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HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories
In a run-down neighborhood in an unnamed city, people live and die in "the Obscure."Whether anyone remembers the real name of the derelict establishment is a mystery. In this six-story building, most who occupy the rooms are long-term residents, though some stay for as little as an hour.
The patronage is an eclectic group: musicians, writers, addicts, hookers, lonely people, poor people, rich people, once-well-off people, and those who have reason to hide from their former lives or to escape the demands of a disapproving and punishing society. As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for the many bewildered souls.
Hotel Obscure is a collection of seventeen short stories that all take place in or around the "the Obscure." While the stories stand alone, they are to be read in order. Some characters appear in multiple stories, and sometimes, a story will continue in an unexpected way.
The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. It is a place we all visit ... whether metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth.
REVIEW from NY Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry: "Absolutely riveting. Lisette Brodey spins magic with HOTEL OBSCURE. Each story gives us a peek into the life of a collection of disparate characters. It's the kind of storytelling that would appeal to Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, or Leonard Cohen. It would also make one heck of a good anthology TV series. Brava!"
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. If this is not to your liking, please don't read this book. Thank you.
The patronage is an eclectic group: musicians, writers, addicts, hookers, lonely people, poor people, rich people, once-well-off people, and those who have reason to hide from their former lives or to escape the demands of a disapproving and punishing society. As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for the many bewildered souls.
Hotel Obscure is a collection of seventeen short stories that all take place in or around the "the Obscure." While the stories stand alone, they are to be read in order. Some characters appear in multiple stories, and sometimes, a story will continue in an unexpected way.
The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. It is a place we all visit ... whether metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth.
REVIEW from NY Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry: "Absolutely riveting. Lisette Brodey spins magic with HOTEL OBSCURE. Each story gives us a peek into the life of a collection of disparate characters. It's the kind of storytelling that would appeal to Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, or Leonard Cohen. It would also make one heck of a good anthology TV series. Brava!"
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. If this is not to your liking, please don't read this book. Thank you.
281 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2018
24 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Lisette Brodey
20 books255 followersLisette was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. She spent ten years in New York City, and now resides in Los Angeles.
She’s a multigenre author of fifteen books: Crooked Moon (General/Literary Fiction); Squalor, New Mexico (Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction); Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Desert Series: Mystical High; Desert Star; and Drawn Apart (YA paranormal), Barrie Hill Reunion (Literary Fiction); Hotel Obscure (themed short stories, Literary Fiction); Love, Look Away (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Sum of our Sorrows (Contemporary Fiction), The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories (Literary Fiction), All That Was Taken (Contemporary Fiction), Twice a Broken Breath (suspense), What the Years Remember, and Too Far Standing Still.
In addition to her fifteen books, two of Lisette’s short stories are published in an anthology: Triptychs (Book 3, The Mind’s Eye Series.)
She’s a multigenre author of fifteen books: Crooked Moon (General/Literary Fiction); Squalor, New Mexico (Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction); Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Desert Series: Mystical High; Desert Star; and Drawn Apart (YA paranormal), Barrie Hill Reunion (Literary Fiction); Hotel Obscure (themed short stories, Literary Fiction); Love, Look Away (Women's Fiction/RomCom), The Sum of our Sorrows (Contemporary Fiction), The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories (Literary Fiction), All That Was Taken (Contemporary Fiction), Twice a Broken Breath (suspense), What the Years Remember, and Too Far Standing Still.
In addition to her fifteen books, two of Lisette’s short stories are published in an anthology: Triptychs (Book 3, The Mind’s Eye Series.)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 17, 2019
Have you ever wandered down the street at night and noticed the many glowing windows which are lighting up the area? Twinkling in the dark stillness. Whether they be private residences, condo buildings or hotel rooms- the question in our minds remains the same. What is actually happening behind those closed curtains? What would it be like to enter that world and actually get a taste of it? Would the result be marvellous and memorable- or gloomy and disappointing? What are the people in those rooms actually doing... and would we want to be part of it? Abandoning our own humdrum existence for the opportunity presented behind the proverbial curtain number three. If these thoughts have ever entered your mind while peering through the looking glass of the arcane, then Hotel Obscure by author Lisette Brodey is a must read! A heart-rending - but beautiful- look at the human condition and what actually happens beyond those cryptic curtains.
Hotel Obscure is a collection of short stories which are woven together into one book. There are 17 tales in total and they focus on the residents of the shabby and rundown Obscure Hotel. Each story is unique and distinct in its own right, but they are made to be read in order as there are some clear connections and a reappearance of characters in various tales. Without a doubt, each story is entirely captivating and intriguing and will claw at the reader's emotions like a ravenous beast! From the rise and fall of a promising musician, the destructive aftermath of familial abuse, and the desperate search for friendship and love in what can be a cold and unforgiving world. Each tale is brilliant, and although it is quite difficult to pick a favorite- "Twenty-Seven" stands out as the top for me personally.
Lisette Brodey's writing is smooth and beautiful all the way through this collection. We are transported into a land of desperate and despondent souls... yet we want to be there! The writing embraces us tight and triggers our emotions. From sadness to rage. We are able to get a front row seat and see the fleeting and esoteric nature of the human condition. Poor souls at their worst... longing for days gone by. All of this takes place at the Hotel Obscure which virtually acts as a confessional for the many woeful souls residing inside its belly. All of this is captured through engaging character interactions and dialogue which displays the author's impressive writing skills.
While the plot and setting of this book will undoubtedly engross the reader- so will the many dynamic characters. To be clear, these are not individuals who you will forget about after the book is closed. They are cleverly developed and memorable, and will embed themselves deep into the reader's psyche. They grow in depth throughout the pages and welcome us into their pitiful lives. We feel their emotions and as such it ignites our own. That is quite a feat to pull off within the naturally restrictive confines of a short story.
To be clear, this is not a light-hearted read. If you are looking for sunshine and Unicorns then this is probably not your best pick. However, if you want to be transported through the looking glass of Hotel Obscure and see what really happens behind those twinkling lights... then be sure to check-in with Henry at the front desk. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed that you did.
Hotel Obscure is a collection of short stories which are woven together into one book. There are 17 tales in total and they focus on the residents of the shabby and rundown Obscure Hotel. Each story is unique and distinct in its own right, but they are made to be read in order as there are some clear connections and a reappearance of characters in various tales. Without a doubt, each story is entirely captivating and intriguing and will claw at the reader's emotions like a ravenous beast! From the rise and fall of a promising musician, the destructive aftermath of familial abuse, and the desperate search for friendship and love in what can be a cold and unforgiving world. Each tale is brilliant, and although it is quite difficult to pick a favorite- "Twenty-Seven" stands out as the top for me personally.
Lisette Brodey's writing is smooth and beautiful all the way through this collection. We are transported into a land of desperate and despondent souls... yet we want to be there! The writing embraces us tight and triggers our emotions. From sadness to rage. We are able to get a front row seat and see the fleeting and esoteric nature of the human condition. Poor souls at their worst... longing for days gone by. All of this takes place at the Hotel Obscure which virtually acts as a confessional for the many woeful souls residing inside its belly. All of this is captured through engaging character interactions and dialogue which displays the author's impressive writing skills.
While the plot and setting of this book will undoubtedly engross the reader- so will the many dynamic characters. To be clear, these are not individuals who you will forget about after the book is closed. They are cleverly developed and memorable, and will embed themselves deep into the reader's psyche. They grow in depth throughout the pages and welcome us into their pitiful lives. We feel their emotions and as such it ignites our own. That is quite a feat to pull off within the naturally restrictive confines of a short story.
To be clear, this is not a light-hearted read. If you are looking for sunshine and Unicorns then this is probably not your best pick. However, if you want to be transported through the looking glass of Hotel Obscure and see what really happens behind those twinkling lights... then be sure to check-in with Henry at the front desk. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed that you did.
February 8, 2019
*** Powerful stories that will stay with you ***
Imagine a place that welcomes you with no judgement, where the cost of admission is knowing your own insignificance. It exists in Hotel Obscure, a brilliant collection of short stories by Lisette Brodey.
The stories are stark, sans filters to allow us to observe human beings at their least desirable. Residents descend from all walks of life. They come to Hotel Obscure to find solace, shelter, peace, or simply to slip into a world where no one knows them.
That Ms. Brodey can pen seventeen stories, some with characters that intersect or reappear in multiple stories is a huge feat. That she makes us care about their lives, even more so.
Though choosing a favourite story is akin to choosing a favourite child — you should not do it … I admit I have one. “Requiescat in Pace,” one of the earlier stories, is incredibly imaginative and stayed with me throughout the entire collection. I thought I knew how it would end, but I was dead wrong. In the final act, the protagonist does something so unique and vile, and yet I found myself cheering! This powerful story set the tone for every other story after it, each encouraging me to reflect.
Ms. Brodey’s characters may lead obscure lives, but they hold up a mirror to us. They provide insight into our own psyches, and that is the mark of great storytelling.
Imagine a place that welcomes you with no judgement, where the cost of admission is knowing your own insignificance. It exists in Hotel Obscure, a brilliant collection of short stories by Lisette Brodey.
The stories are stark, sans filters to allow us to observe human beings at their least desirable. Residents descend from all walks of life. They come to Hotel Obscure to find solace, shelter, peace, or simply to slip into a world where no one knows them.
That Ms. Brodey can pen seventeen stories, some with characters that intersect or reappear in multiple stories is a huge feat. That she makes us care about their lives, even more so.
Though choosing a favourite story is akin to choosing a favourite child — you should not do it … I admit I have one. “Requiescat in Pace,” one of the earlier stories, is incredibly imaginative and stayed with me throughout the entire collection. I thought I knew how it would end, but I was dead wrong. In the final act, the protagonist does something so unique and vile, and yet I found myself cheering! This powerful story set the tone for every other story after it, each encouraging me to reflect.
Ms. Brodey’s characters may lead obscure lives, but they hold up a mirror to us. They provide insight into our own psyches, and that is the mark of great storytelling.
January 20, 2020
Hotel Obscure was the first book I read after an illness earlier this year. And I must admit it was only because it was a collection of stories that I assumed I could pick up and read now and again. I was wrong; I couldn’t put it down, I read the whole book in one sitting. It took me a long time; these are quite lengthy stories, written in sequence and all, one way or another, interwoven. Each is so absorbing, so thought –provoking that I needed to sit back and take in what I had just read… and wanting to know more.
Each character comes to life on the page. Their actions, their dialogue, their thoughts, their emotions are fundamental to every story; are the story. And they took me with them into their situations, whether it was told through their dialogue a through a narrator. Their time at the shabby and run down Hotel Obscure changes; some are residents, fixtures in the setting, some are transient, visitors. Some characters I liked more than others, most I could empathise with, one or two even frustrated me in their inability to see the reality of their situations. Once or twice I couldn't decide; I had a vague sense that I'd experienced something similar.
I admire the writing style of Lisette Brodey; in Hotel Obscure she has produced strong, evenly paced stories with strong believable characters. I would thoroughly recommend this thought provoking collection
Each character comes to life on the page. Their actions, their dialogue, their thoughts, their emotions are fundamental to every story; are the story. And they took me with them into their situations, whether it was told through their dialogue a through a narrator. Their time at the shabby and run down Hotel Obscure changes; some are residents, fixtures in the setting, some are transient, visitors. Some characters I liked more than others, most I could empathise with, one or two even frustrated me in their inability to see the reality of their situations. Once or twice I couldn't decide; I had a vague sense that I'd experienced something similar.
I admire the writing style of Lisette Brodey; in Hotel Obscure she has produced strong, evenly paced stories with strong believable characters. I would thoroughly recommend this thought provoking collection
August 22, 2020
I have always enjoyed short stories and this collection of seventeen is refreshingly different in structure to others I’ve read, totally captivating and extremely well-written. The cover image alone initially drew me in. The lonely man in a bare room staring out of the window at the neon DINER sign opposite that had lost its N and R started me wondering what he was thinking as he watched it and what the rest of the hotel’s residents were like.
The stories revolve around the people who live at the filthy, run-down Hotel Obscure in a rough part of town. They are people from all walks of life who, for a variety of reasons, have come to ‘The Obscure’ to hide away from a world they cannot cope with and need a cheap place to live. Some simply wish to find peace and security while others make hopeful plans for their futures, or plot revenge on those they blame for causing their downfall. We also learn much about the people and events in the hotel through conversations and banter that take place in the lobby with characters like hotel clerk Henry, and old men Johnny and friends who don’t seem to miss a thing.
Ms Brodey makes us feel for each of them as we share their thoughts and feelings and sometimes cries of despair. Some tales are woefully sad, a few leave us with a feeling of hope, but every single one is thought-provoking, making us reassess our ideas of people who become known as society’s drop-outs or down-and-outs.
In contrast to most short story collections, this set needs to be read in order. Although each story is individual and different, many of them are linked to others and some characters appear in several stories.
Hotel Obscure is the first book I’ve read by Ms Brodey and I can say that she is an extremely skilful and talented author. I look forward to reading more of her work.
The stories revolve around the people who live at the filthy, run-down Hotel Obscure in a rough part of town. They are people from all walks of life who, for a variety of reasons, have come to ‘The Obscure’ to hide away from a world they cannot cope with and need a cheap place to live. Some simply wish to find peace and security while others make hopeful plans for their futures, or plot revenge on those they blame for causing their downfall. We also learn much about the people and events in the hotel through conversations and banter that take place in the lobby with characters like hotel clerk Henry, and old men Johnny and friends who don’t seem to miss a thing.
Ms Brodey makes us feel for each of them as we share their thoughts and feelings and sometimes cries of despair. Some tales are woefully sad, a few leave us with a feeling of hope, but every single one is thought-provoking, making us reassess our ideas of people who become known as society’s drop-outs or down-and-outs.
In contrast to most short story collections, this set needs to be read in order. Although each story is individual and different, many of them are linked to others and some characters appear in several stories.
Hotel Obscure is the first book I’ve read by Ms Brodey and I can say that she is an extremely skilful and talented author. I look forward to reading more of her work.
November 19, 2018
I loved this collection of stories!
Lisette Brodey excels at showing us the complexities of human nature. Any and all of these stories could be someone's life right now. I sometimes talk about realism in stories, and Brodey definitely captures that, but there's something more here, something deep and indefinable and totally immersive.
Another aspect I loved is the way Brodey plays with readers' expectations. These stories and the characters intertwine in surprising ways.
If, for whatever reason, you don't normally read short stories, please make an exception with this collection.
Lisette Brodey excels at showing us the complexities of human nature. Any and all of these stories could be someone's life right now. I sometimes talk about realism in stories, and Brodey definitely captures that, but there's something more here, something deep and indefinable and totally immersive.
Another aspect I loved is the way Brodey plays with readers' expectations. These stories and the characters intertwine in surprising ways.
If, for whatever reason, you don't normally read short stories, please make an exception with this collection.
June 1, 2019
The inner lives, secrets and tragic pasts of the residents of the rundown Hotel Obscure: a place for those with nowhere else to go.
I was pleased to find that the seventeen stories in this collection are all quite long, making this book novel-length - there's plenty to get your teeth into. One element I loved was loose connections between them; if you have a shocking memory like mine, it's best to read them in order, and without too much of a break in between, so you don't start thinking, 'oh yes, she's talking about that chap in that other one, two stories before...which one was it?' But it doesn't matter if you don't remember, because each works well on its own.
As with most collections, some of them I just quite liked, others I liked more, and a few I thought were outstanding. There isn't one weak one, though; it's a fine book, all round. Number three was the first one I really loved, and remained one of my favourites; 'I'm a F****** Cliché' had a totally different voice from the first two, and featured a self-destructive writer. I also liked the one that connected to it, 'I Miss Him (The Great Sabotage)'. The more I read, the more I admired Ms Brodey's understanding of the human psyche; many contained such astute observations, perfect dialogue, immaculate characterisation and some delightful turns of phrase.
Others I liked a lot:
'Twenty-Seven', about a musician's appalling luck in life.
'Only Sixteen', which was one of the saddest.
'To Be Perfectly Frank'.
'Thursday, Wrapped in Sadness' - another heartbreaker.
Some are told mostly in dialogue, others in the inner narrative of the protagonist, either in first or third person; I preferred the latter, but even here there was an exception; 'Junk Truck', a most compelling tale in which the main character is stalked by a lonely, probably psychotic woman desperate for her friendship. As with others, the tone reminded me, on occasion, of Dorothy Parker's short stories, which I have read over and over. 'Junk Truck' had its threads neatly sewn together in the final story, 'Ellmore J Badget Jnr's Very Unusual Day'.
This isn't a book for those looking for something 'feel-good'; though not without humour and the occasional happy ending, the stories are sad, raw, tragic, enveloped in loneliness and desperation, sometimes of the character's own making. But other times not; on occasion I felt so sorry for the person I was reading about that I wished I could climb the dingy staircase of Hotel Obscure and make everything okay for them. Yes, I most certainly recommend :)
I was pleased to find that the seventeen stories in this collection are all quite long, making this book novel-length - there's plenty to get your teeth into. One element I loved was loose connections between them; if you have a shocking memory like mine, it's best to read them in order, and without too much of a break in between, so you don't start thinking, 'oh yes, she's talking about that chap in that other one, two stories before...which one was it?' But it doesn't matter if you don't remember, because each works well on its own.
As with most collections, some of them I just quite liked, others I liked more, and a few I thought were outstanding. There isn't one weak one, though; it's a fine book, all round. Number three was the first one I really loved, and remained one of my favourites; 'I'm a F****** Cliché' had a totally different voice from the first two, and featured a self-destructive writer. I also liked the one that connected to it, 'I Miss Him (The Great Sabotage)'. The more I read, the more I admired Ms Brodey's understanding of the human psyche; many contained such astute observations, perfect dialogue, immaculate characterisation and some delightful turns of phrase.
Others I liked a lot:
'Twenty-Seven', about a musician's appalling luck in life.
'Only Sixteen', which was one of the saddest.
'To Be Perfectly Frank'.
'Thursday, Wrapped in Sadness' - another heartbreaker.
Some are told mostly in dialogue, others in the inner narrative of the protagonist, either in first or third person; I preferred the latter, but even here there was an exception; 'Junk Truck', a most compelling tale in which the main character is stalked by a lonely, probably psychotic woman desperate for her friendship. As with others, the tone reminded me, on occasion, of Dorothy Parker's short stories, which I have read over and over. 'Junk Truck' had its threads neatly sewn together in the final story, 'Ellmore J Badget Jnr's Very Unusual Day'.
This isn't a book for those looking for something 'feel-good'; though not without humour and the occasional happy ending, the stories are sad, raw, tragic, enveloped in loneliness and desperation, sometimes of the character's own making. But other times not; on occasion I felt so sorry for the person I was reading about that I wished I could climb the dingy staircase of Hotel Obscure and make everything okay for them. Yes, I most certainly recommend :)
July 26, 2020
What an intense, unusual ride.
In a hotel so old that nobody remembers what its name used to be, so it goes by "obscure", people live, die, are born, meet up, split up, disappear. Some get stories of their own, then pop up again in those of others. Some just pass by; some have been living there for years. What connects those stories is not just the hotel, but rather the fact that they've clearly been written by David Lynch who spent too long watching Twilight Zone once he was done with his regular dose of Julio Cortázar.
It's hard to believe that the author chose to make some of those just short (too short) stories. There's enough creativity for multiple novels in here, more plot twists than I can count, endings that give me goosebumps, make me tear up, or shout at the e-reader (I'm not proud of this, especially as I had to explain to my husband what exactly the e-reader has done to me this time). If I were to point out one niggle I had, it's that in a few of the stories, some of the characters sound much more… let's say educated/elegant than they are. Three pages later the plot twist punches me in the jaw and the author just moves on to another story that might be funny, sad, irritating, upsetting, angry, romantic, sexy, unsexy…
Actually, there's more that I am unhappy about: the book isn't long enough. I wanted to know more about some of the characters. Much more. And also more stories in general. And more about the hotel's history. "A gripping read" is an extremely overused cliché, but it's more than justified here, and I am tempted to go back to page one right now in search for more connections that I've missed. I'll definitely be re-reading this book.
In a hotel so old that nobody remembers what its name used to be, so it goes by "obscure", people live, die, are born, meet up, split up, disappear. Some get stories of their own, then pop up again in those of others. Some just pass by; some have been living there for years. What connects those stories is not just the hotel, but rather the fact that they've clearly been written by David Lynch who spent too long watching Twilight Zone once he was done with his regular dose of Julio Cortázar.
It's hard to believe that the author chose to make some of those just short (too short) stories. There's enough creativity for multiple novels in here, more plot twists than I can count, endings that give me goosebumps, make me tear up, or shout at the e-reader (I'm not proud of this, especially as I had to explain to my husband what exactly the e-reader has done to me this time). If I were to point out one niggle I had, it's that in a few of the stories, some of the characters sound much more… let's say educated/elegant than they are. Three pages later the plot twist punches me in the jaw and the author just moves on to another story that might be funny, sad, irritating, upsetting, angry, romantic, sexy, unsexy…
Actually, there's more that I am unhappy about: the book isn't long enough. I wanted to know more about some of the characters. Much more. And also more stories in general. And more about the hotel's history. "A gripping read" is an extremely overused cliché, but it's more than justified here, and I am tempted to go back to page one right now in search for more connections that I've missed. I'll definitely be re-reading this book.
May 11, 2019
This book will take you on an incredible journey. The characters in each short story are brought to life in such a way that you cannot help but feel their emotions. Some of the stories are hard-hitting, they twist and play with you, leave you wanting more. A thirst burns as you reach the end leaving you wondering what happened to them. Some, I like to think managed to find a better life. That they, however, tender found hope and trusted in it.
Short stories are difficult to write, they require an immense amount of skill. The author needs to be disciplined. They need to know just when to stop, to not overwork it. Lisette Brodey is that skilled, disciplined author. I've read many of her books. Hotel Obscure is up there in my top five books.
While each story is centered around the Hotel Obscure, many are residents, some come to visit, they are all connected. These are not just short stories that move on swiftly to a new and much different subject, these are short stories that intertwine together while being separate at the same time.
Is it not the obscure that touches us the most? Can make us feel something that we never saw coming because we discounted it? Hotel Obscure is going to do that to you. Don't be fooled. It is going to make an impact. A must-read for anyone that isn't afraid to face the true realities of life. Wonderfully written and a true credit to the writing skills of Lisette Brodey.
Short stories are difficult to write, they require an immense amount of skill. The author needs to be disciplined. They need to know just when to stop, to not overwork it. Lisette Brodey is that skilled, disciplined author. I've read many of her books. Hotel Obscure is up there in my top five books.
While each story is centered around the Hotel Obscure, many are residents, some come to visit, they are all connected. These are not just short stories that move on swiftly to a new and much different subject, these are short stories that intertwine together while being separate at the same time.
Is it not the obscure that touches us the most? Can make us feel something that we never saw coming because we discounted it? Hotel Obscure is going to do that to you. Don't be fooled. It is going to make an impact. A must-read for anyone that isn't afraid to face the true realities of life. Wonderfully written and a true credit to the writing skills of Lisette Brodey.
November 11, 2018
Sharp, spiky, brittle as old wood that will shatter into your palm. Be careful reading these stories, they will stick you, and stick with you, especially “The Dollar Hot Dog Man” and “The Tiny Silver Ball.” Those are only a couple of the stories that are buried up under my skin like worrisome splinters. Don’t blame me if they get under your skin, too. You’ve been warned.
October 28, 2018
Fantastic intertwined stories about people at the dead end of life, and the few who might be able to U-turn out of it.
October 21, 2018
The seventeen short stories in HOTEL OBSCURE are exceptional – enlightening, captivating, and powerfully moving. The author’s ability to take me deeply into her characters’ emotional and psychological states of mind is remarkable.
A book of short stories is not usually on my reading list, but I bought this one because of the author. I consider Brodey to be a superb writer. Each of her previous novels engaged me fully; they were fascinatingly complex, cleverly written, and emotionally satisfying. With HOTEL OBSCURE, she raised the bar even more.
When I was a kid, I’d often stand outside a store with my face pressed up to the glass window, yearning to play with the toys shown in the display. We couldn’t afford to buy most of the things I wanted. Fortunately for me back then, gazing at the book choices in our local library was just as enticing.
Choosing and reading a good book is just as exciting for me today, though I rarely go for a book of short stories. In my experience, novella- and novel-length stories offer a more satisfying sense of pace, of story development and completion.
HOTEL OBSCURE blew my preconceived notion out of the water. Within the first couple of pages, I became that kid again, though this time, I was enthralled with an imaginary hotel, my mind glued to a window into the lives of the quirky, flawed, fascinating characters who walked in and out of the hotel’s doors. Some of the characters show up in a story other than their own, but their appearances enhanced the storyline, added substance. As a reader, I felt completely satisfied with each short story’s ending.
The background and storyline of each character is quite diverse, which appealed to me immensely; I enjoy rubbing elbows with people from all walks of life. More than ever now, I take notice of the people around me and don’t discount the value within the life stories they could share. HOTEL OBSCURE opened my eyes, woke me up.
A book of short stories is not usually on my reading list, but I bought this one because of the author. I consider Brodey to be a superb writer. Each of her previous novels engaged me fully; they were fascinatingly complex, cleverly written, and emotionally satisfying. With HOTEL OBSCURE, she raised the bar even more.
When I was a kid, I’d often stand outside a store with my face pressed up to the glass window, yearning to play with the toys shown in the display. We couldn’t afford to buy most of the things I wanted. Fortunately for me back then, gazing at the book choices in our local library was just as enticing.
Choosing and reading a good book is just as exciting for me today, though I rarely go for a book of short stories. In my experience, novella- and novel-length stories offer a more satisfying sense of pace, of story development and completion.
HOTEL OBSCURE blew my preconceived notion out of the water. Within the first couple of pages, I became that kid again, though this time, I was enthralled with an imaginary hotel, my mind glued to a window into the lives of the quirky, flawed, fascinating characters who walked in and out of the hotel’s doors. Some of the characters show up in a story other than their own, but their appearances enhanced the storyline, added substance. As a reader, I felt completely satisfied with each short story’s ending.
The background and storyline of each character is quite diverse, which appealed to me immensely; I enjoy rubbing elbows with people from all walks of life. More than ever now, I take notice of the people around me and don’t discount the value within the life stories they could share. HOTEL OBSCURE opened my eyes, woke me up.
November 11, 2018
These stories stirred a phenomenal amount of thought. The blurb fascinated me and I knew I had to read this collection of stories. Each story is different, yet tied together with the Hotel Obscure. Within the 17 situations, are characters who for one reason or another get served a reality they didn't bargain for and many didn't deserve. They find themselves in a run-down, seedier neighborhood than most of us are used to and we'd probably avoid the area, if we could. In these tales of woe and desperation, there is also hope, compassion, acceptance, and understanding. There are homeless people, prostitutes, folks who have mental issues, those estranged from their families and the loves of their lives, lonely souls begging to survive, and some who had a great life to begin with and then hit rock bottom. The author created characters who felt real to me and the things she put them through touched my heart. Ms. Brodey has a keen grasp on how life can change in a heartbeat, and how people deal or don't deal with adversity. Even though the stories are short, there's depth and substance to them.
August 31, 2023
Hotel Obscure by Lisette Brodey is one of the most fascinating and poignant books I have ever read. It is a collection of seventeen short stories about people who live in or around a dilapidated hotel in a run-down area of an unnamed city. It is called Hotel Obscure because no one remembers the name. Now that it has fallen into disrepair and no longer caters to upscale customers, the nickname is more appropriate anyway. It could be any city in any hotel in the same type of area and the clientele would be similar. Misfits. Desperate or broken people struggling to survive with the difficult circumstances life has thrown them, things beyond their control, loss of economic resources, mental illness, or the result of their own poor choices. Addicts, prostitutes, lonely people, rich people, poor people, people hiding from life. Most have lived there for years, but for some it is a stopping off place. Although each story stands alone, Ms. Brody has cleverly interwoven a few recuring characters to enhance the new story and add more contest to the original.
Ms. Brodey has created unique, compelling stories with amazingly authentic characters. She has an intuitiveness about human nature that is real, raw, and gritty. There is no sugar coating for the circumstances these people struggle with daily. No forced happy endings we are so accustomed to that gloss over the marginalized or emotionally scared. The descriptions are strikingly vivid. Sometimes short stories don’t allow the space to truly gain an understanding of the characters, allowing the reader to become invested. Ms. Brodey provides the perfect amount of background, examples, or interactions in her stories to pull us in. I felt the pain, disappointment, fear, disillusionment, happiness, relief, and sense of humanity of the characters in every story. She took me on an emotional roller coaster with tears of heartbreak and joy, but most of all, a sense of gratitude for what I have and an awareness of what needs to be done for others.
I highly recommend these beautifully written stories.
Ms. Brodey has created unique, compelling stories with amazingly authentic characters. She has an intuitiveness about human nature that is real, raw, and gritty. There is no sugar coating for the circumstances these people struggle with daily. No forced happy endings we are so accustomed to that gloss over the marginalized or emotionally scared. The descriptions are strikingly vivid. Sometimes short stories don’t allow the space to truly gain an understanding of the characters, allowing the reader to become invested. Ms. Brodey provides the perfect amount of background, examples, or interactions in her stories to pull us in. I felt the pain, disappointment, fear, disillusionment, happiness, relief, and sense of humanity of the characters in every story. She took me on an emotional roller coaster with tears of heartbreak and joy, but most of all, a sense of gratitude for what I have and an awareness of what needs to be done for others.
I highly recommend these beautifully written stories.
December 24, 2018
The Hopper-style cover with the burnt-out neon sign and the solitary figure in the empty room is a perfect representation of the unifying concept at the core of Brodey’s short story collection: alienation.
The Hotel Obscure – almost a character in its own right – squats in a run-down section of the city and its slow but certain disintegration mirrors the lives of many of the individuals who populate the pages of this work. Here you will find the homeless, the unloved, the lost, and those with a more desperate or determined purpose. Brodey’s people seek love, freedom, solace, revenge, security, or merely to get through the day (or night) unscathed. Hope lives in the hotel, but it shares a room with despair. Death lingers in the dirty corners like some unbleachable stain that has leached through the crumbling walls.
The book thus has an authentic feel of gritty underclass life about it (with an occasional dash of ‘Twilight Zone’). But although it deals with many sad intersecting lives –a structural feature which was very well executed – and a sense of desperation clings to the narrative, this is not a depressing read. The energy of the writing and the whip-smart dialogue interspersed with dark humour keep things moving along. You wait to see which of the characters’ paths will cross next, and whether the outcome will be positive or negative.
The short story collection is a difficult animal to sell, falling as it does between the instant gratification of social media skim-reading and the more measured experience of the novel. ‘Hotel Obscure’, however, deserves a wide audience. I hope I have convinced you to give it a look.
The Hotel Obscure – almost a character in its own right – squats in a run-down section of the city and its slow but certain disintegration mirrors the lives of many of the individuals who populate the pages of this work. Here you will find the homeless, the unloved, the lost, and those with a more desperate or determined purpose. Brodey’s people seek love, freedom, solace, revenge, security, or merely to get through the day (or night) unscathed. Hope lives in the hotel, but it shares a room with despair. Death lingers in the dirty corners like some unbleachable stain that has leached through the crumbling walls.
The book thus has an authentic feel of gritty underclass life about it (with an occasional dash of ‘Twilight Zone’). But although it deals with many sad intersecting lives –a structural feature which was very well executed – and a sense of desperation clings to the narrative, this is not a depressing read. The energy of the writing and the whip-smart dialogue interspersed with dark humour keep things moving along. You wait to see which of the characters’ paths will cross next, and whether the outcome will be positive or negative.
The short story collection is a difficult animal to sell, falling as it does between the instant gratification of social media skim-reading and the more measured experience of the novel. ‘Hotel Obscure’, however, deserves a wide audience. I hope I have convinced you to give it a look.
June 5, 2019
What a wonderful collection of slice of life encounters. I really enjoyed Hotel Obscure and all the characters that resided inside its faded walls. This book of short stories might have been depressing, but it was actually strangely uplifting. Sometimes comic, sometimes deeply poignant, sometimes quite twisty, the characters in the stories reminded me of the type of people found in John Larroquette's TV series (long ago) about a night manager at a bus station. Lisette Brodey’s heroes and heroines are all society's cast offs and yet they were somehow charming and endearing. Of all the stories, my particular favourites were Dollar Hot Dog Man, Not That Lonely, To be Perfectly Frank, Just One of Those Days and Ellmore J Badget, JR's Very Unusual Day, but these aside, I thoroughly enjoyed them all.
Ms Brodey has a talent for sharp dialogue, and her powers of observation and insight into people's mindsets are very keen. Some of the characters appear in several stories, just as they might in a TV series, and there were some great background scenes that occurred in the lobby where the interaction was brisker and the repartee faster. I was quite sad to finish the book and it made me want to go and sit in the hotel lobby and chat to the recalcitrant Henry, the blabbermouth Johnny and the people in the diner across the road. Altogether, this is a terrific set of stories with a marvellous setting in the non-judgemental, anything goes but incredibly shabby Hotel Obscure. Highly recommended!
Ms Brodey has a talent for sharp dialogue, and her powers of observation and insight into people's mindsets are very keen. Some of the characters appear in several stories, just as they might in a TV series, and there were some great background scenes that occurred in the lobby where the interaction was brisker and the repartee faster. I was quite sad to finish the book and it made me want to go and sit in the hotel lobby and chat to the recalcitrant Henry, the blabbermouth Johnny and the people in the diner across the road. Altogether, this is a terrific set of stories with a marvellous setting in the non-judgemental, anything goes but incredibly shabby Hotel Obscure. Highly recommended!
July 26, 2024
Obscure yet not quite obscure
If you've read other books by this author, you must read this one. Please note: If you can not handle cursing and such, then don't read it. If you're okay with that, you will read a book full of twists and turns as you read each story in order, and I highly recommend this five-star read! Honestly, on the story, I was not sure about what I was reading. By the end, I knew I was hooked. Do read each story in order. I write that because each successive story builds upon the one before it, yet you wouldn't know how until you immerse yourself into each story. Hotel Obscure is riveting and emotional at the same time. I don't like giving away too much of a book, but I'm compelled to remark about one aspect. That is identity theft and stalking. I could relate to this as I recently had a stalker who left me more than 700 notifications in a 12 hour span overnight. Stalkers are always a bad thing, and they can hurt a person easily if they speak with you in person and know where you live. I was anxious as I read about the stalker in Hotel Obscure, and I worried about the woman being stalked and having her identity stolen right before her eyes.
If you've read other books by this author, you must read this one. Please note: If you can not handle cursing and such, then don't read it. If you're okay with that, you will read a book full of twists and turns as you read each story in order, and I highly recommend this five-star read! Honestly, on the story, I was not sure about what I was reading. By the end, I knew I was hooked. Do read each story in order. I write that because each successive story builds upon the one before it, yet you wouldn't know how until you immerse yourself into each story. Hotel Obscure is riveting and emotional at the same time. I don't like giving away too much of a book, but I'm compelled to remark about one aspect. That is identity theft and stalking. I could relate to this as I recently had a stalker who left me more than 700 notifications in a 12 hour span overnight. Stalkers are always a bad thing, and they can hurt a person easily if they speak with you in person and know where you live. I was anxious as I read about the stalker in Hotel Obscure, and I worried about the woman being stalked and having her identity stolen right before her eyes.
July 27, 2025
Hotel Obscure is the first book I've read by Lisette Brodey. After catching the name slip by a few times, I found myself intrigued by the title. The word "obscure" does not reflect a joyful, bright, or sunny life, but rather a place that is shadowed, dark, and concealed. With that description, I ventured into these intriguing stories to see where Brodey would lead.
Each of the seventeen stories focuses on the residents, those with troubles they desired to hide from, or at least a life that had its share of troubles, and were looking for answers. The book opened up windows to the residents' souls. It gave way to deep struggles. Struggles many of us face. The characters were relatable. Their stories sometimes drive home with shattering heartbreak, or at the very least, we can identify with them, either for our own tribulations or those of others around us.
I rarely read short stories, but this set of stories reads more like a novel.
I thoroughly loved Hotel Obscure, and I loved Brodey's writing style. This will not be the last book I will read by this author, and I highly recommend it. A five-star home run.
Each of the seventeen stories focuses on the residents, those with troubles they desired to hide from, or at least a life that had its share of troubles, and were looking for answers. The book opened up windows to the residents' souls. It gave way to deep struggles. Struggles many of us face. The characters were relatable. Their stories sometimes drive home with shattering heartbreak, or at the very least, we can identify with them, either for our own tribulations or those of others around us.
I rarely read short stories, but this set of stories reads more like a novel.
I thoroughly loved Hotel Obscure, and I loved Brodey's writing style. This will not be the last book I will read by this author, and I highly recommend it. A five-star home run.
November 4, 2018
Sometimes there is an awkwardness to the prose of Lisette Brodey. It’s almost like she is wrestling you; to push you face to face and say:
“Pay Attention. You need to hear this!”
I note this because her subject are the poor, the lost, those in pain, the disenfranchised. And Brodey has a feel for putting their voices front and center.
The alcoholic, the hooker, the woman abandoned.
This is true of all her books but it has never been truer than in Hotel Obscure; seventeen stories that are set… where?
Anywhere really, these people can be found in any place; lost and alone. Every story in this collection connects you to awkward truths and people who could be you if the worst happened.
I love the prose of Lisette Brodey but I have never loved her connection with the hurts and wounds of humanity more that I have with this book. It is brilliant. I am stunned.
Highly recommended. Just found my best book of 2018.
“Pay Attention. You need to hear this!”
I note this because her subject are the poor, the lost, those in pain, the disenfranchised. And Brodey has a feel for putting their voices front and center.
The alcoholic, the hooker, the woman abandoned.
This is true of all her books but it has never been truer than in Hotel Obscure; seventeen stories that are set… where?
Anywhere really, these people can be found in any place; lost and alone. Every story in this collection connects you to awkward truths and people who could be you if the worst happened.
I love the prose of Lisette Brodey but I have never loved her connection with the hurts and wounds of humanity more that I have with this book. It is brilliant. I am stunned.
Highly recommended. Just found my best book of 2018.
October 15, 2018
HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories by Lisette Brodey
A fantastic collection of short stories centering on the run down Hotel Obscure. Each story is emotionally charged, with well developed characters. Each person is battling their own inner demons, personal problems, every day life. Physiologically charged and full of (many) emotions, Hotel Obscure is the end of the road for some, and possibly new beginnings for others.
Overall I found HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories a memorable, thought provoking, emotionally charged, fantastic read. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart, pull you in, and not let go. A definite five-star read, I highly recommend to all.
A fantastic collection of short stories centering on the run down Hotel Obscure. Each story is emotionally charged, with well developed characters. Each person is battling their own inner demons, personal problems, every day life. Physiologically charged and full of (many) emotions, Hotel Obscure is the end of the road for some, and possibly new beginnings for others.
Overall I found HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories a memorable, thought provoking, emotionally charged, fantastic read. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart, pull you in, and not let go. A definite five-star read, I highly recommend to all.
March 19, 2022
I loved the concept of this novel and wasn’t disappointed. As the reader soon finds out, all is not as it appears with the Hotel Obscure’s dwellers.
Eccentric, flawed, funny and troubled, each character in this novel is richly described. As their stories unfold, the reader is taken on an unforgettable journey through a maze of complex human emotions.
For me, each vignette was extremely well-crafted. Each rocked my senses. They intrigued me; I laughed, felt shocked and was haunted by images of those characters whose accounts stayed in my mind. Was it that I felt the book reflects a microcosm of society? Possibly. But that’s the joy of this novel. It gave me cause for thought. Well done to Lisette Brodey!
Eccentric, flawed, funny and troubled, each character in this novel is richly described. As their stories unfold, the reader is taken on an unforgettable journey through a maze of complex human emotions.
For me, each vignette was extremely well-crafted. Each rocked my senses. They intrigued me; I laughed, felt shocked and was haunted by images of those characters whose accounts stayed in my mind. Was it that I felt the book reflects a microcosm of society? Possibly. But that’s the joy of this novel. It gave me cause for thought. Well done to Lisette Brodey!
April 2, 2023
A Place to Live. A Place to Die
Hotel Obscure welcomes those who haven’t anywhere else to go. Hotel Obscure welcomes those who want to hide. Hotel Obscure provides shelter and a place to live or die according to need.
Nobody gets judged at Hotel Obscure, no matter what their reason for staying at this, once prestigious, hotel.
The neighbourhood is as rundown as the hotel, but several characters remember its glory days.
Ms Brody handles the shady characters and those who have a message to share with equal panache. Every story is a jewel in its setting, but you find strange connections and wonderful revelations on every page.
Hotel Obscure welcomes those who haven’t anywhere else to go. Hotel Obscure welcomes those who want to hide. Hotel Obscure provides shelter and a place to live or die according to need.
Nobody gets judged at Hotel Obscure, no matter what their reason for staying at this, once prestigious, hotel.
The neighbourhood is as rundown as the hotel, but several characters remember its glory days.
Ms Brody handles the shady characters and those who have a message to share with equal panache. Every story is a jewel in its setting, but you find strange connections and wonderful revelations on every page.
October 31, 2019
Wonderful collection of short stories, well written, intriguing, some sad, some uplifting, all based around the run down Hotel Obscure. The stories are about the daily lives of guests, staff and inhabitants of the hotel, terrific characters each with an individual story to tell.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, nice pace and thought provoking.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, nice pace and thought provoking.
September 1, 2024
Don't judge a book by the cover. Don't buy a book because you like the cover. I ignored both of these and purchased Hotel Obscure. I like the faux Edward Hopper painting on the cover. I though the man looking out the window at the DInEr sign looked interesting. As it turns out I was correct. It was a great selection of short stories tied together by being about the down and out people who lived in the down and out hotel. Many of the stories were sad. Some were humorous . All were good.
September 9, 2021
A really clever sequence of short stories. These are all based around a location, and though technically unconnected are linked by small events and repeat characters. Hotel Obscure is a gritty, grim place, frequented by a mixture of the dreadful and the delightful, and well worth a read.
April 18, 2023
Hotel Obscure by Lisette Brody is accessible literary fiction with a dash of urban noir. It's broken into short stories that remain with you after reading.
I enjoyed reading over a few weeks span and savored one story at a time to let them sink in the pores.
The external judgement many of us might carry about the seedy side of town is whittled away, as we are given personal stories of victory, woe, heartbreak, friendship and love.
"One Dollar Hot Dog Man" was a perfect opening to this collection, as I couldn't help but smirk at the stubbornness and grit inside a man who clearly has been misunderstood for so long that he carried it like a badge of honor.
The character "Evan" in another story broke my heart. Family can be a curse or a blessing and that Thanksgiving scene with hit home for me.
The hotel is a gathering place for the lowest denominator in society and yet the inhabitants face all of the same problems and dynamics any human might when the going gets tough.
I would not recommend this collection to anyone who can't handle gritty and realistic characterization and grown-up themes.
If you would would like to know a stranger and walk in their shoes for a day, this collection can shed some light on someone who might not have the same life you have, or perhaps it will remind you of someone you once knew?
At the end of the collection the reader might conclude from these brief meetings that the human experience connects us and if darkness is left unchecked, it can and will destroy any chance at inner-peace.
I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work in the future.
I enjoyed reading over a few weeks span and savored one story at a time to let them sink in the pores.
The external judgement many of us might carry about the seedy side of town is whittled away, as we are given personal stories of victory, woe, heartbreak, friendship and love.
"One Dollar Hot Dog Man" was a perfect opening to this collection, as I couldn't help but smirk at the stubbornness and grit inside a man who clearly has been misunderstood for so long that he carried it like a badge of honor.
The character "Evan" in another story broke my heart. Family can be a curse or a blessing and that Thanksgiving scene with hit home for me.
The hotel is a gathering place for the lowest denominator in society and yet the inhabitants face all of the same problems and dynamics any human might when the going gets tough.
I would not recommend this collection to anyone who can't handle gritty and realistic characterization and grown-up themes.
If you would would like to know a stranger and walk in their shoes for a day, this collection can shed some light on someone who might not have the same life you have, or perhaps it will remind you of someone you once knew?
At the end of the collection the reader might conclude from these brief meetings that the human experience connects us and if darkness is left unchecked, it can and will destroy any chance at inner-peace.
I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work in the future.
December 15, 2023
In "Hotel Obscure" Lisette Brodey delights the reader with a collection of seventeen remarkable short stories. Their narratives are both enlightening and emotionally captivating. The author adeptly delves into the emotional and psychological states of her characters, creating a truly immersive reading experience.
These stories feature a wide range of characters from diverse backgrounds, enhancing the collection's appeal. Each tale provides a window into the lives of intriguing and flawed individuals who pass through the doors of the imaginary hotel.
Some characters make appearances in stories other than their own, enriching the overarching narrative. Despite their brevity, each short story offers a satisfying sense of completion, challenging the conventional notion that novella or novel-length stories are the only path to immersive storytelling.
"Hotel Obscure" offers an eye-opening and engaging reading experience that encourages readers to embrace the diverse stories of people from various walks of life, inspiring a newfound curiosity about those around them.
Highly recommended.
June 9, 2023
“Hotel Obscure” by Lisette Brodey contains 17 highly intelligent short stories centered around one locale: The Hotel Obscure. The hotel is a dilapidated and neglected cornerstone in a once thriving area. The author’s descriptions of the locale and hotel occupants convey a downtrodden, stained, neglected and seedy locale whose inhabitants find solace, respite, and reflection within the walls of the hotel.
Each story tells a vantage point of the hotel through a unique perspective of one of the hotel occupants. Gradually through each story, the fabric, layers, depths, and inner architecture of the hotel emerge from many different points to create a unified whole. I found it fascinating to see the unveiling of different depths of the hotel as different stories revealed aspects of the hotel.
I will be reading more of Ms. Brodey’s books as her writing, intricate weaving of the plot and dialogue were captivating. Superb short stories and writing!
Each story tells a vantage point of the hotel through a unique perspective of one of the hotel occupants. Gradually through each story, the fabric, layers, depths, and inner architecture of the hotel emerge from many different points to create a unified whole. I found it fascinating to see the unveiling of different depths of the hotel as different stories revealed aspects of the hotel.
I will be reading more of Ms. Brodey’s books as her writing, intricate weaving of the plot and dialogue were captivating. Superb short stories and writing!
October 28, 2020
HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories by Lisette Brodey
A fantastic collection of short stories centering on the run down Hotel Obscure. Each story is emotionally charged, with well developed characters. Each person is battling their own inner demons, personal problems, every day life. Physiologically charged and full of (many) emotions, Hotel Obscure is the end of the road for some, and possibly new beginnings for others.
Overall I found HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories a memorable, thought provoking, emotionally charged, fantastic read. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart, pull you in, and not let go. A definite five-star read, I highly recommend to all.
A fantastic collection of short stories centering on the run down Hotel Obscure. Each story is emotionally charged, with well developed characters. Each person is battling their own inner demons, personal problems, every day life. Physiologically charged and full of (many) emotions, Hotel Obscure is the end of the road for some, and possibly new beginnings for others.
Overall I found HOTEL OBSCURE: A Collection of Short Stories a memorable, thought provoking, emotionally charged, fantastic read. Lisette Brodey knows how to grab you by the heart, pull you in, and not let go. A definite five-star read, I highly recommend to all.
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