The Love Hexagon

by William Sutcliffe

A group of six young Londoners--three men and three women--embark on a series of sexual adventures, misadventures, triumphs, and failures with one another, until these casual indiscretions begin to have profound and irreversible consequences for them all. Original.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Humor, Novels, British Literature, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

215 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

William Sutcliffe was born in 1971 in London. He is the author of eight novels, New Boy, Are You Experienced?, The Love Hexagon, Bad Influence, Whatever Makes You Happy, The Wall, Concentr8 and We See Everything, which have been translated into twenty-six languages.

The Wall was shortlisted for the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal. Are You Experienced? has been reissued on the prestigious Penguin Essentials list.

He has also written a series of books for children: Circus of Thieves and the Raffle of Doom, Circus of Thieves on the Rampage and Circus of Thieves and the Comeback Caper.

He lives in Edinburgh with his wife, three children, two cats and a tortoise.

Reviews

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a scene in this book where two of the characters try discussing a movie they have just seen but find themselves unable to do so because they have forgotten the movie already. It wasn't a bad movie - just a bit "nothing". Oddly enough, that's pretty much how I'd describe this book. I read the book quite happily, but as soon as I had turned the last page the whole reading experience seemed a bit of a blur.

I think the real problem is that the characters just coast along without being particularly interesting or funny. I can vaguely remember William Sutcliffe creating some potential for the exploration of some pretty deep stuff during the middle of the book but then nothing developed - I wonder why not? Maybe the author just got bored and took it out on his characters?

If you are looking an easy read on a long flight then this book is as good as any

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I actually really enjoyed this. I found myself wanting to pick it back up and read ‘just one more chapter’.
The characters are interesting, the dialogue is sit-com style funny (which is right up my alley), I wouldn’t necessarily call it plot twists, but this book certainly isn’t predictable and the writing style is engaging.
I didn’t necessarily fully comprehend the use of Josh’s storyline, which also didn’t get explained at the ending. That was something which I didn’t like about the book.
But, overall, I noticed myself thinking about this book more often than not, and really wanting to know what would happen next. I just had a really good time.

[Helene Fonnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morsom!

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is all over the place.
I liked how it started out- because I love books that start out with dialogues, they often introduce the characters fast and you get a sense of what the story might be like.
But, after reading it- I realized it is more muddled and you read trying to figure out what love and life is just like the characters are. So, I'd grant it the two stars because the plot is good, the flow of the story is also good, but other than that the characters do not leave a lasting impression after reading it.
I know most people who reviewed it found it boring- but I know the author achieved what he set out to, in the first place. The six friends are single, and at the prime of their lives trying to figure out if love or lust is what sustains and defines their relationships and if you are young-then you can understand it.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Whatever Makes You Happy, so I swooped on this when I found it in a charity shop and read it in a day. It's short, yes, but also compelling.

As the title suggests, The Love Hexagon is about six people (young, living in London, finding their way) and their interlocking relationships.

It's less assured than Sutcliffe's later books and I found the jumps between present and past tense, often within a paragraph, jarring. But I can't get enough of this sort of intellectual chick lit.

[Ramesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humans will never be satisfied whith what they have.The grass will always seem greener on the other side.And sometimes,we are blind to the great things infront of us which are hidden within.Overall,an honest book about the human heart and mind.

[Lorena Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am like one of the only people (besides my sister) who really like this book... a little indulgent, a great love triangle... kept me interested!

[Marit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mõnus lihtne lugemine. Kuid oleks võinud ehk veel olla mingit pinget või draamat selles loos, ei teagi täpselt. Aga midagi jäi minu jaoks pisut puudu.

[Jules · Rating 2 out of 5]

i dont love to read about how people are miserable in their relationships & how horrible they are to the people around them. still entertaining tho

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick light read. Although it's 20 years old it doesn't feel too dated: what goes on in the minds of the characters (selfishness, lack of self-esteem, grappling over a relationship past its expiry date, etc.) is all still relatable, even if they call each other on home phones rather than texting. The changing tenses and lack of dialogue tags can make it jumpy, but overall it's fast-paced and funny.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una buona alternativa alla solita commedia con Fabio De Luigi su Netflix, un paio di orette di puro intrattenimento.

Impalpabile come una nuvola senza forma, inconcludente come quando parli di donne con gli amici, trama leggera, dialoghi brillanti, con la giusta dose di ironia.

Buono il rapporto svago/prezzo (€ 2,07 al Libraccio di Mantova).

[trelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tengo sentimientos encontrados la verdad con este libro. Se nota que el libro tiene 20 años: los jóvenes tienen piso propio y un trabajo y son todos bastante misóginos pero a la vez se ha sentido muy actual para mis mid-twenties. supongo que no es un must read pero ha sido divertido y me ha enganchado

[Dylan Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solidly entertaining and funny. Feel like a saw a lot of people I know in the characters.

[Clay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This comically dark novel is a quick read with funny, sarcastic characters. I can't say that the characters are richly drawn, but it's very entertaining.

[Victoria Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

[Stijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opnieuw erg vlot geschreven, erg leesbaar. Thema sprak me niet helemaal aan en ook wat voorspelbaar.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read 'are you experienced' by this author ages ago...a copy which had previously been given away with a magazine I changed upon in a charity shop...oddly enough this book had the same history.
That said I didn't enjoy this quite as much as his previous book despite the fact it covers some similar ground inasmuch as the book is a wry look at the complexity of human relationships and the games played therein.
That said despite this being a light and in many ways fun read it didn't really grab me.
The six characters within meet through the same social circle and generally it's a case of all change..with one seeing the other etc ..etc..
not a bad book but pretty much in the vein of an episode of friends or suchlike...

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes I wonder if the people who write the review comments on the back of a book, read the same book I did. On the cover of this one, it was described as 'Incredibly funny' and 'an excruciating comic masterpiece.' It was certainly excruciating, but mostly in the cringe-worthy way and not remotely funny. Don't get me wrong, the writing was decent, but it felt like a day-time soap opera with all the drama and none of the entertainment. I suppose the title should have been more than enough to warn me off.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This proved to be a very entertaining and funny novel, if admittedly lightweight. Perhaps illustrative of this is that I borrowed and read it in 2004, and then in 2007 saw a copy in a shop and thought 'I have a vague recollection of reading and enjoying something by this author in the past, I'll buy that and read it'. So yes, one could easily mistake it for middle-of-the-road 'chick lit', but written by a bloke, but it was enjoyable and funny.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Love Hexagon follows six twenty-somethings living in London whose clear-cut relationships soon tumble into a chaotic melting pot of lust, love, hatred and desire. It made me laugh out loud in parts, particularly the dynamic between Graham and Guy, and feel wistful in others. A short, easy read - but an enjoyable one nonetheless!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like watching a British soap opera if everyone had detailed thought bubbles over their heads at all times. This is, predictably, quite entertaining, but also leaves you, when you manage to put it down, with the ill little low that sometimes comes after you watch too much TV without meaning to.

[Karschtl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story of changing partners and at the end of the book almost every of the six had 'a thing' with everyone of the opposite sex. Until at last the 'right couples' come together. It is a nice idea, but somehow I didn't like the style of the author.

[Moem · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read but not much more. It reads a bit like a soap series. Getting the right relationship seems to be the only thing that matters to the people in this book... and it's also a bit predictable. But the style is amusing enough.

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters blended together, but the basic idea of showing viewpoints of six people in various relationships with (and not with) each other allowed this reader to identify at times with each. Showed people making stupid decisions and assumptions in ways that were completely human.

[Donald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite reading many bad reviews, I decided to give this a try anyway. It turns out that most of the criticism was on target. There just are not any likable characters in the book which makes it hard to enjoy. I quit about half way through.

[Elliott Hay · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
A staggeringly self-absorbed individual and her clueless boyfriend self-destruct their relationship, dragging all their friends in just for the hell of it. Not great, but at least it doesn't take itself too seriously. I've read worse.

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overplotted and uninteresting.

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

One word: aweful.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright. I preferred "Are You Experienced" because at least I got to read about traveling through India. This was a little smutty.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sutcliffe isn't a "great" writer but I really enjoy him. The books are consistently engaging and enjoyable to read.

Think "Coupling" but less cheesy.