Surviving Hal

by Penny Flanagan

Mothers-in-law are famous for being difficult but when Nell marries Andy it's her father-in-law, Hal, who is the problem. A corrosive force in his own family, Hal is a truly ugly Australian who spreads his corruption whenever he gets the chance. Surviving Hal takes place in Sydney and Thailand and is the story of Nell and Andy trying to keep their family together against the influence of a charismatic but ugly soul. Praise for Penny
"Poignant ... balanced, delicately handled, quietly eloquent." - The Sydney Morning Herald "Penny Flanagan has produced a stylish first novel studded with comic gems." - New Librarian "Not since Helen Garner's Monkey Grip has a book given me this feeling of fitting into another woman's skin." - Marie Low

288 pages, Paperback

Published July 26, 2018

Reviews

[Ben Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny Flanagan, as one half of Club Hoy and her subsequent solo career, was one of my favourite songwriters, and I also love her witty blog, Edible Garbage, so I had high expectations going in to this. For the most part, it was justified. Her characters are complex and three-dimensional, and she writes with wit and insight about people and relationships. My favourite parts involved the central character's marriage conflicts and children. The title character, Hal, is believably abhorrent, but I found him oddly the least interesting character, perhaps because he never changes or grows. I found myself much more interested in all the supporting cast. It loses a point because, for me, the climax didn't work, but I'd still recommend it and am keen for Flanagan's next book.

[Cheryl Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult to see how a book about a such an awful, horrific and disgusting man could be so funny. But it is.

Nell's story is about her appalling father-in-law whose actions have caused harm to all those around him.

As Nell tries to find her own way to deal with Hal she understands more about her husband, and in a way, herself. She learns what she needs to do to keep her family safe.

Many of the characters in this story are flawed and some are unlikeable, but they all have found ways of dealing with Hal.

Scenes of farangs in Thailand are excruciatingly awful and the whole cross cultural experiences made me squirm.

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It's a funny, smart and agonising story that's worth a read.

[R.E. Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharp, funny writing from the clever Penny Flanagan who has deftly woven a great cast of characters and a brilliant plot in this entertaining and refreshing read. There's nothing else like it on the shelves at the moment which makes Surviving Hal all the more appealing.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading a lot of fiction lately where the mother-in-law features as a difficult character from the writers perspective. It was great to read a story where the father-in-law becomes the nemesis.

Hal is a “piece of work”, terrorising his ex wife, his sons, his daughter-in-law Nell and now the whole of Thailand.

Great read about a “typical” Aussie family and the secrets they hold and how they navigate the dynamics of personalities within the group.

A long awaited follow up to her brilliant debut novel “Sing to Me” (do yourselves a favour and read this too)

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable book, funny and often clever. But it takes some work to get past the first chapter, where way too many characters are introduced all at once. (Oddly, late in the book there's a mention of six other people and an admission that there's no need to identify them!)

The settings (Australia and Thailand) are nicely conjured, and we've all known people like each of the characters – some good, some bad, all flawed humans in their own ways.

[Frances Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a horrible character Hal is, but so well written. I shared Nell's desire to "send him to Coventry"! That only seemed to encourage him, though.
Great story!

[Bronwen Heathfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hal is truly appalling but quite believable. The moving between Sydney and Thailand is interesting. Very well written. Fun and a great twist at end.

[Rachel Tung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoy the witty writing . But am I the only one feel there’s a lot of racial stereotypes that borderline racist ? I am not Thai but if I was, I am not sure if I would enjoy this book.

[Heidi Schymitzek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know why I found this book so captivating but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The characters felt realistic.