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The Boiling Season

by Christopher Hebert (Goodreads Author)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 53 ratings · 22 reviews

An ambitious young man struggles to define himself and his future in a Caribbean nation plunged into violent revolution.

Having spent his childhood trapped in the slums of a politically volatile Caribbean island, Alexandre dreams of escape. Within only a few years, he rises from being a valet for an important politician to becoming a caretaker for a derelict estate purchase...more

ebook, 432 pages

Published February 28th 2012 by Harper

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Jan 13, 2012 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, caribbean, av

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...more 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.

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Sep 21, 2012 Christine Boyer rated it 2 of 5 stars

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...more

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May 25, 2012 Paul Lunger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 rebellio...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: haiti, amazon-vine-reviews, 3-stars-and-a-half, world-fiction-challenge, caribbean, fie-on-your-unnamed-countries

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...more 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.(less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 un...more

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Feb 24, 2012 cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Cyndi Beane-Henry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Thomas S rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 insig...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Jillian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: caribbean, first-reads, realistic-fiction

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 aro...more 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. (view spoiler)(less)

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Apr 18, 2012 Diane S. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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. Eve...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

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...more 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.(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads

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...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Amanda Z rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Jul 21, 2012 Patricia Barnes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Sep 09, 2012 David Zemke rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Jul 27, 2012 Serge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Aug 25, 2012 Lelia Cavaleri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One man stands against the world's tendency toward entropy

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Mar 10, 2013 Carol Eshaghy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Aug 21, 2012 Silvergift rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Apr 02, 2012 Janel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cannonball-read-iv-finitio

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Oct 20, 2012 Juliek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Apr 27, 2013 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-novels

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Shelves: northwest-library

Apr 08, 2013 Drew rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mar 06, 2013 David Burns rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mar 04, 2013 Theresa is currently reading it · review of another edition

Jan 17, 2013 Bryan Duffert marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jan 16, 2013 Jason Kirk rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jan 15, 2013 Andrea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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About Christopher Hebert

Christopher Hebert graduated from Antioch College, where he also worked at the Antioch Review. He has spent time in Guatemala and taught in Mexico, and worked as a research assistant to the author Susan Cheever. He earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan, and was awarded its prestigious Hopwood Award for Fiction. He lives in Knoxville, TN with his son and his wife, the no...more

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“I learned quickly that there is nothing easier to grow accustomed to than luxury.” — 2 people liked it

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