The Hoarder

I very much like Jess Kidd's storytelling voice, first and foremost. It's interesting how she can write to a style/genre/trope in a seemingly easy surface way, but take it in a different, more complex and murky direction. That said, I'm a little sad I didn't get a surfacey happily-resolved story here, for the sake of the characters. And overall I liked Himself a bit more.

I don't understand why everyone isn't running to get their hands on this book! Everyone who loves great story telling should run out and get this book when it publishes on May 1st. Really. I thought it was that good. In fact I just loved it. I had expected a quirky read with a quirky main character and, to some extent, that's what I got. But I also got so much more! Mr. Flood himself is quirky with a very capital Q, but Maud and Renata are real people with a capital R. They are so well drawn by the author they feel just like friends as you read along. Mr Flood's mansion is so perfectly described you can see each room in your mind and the house becomes its own great, quirky character. And the story - oh this story is a good one. There is show more a very luscious mystery woven through Mr. Flood's story that twists and turns just like the best of any thriller out there. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest opinion. show less

Jess Kidd’s latest novel, Mr. Flood’s Last Resort, is one heck of a page-turning black comedy. Maud Drennan has become Cathal Flood’s last resort. He is a hoarder and an old curmudgeon of the highest order and he has managed to chase off every cleaner the agency has sent him. If Maud can’t bring him and his house to heel, it’s the old folks home for him. Maud fortunately is clever, resourceful, and patient (perhaps due to her life-long relationship with dead saints who like to visit and critique her life on a regular basis) and, eventually Maud and Cathal reach, if not a friendship, a truce. But, even as she conquers the mess of his house and person, she becomes obsessed with the possibly not accidental death of his wife and show more the disappearance of a young girl who is somehow linked to him. She and Renata, her agoraphobic transgender landlady, are determined to get to the bottom of it so, with Renata’s chart board and spirit of adventure (albeit somewhat hampered by her agoraphobia) and Maud’s indefatigable sense of curiosity, the two set out to solve these mysteries with the saints cheering Maud on from the sidelines.

Okay, admittedly it took me a couple of chapters to acclimate myself to this novel because it’s not exactly your typical mystery novel or, well, novel in general. But once I caught up with it, I loved it. Mr. Flood’s Last Resort is definitely one of my favourite reads this year thanks to its twist and turns, its quirky characters, witty dialogue (including that of the saints), and its black humour. It should be noted that this is less about the mysteries and more about the relationships between Maud and the other characters but for anyone looking for something well-written, great fun, and completely original, this one's for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

‘’A dead mouse curled in a teacup, a headless ceramic dray horse, a mannequin’s pink severed limb: that sort of thing. I have a morbid bent. ‘’

It would be extremely useful if each one of us had a power squad of our favourite saints to talk to face-to-face every time we were in trouble. Mortals usually let us down and, honestly, no human being is as wise as a saint. So, Maud- our troubled heroine- can be considered lucky, right? Well, not quite...Her saints appear at some terribly uncomfortable moments and even though they are sassy and caring and vigilant, they cannot interfere. Heaven rules, you know. Besides, there’s very little to do when Maud finds herself involved in a case of disappeared children, dead wives, spirits, show more cats named after writers, guiding foxes and staring portraits. All these while she’s working as a care worker for a grumpy, foul-mouthed elderly man named Cathal Flood. Did I mention a tall, blond man with grey eyes? Because these are the definition of trouble…

Jess Kidd’s debut novel was the unique, hypnotizingly perfect Himself. Her sophomore novel is no less exciting. I know we all loved Himself and we anxiously waited for her next creation and I don’t think we were disappointed. The story is cleverly written in such a way that the past is constantly influencing the present without moving back and forth in time and thus it creates a narration where each piece of the puzzle is slowly collected until it takes its proper place on the board. Maud is our eyes in the story and her family past is no less troubling and dark than Cathal’s. Even though Kidd writes with elegant and sassy humour, the heart of the mystery and the essence of the two main characters’ lives are complex, mysterious, almost sinister. And the presence of death is as tense and inevitable as in Himself. Maud’s dreams are as gothic as they can get, foreboding and frightening, which is perfect. Obviously. In fact, I found The Hoarder to be significantly darker than Himself, both in terms of atmosphere and subject matter. And Himself was no walk in the park…

One of the things I adored in her debut novel was the Irish setting. Here, Kidd continues to pay homage to the magic of the Emerald Isle, albeit sparingly. The beauty of the Irish nature, the ferocious wilderness is reflected in Maud’s memories that are anything but nostalgic. The ghosts that aided Mahony have given their place to a glorious team of five saints. St Dymphna, the patron saint of mental illnesses and nervous disorders and an utter queen, St Valentine (who is as unsentimental as he can get), St Rita, St Monica and St George (who are innocent, melancholic and ready for battle, respectively). Bonus points for the Archangel Gabriel. These extraordinary figures are the ones who turn the novel from very good to brilliant, who make it an exciting, memorable read.

The characters are a major ingredient in the impact of The Hoarder. Renata is one of a kind, her personality a welcoming surprise. Cathal is a character we often meet in contemporary novels, the old man who shouts and swears and refuses any help, the one who’s misunderstood by all. Kidd uses these tropes to create a main character that stays with you throughout the story. The only problem I faced was Maud. She was nothing like Mahony, that's for sure. I found her flat, uninspiring, naive, rude and detached. She was persistent and brave, but not that sharpest knife in the drawer. Not to mention that her romantic aspirations irritated me to the high heavens. I think the depth of the story deserved a more interesting protagonist, but what do I know?

Nevertheless, a flat character cannot make me lower my rating in this case. One has to appreciate the fact that Kidd doesn’t resort to cliches nor does she attempt to cheapen or sweeten parts of the story. She writes with a distinctive style, with tenderness, sassiness, and confidence, a mixture that is very modern, very effective. Each book by her can only get better and better…

‘’I cry for those who can’t remember and those who can’t forget and those who are stuck somewhere in the fucking middle.’’

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com show less

Do you ever see a book cover and just 'know' it was designed for you? I'm in love with the cover - and title - of The Hoarder by Jess Kidd, and the wallpaper design with the sinister burn mark in the centre dings all of my bookish bells.

In The Hoarder by Jess Kidd, Maud has been brought on to look after Cathal Flood and clear his old house of rubbish and refuse. Cathal is a reclusive and grumpy old man living in a run-down mansion packed with clutter, mementoes and secrets; all of which are threatening to overwhelm him.

The Hoarder is a mystery novel at heart with a mystery surrounding Cathal's family and the disappearance of Maud's sister in childhood.

Maud is a terrific character and her no-nonsense approach with her client was an show more absolute joy to read. The inclusion of a little magical realism in the form of the 'saints' Maud could see was interesting, but not altogether necessary to the plot in my opinion. I didn't quite understand why she could see and talk to saints but not to the ghosts of the departed.

I did enjoy the character of Maud's friend and neighbour Renata though, who could easily command a book of her own. However, the mystery surrounding Maud's sister wasn't resolved to my satisfaction, leading to the deduction of 1/2 star in my rating.

All in all, I adored reading The Hoarder and often found myself thinking about the cantankerous old man and looking forward to the time when I could pick up the book and continue the story.

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin * show less

Loved it. Will definitely be trying more of the authors work. Characters were interesting, plot satisfying and the surreal bits of atmosphere, taxidermy, autmotans, Gypsy fortune tellers and ouija boards all in one book. What more could you ask for. Cats and foxes, you say, don’t worry , they’re there to, along with saints and sinners galore

Every so often I stumble across a jewel of a book, a wonderfully unexpected, serendipitous read. Such is the case with Jess Kidd's novel, Mr. Flood's Last Resort.

Mr. Flood is a cantankerous old man, living in his crumbling mansion Bridlemere, surrounded by his 'collections.' His son wants to put him in a home and Mr. Flood has one last chance to stay put - let a carer into the house to clean up the house - and him. That last resort is Maud Drennan.

That's just the starting point. There is so much happening in this novel - and it makes for an absolutely addicting read.

Maud has a tragedy in her past - one that only slowly comes to light as the book progresses. "You'll only cause bloody trouble. Like you did before." There's mystery in show more Cathal Flood's life as well. A mystery that the house itself seems to be revealing to Maud as she cleans. Maud also receives assistance from the various Saints that trail after her. Ones of course that only she can see and hear.

Kidd's characters are quirky and quickly endeared themselves to me. I adored Maud, but her agoraphobic neighbour Renata is a close second. Cathal Flood will have your emotions running the gamut.

Mr. Flood's Last Resort is infused with magical realism. I enjoy this story telling element and Kidd does it extremely well, with the Saints and the collapsing house that seems determined to put the past right. Irish fables and proverbs add to that atmosphere. Kidd's prose are wonderful.

There's a mystery to be solved in Mr. Flood's last resort, but there's so much more to the tale. Forgiveness speaks loudly. Heartbreaking, heartwarming and so very, very good. (And that ending? Perfect - although I wished I knew more....) Absolutely recommended. show less