.

This book had a ton of potential for a new type of story with a unique viewpoint on race, adult parent-child relationships, overthrown dictatorships, friendship, rebellion - but it all fell short. I found it boring.

[Amanda Zirn Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, I fell in love with the characters right away. Although the content is nothing similar to it, this book really reminded me of Cutting For Stone; I think it's because of the character development. Definitely read this book! It's a bit lengthy but it's totally worth it! I can't wait for this to come out so I can recommend it to everyone.

[Serge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel surprised me in very good ways. It managed to deal with racism, colonialism, and the plight of small, forgotten countries in a compelling and entertaining way.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but my take is different from most reviewers. Alexandre, the protagonist, is born to a poor but idealistic father and a somewhat romantic mother in the slums of an unnamed country that seems clearly to be Haiti. Alexandre’ mother dies when he is young and his father, wrapped in liberation theology, fails to pass his values on to his son. Instead, by scrapping to give A. a first class education, he ends by raising a little elitist. A gets a job as a driver and valet for a wealthy senator and sees himself as a person completely apart from the slums where he grew up. When, through his connections with a hotel manager, A gets a job assisting a wealthy American woman to renovate an old estate and turn it into a tourist hotel and wildlife refuge, A pours all his energy and idealism into the project. But what he eventually learns is that the inequalities and brutality that he tries to escape are entwined with the system that give him status and identity. I read A as a naive narrator whose view is easily seen as illogical and self centered by the reader. Sadly, it takes personal and national tragedy for A to understand that he cannot erase his connection to his own origins.

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexandre isn’t really trying to ignore the poor village where he grew up and those who still live there. He just wants to rise above, and doesn’t understand why anyone else wouldn’t want the same for him and for themself. While others see Alexandre as being meek and doing what his rich bosses order without question, he only sees the material comforts and luxuries he gets by playing along. Who wouldn’t want less struggles, right? He fails to see how his playing along impedes the revolution or keeps his former acquaintances living in sad shacks and squalor.

The graphic descriptions of the opulent homes and places the rich people visited were clearly presented in extreme contrast to the shanty towns and barely functioning structures where so much of the rest of the people lived. Without spoiling the story, Alexandre’s determination and life experiences save him from much exposure to those who struggle early in the book. Observing his evolution to gain more understanding of the world around him was both rewarding and sad.

Overall, I’d give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The telling of it was gorgeous, even when the actual story progressing became more and more about conflict, violence, and personal desperation. It could be recommended to those who enjoy literary fiction and historical fiction.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexandre grew up in the slums of a country that’s Haiti in all but name--the poorest country in the western hemisphere. He responds by refusing to acknowledge any connection with the type of people he grew up with, instead identifying with rich white tourists. He devotes his life to his work, first as a senator’s servant, and later as the manager of a lavish estate turned into an exclusive resort, until the increasing violence and instability forces him to change.

The Boiling Season is primarily a character study, written in the first person from Alexandre’s point of view. The characterization is both strong and insightful. Not only is Alexandre a vividly drawn, complex character, but the same is also true of several supporting characters. It’s not often that you encounter a book that deals in such a thoughtful way with people’s responses to the poverty and lack of opportunity they face in the world’s poorest countries. And Alexandre is a fascinating narrator--he’s not unreliable, in the sense that he doesn’t attempt to mislead the reader, but his perceptions of himself, the people around him and his place in the world are so frequently off-base that readers are invited to sort out his biases and come to their own conclusions. The author’s willingness to take the characters down unusual paths is also much-appreciated--for instance, rather than having an obligatory cookie-cutter romance, Alexandre is asexual, which further complicates his existing relationships.

The novel is also well-written, and I was especially relieved to find an author who not only has a mature writing style, but doesn’t equate “good writing” with “an avalanche of similes”--figurative language is used only where it actually helps illuminate the story. The pacing is leisurely, but unlike some other reviewers, I never found the book dull. While there’s a lot about estate management, it’s mostly about dealing with people--whether Alexandre’s bribing government officials or trying to bully the staff--and was written in an engaging enough way that I was able to invest in it. (But although there are a couple of shootouts, this isn’t a book for those looking for action.)

Oddly, although the book weaves in some of the history of the island and provides great visual and sensory detail, there isn’t much culture here. Neither the slumdwellers nor the rich islanders seem to have any recognizable cultural practices at all beyond a couple mentions of religion, and where you might expect a few Creole words or expressions to be sprinkled into the dialogue to add flavor, there’s nothing like that here. In fact, but for the characters’ names and forms of address (Monsieur, Madame), you’d think everyone spoke standard American English. For Alexandre’s narration, that seems plausible--he’s just the sort of stiff, formal type who might eschew colloquialisms--but the other characters all talk that way too.

Even so, this was a solid 4-star book for me up until the end. Unfortunately, the climax felt forced, making it more of a 3.5. But I’m rounding up because I did enjoy reading it, and because of its thoughtful treatment of its themes.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexandre is one of those people to whom things happen. A black born on an unnamed Caribbean island, he escapes from the poverty of his hometown slum to the hillsides, first as a footman and then as the driver to an important Senator. One of his duties is to accompany the Senator to lunch, where Alexandre waits in the lobby of the Hotel Erdrich; M. Guinee, the hotel's assistant manager, befriends Alexandre and takes him on a trip to visit the long-deserted Habitation Louvois (one of the island's former plantations). Soon Alexandre is leaving his work with the Senator behind and taking on the responsibilities of the estate's caretaker. Rebuilt with Mme. Freeman's money, Habitation Louvois becomes a resort, complete with private villas, a casino and rich whites from other countries.

Because this is a Caribbean island, there's political turmoil, with one president seizing military control, being assassinated and replaced by another dictator; gangs of disaffected youths become armies, challenging the political order. Throughout all this, Alexandre remains completely above and oblivious to these changes except as they affect the Habitation. Finally, the situation becomes so dire that Mme. Freeman lets every one go (except Alexandre, who will remain as caretaker) and ultimately one of the armies moves in, destroying all that Alexandre, the workmen and Mme. Freeman have built. In the end, however, Alexandre and the estate remain, ready to rebuild.

The passivity of Alexandre is in sharp contrast to the rise of his best friend, Paul, and to the situation around him. He's naive, focused solely on the work he's doing and not particularly interested in anything more (the paparazzi incident is telling). As a result, we see the violence and changes through his eyes, as inconveniences (no coffee) and destruction rather than as motivated by genuine social concerns or forces. On the occasions when there is a jolt to recognize that there is more than the estate and its running, he is quick to return to his rather ignorant state, making the story of what's going on seem blurred and muted.

ARC provided by publisher.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are tons of reviews out there they give a summary of the work; hell, you could even find that on Wikipedia. So, I will not bore you with the plot. What I want to review is how this book has ruined me (in a good way, don't worry). The story combines plot and character elements that I didn't even knew I liked. The idea of a bustling estate with an international owner during a time of rebellion and violence, is enough to get me to clear my calendar for days so I can just read. The characters are beautifully described, and while they're not entirely likeable, they are real and make perfect vessels for the book's theme. Additionally, the plot is circuitous enough to feel like you're being taken on a journey through time while still remaining under 450 pages. It has been compared to "Bel Canto" and other similar novels that have become contemporary classics. I say phooey to that because this novel far surpasses those!

Attention must also be paid to the author, who brilliantly refrains from naming the Caribbean setting. Instead, the reader can imagine the story taking place in modern-day Haiti, Jamaica, or Cuba. He also plays with the idea of what a utopia means to those who live in it as opposed to those who live near it but cannot access it. Perhaps most awe-inspiring, is how he shows the development of one man's dream that begins with the noblest of intentions but is distorted as it comes of age during a time of such strife.

As I stated in the subject, this book haunts me. It is very rare that you find a book that follows you past when you close the cover. The is only the third book in my lifetime that has done this. While it's been almost a year since I first read it, I think about the characters often. I wonder where they are and how their philosophies and views of the world have changed. I ask myself what they would think of a certain political situation. Now, this may just mean that I'm crazy, but I think it's the sign of a really terrific book.

[cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that was provided to me by the lovely folks at Harper. They are an unemployed book lover's dream.


The Boiling Season is set in the Caribbean, on an unnamed island that bears much in common with Haiti. The protagonist is determined from an early age to escape from the run-down slums of his childhood and his shop-keeper father. He finds his way to a stint of employment with a Senator and then spends most of his life as a caretaker at a lush, secluded resort. He is determined to ignore his roots and the growing political unrest in his country in favor of the lavish life at the resort and the magical oasis it provides. His determination to ignore the realities of his land's politics continue even as the world eventually comes knocking at his door.


I greatly enjoyed this book. The narrator is well-drawn and beautifully flawed. The reader is not allowed the solace of his blindness but continues to have some degree of sympathy with his desire to see only a paradise. Hebert's characters are vivid and well-drawn, many of them more complex than secondary characters are usually permitted to be. I do think that the novel could benefit from some editing, it did drag in points, but I'm still giving it four stars. A good read for people who like a bit of political complexity lurking behind the curtains.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Alexandre explains, the poor people, the slums are on the bottom of the hill, the higher you go the richer they are. Alexandre wants nothing so much as to escape the poverty he was born to, with that in mind he accepts a job from a senator first working as a houseboy and than as the senator's chauffeur. Although this is an unnamed country in the Caribbean, I believe it is Haiti, and the unstable political system with coups and constantly changing dictators have much to do with this novel. Eventually Alexandre leaves the senator to become the manager of a beautiful old Habitat, a wonderful place of green and beauty, amidst all the uncertainty and he is sure he will end his days happily shut away. Alexandre is immensely likable, if somewhat naive, and he quickly learns that sometimes you don't have to seek out trouble, but that sometimes it comes to you. What he does when this happens, is unexpected. He learns that it is harder to escape your past than one thinks and I thought the ending fit perfectly with his character. Another very good book by a first time novelist.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The debut for Christopher Hebert, "The Boiling Season" is a novel that is stunning in scope & timeframe. The story follows Alexandre who starts out as an assistant to a senator & then rises to become caretaker of a property that becomes the biggest estate in this Caribbean island nation that resembles Haiti in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, though, the government of this country undergoes an upheaval after a new constitution is written & a dictatorship develops which leads to rebellion. The tale itself covers at least a decade or 2 & is epic in scope both politically, visually, emotionally & dramatically. Hebert keeps the passage of time relatively under wraps at times & moves things along with a breathtaking speed that kept me engrossed. The book itself could very easily be a major motion picture someday & for this reader has made a year end best list as one of my favorite books of 2012. A very, very nice way to start off a literary career by an author I look forward to reading more from in the future.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! I wasn't sure when I read the synopsis what to think. But I thought what the hey, sure, let's check it out. First of all, like usual, the cover is what I think about first. I love it! Goes with the story so wonderfully!

Second, I loved this story from beginning to end! Hard to say that with some books. Alexandre is trying to run away from everything he has known. He ends up creating a world that he wanted to always live in, and then ends up trying to go back to the world he wanted to leave.


Isn't that what we all do when we graduate and leave home in a sense? Maybe some more than others, but still sometimes a bit the same.

I loved Alexandre, I really thought he was well thought out and this book went way too fast for me. I think one of the sentences that stuck with me was, "I envied her ability to find peace under circumstances such as these." I wonder if Alexandre really ever had peace?

Just do it and pick it up! You will not be sorry! I promise.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing, intriguing plotting and thought-provoking situations makes this debut novel a satisfying read. While at first I found Alexandre an unlikeable character, it is to the author’s storytelling abilities that over the course of the book I became more compassionate towards Alexandre’s actions. I enjoyed how the author used the life cycle of the estate/resort to illustrate the never-ending cycle of political corruption and oppression of the masses which leads to the constant history of unrest and disillusionment of a better life. The conflict between Alexandre and his father provides the fuel to explore the historical backgrounds regarding independence and colonialism. There are no real surprises as to the outcomes but this does not distract from your reading pleasure as this quietly haunting bittersweet tale will make you think twice when lounging on a Caribbean island. I recommend this book for readers of Caribbean history and stories.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boiling Season is a book about friendship, childhood, family and what happens when a young man runs from those things.

Raised on an unspecified, but very war torn island, Alexandre leaves the broken slum he was born into to work for a senator in the privileged estates nearby, to the dismay of his widowed father.

Through a employee at a hotel Alexandre learns of a vast decaying estate known as Habitation Louvois. Through a series of events, he becomes manager of the Habitation at the side of a wealthy American businesswoman. Together they transform the estate to a glory not seen on the island before, villas, pools and string quartets become the gem of Habitation Louvois - for awhile.

The book, narrated by Alexandre, tells the next 30 years of his life as the island is again and again steeped in coups and warfare. In the end his only hope are the very people he left, in search of their own freedom - no matter the horrible cost.

[Cyndi Beane-Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandre spent his childhood in the slums of a Caribbean island rife with political unrest. Determined he could be so much more than those about him, he struggles everyday, for his entire life, to be better.


But eventually, the strife about him catches up, and he finds out his roots aren't that far from the worst about him.


I couldn't put this book down. I found myself hoping for the best for this young man. Feeling empathy toward him. Wanting him to succeed.


I give this book Five Stars and a big Thumbs Up!




****DISCLOSURE: This book was provided by Amazon Vine in exchange for a non-biased and independent review.
The review copy was an uncorrected proof, and as such may differ from actual sale copies.

[Thomas S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good. Not great. Set in a french-speaking, violence-prone Caribbean island ... smart young kid from the slums moves up in life but can never fully seperate himself from the struggles of his country.

I have had a fascination with Haiti since visting there (or at least the harbor of Port-Au-Prince) in the late 80s during the attempted mass exodus of desperately poor people to the US. So I went into the novel with high expectations. Unfortunately, it was not quite what I expected but some good insights int to the issues of class, race, power and corruption in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story about unnamed Carribean island country which uses French in the wake of a dictator and elite overthrow. Alexandre a young man from the slums who has worked hard to get an education and a job as a footman plus with a government senator is lured by a mysterious man to a decrepit compound in the middle of the island. There Alexandre and others rebuild the compound into a resort for the rich and famous carefully keeping the poor and needy away. As civil war seems to form in the capital, the refuge of the rich seem to increasingly be encroached by armed men from the slums led by Dragon Guy. The story is told clearly and is an easy read but didn't move me.

[Khadija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story of a guy living in a country of civil unrest, a person who attempts to flee the unemployment and squalor of "his" people. He finds a temporary sanctuary in the only piece of untouched land in the country, but all too soon it too is taken over by the rebels. The story is basically him learning how to accept his countrymen instead of running away from them. Glad I got this in the giveaway.

[Patricia Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different kind of coming of age story. A view at the evolution of a Carribean Island politically. The main character wishes to be separate,above all the turmoil and believes he has almost a calling to preserve beauty, but discovers all is not as he thought. An okay book not great kind of slow reading a little dry.

[David Zemke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more, however there were a few shortcomings with the main character, such as:
1. Why did he never fall in love?
2. Why did he seem so naive? even when he was older?

It started to drive me nuts and as I got through the book I just wanted it to end.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Didn't particularly like the main character, and the book could have been 100 pages shorter, but it did stay with me. I found myself thinking about it after I read it and wishing it could have been a happier book.

[Karen Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Janel · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://bibliophibian.blogspot.com/201...

[Lelia Cavaleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

One man stands against the world's tendency toward entropy

[Juliek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a typical read for me, but I really enjoyed it.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating story, but I was often frustrated with the main character and his naivete.

[Carol Eshaghy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was good but frankly I found this book pointless and had to force myself to finish.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read.