Mr. Chartwell

Jun 08, 2011 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, literary-fiction, read-in-2011

Rebecca Hunt has created an interesting novel set in 1964 featuring Winston Churchill, in the days before his final retirement, Esther Hammerhans, a librarian at the House of Commons, and a Black Dog. Of course this isn't just any dog but Churchill's "black dog" of depression that has been with him for much of his life. I am tempted to say the dog has been anthropomorphized but can that refer to dogs? Well perhaps there is some other term but I will leave it at that!! You must read the book for...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Ruthiella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I may never look at a black Labrador in the same way again. In July 1964, on the eve of Churchill’s resignation from Parliament, Esther Hammerhans prepares her spare room for a lodger who turns out to be…a large, black dog. There are brilliant descriptions of Churchill’s luxurious estate with its fine gardens, furniture, fabrics and exotic knickknacks and mementos and Esther’s more modest flat full of cheap souvenirs; their homes are veritable museums to both the joys and the pains of their past...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Elizabeth Katz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Bookgroup

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The 4-star ambitiousness of this first novel brings my rating to three stars even though my enjoyment of it was more like 2.5.

Winston Churchill described his debilitating depression as a black dog. The premise of the novel is to make that black dog, Black Pat, a character in the book. I knew that before I started the book, as most readers probably do. What I didn't realize is that the book is not about Churchill. The dog is not a literary device to allow a different view of Churchill. The books...more The 4-star ambitiousness of this first novel brings my rating to three stars even though my enjoyment of it was more like 2.5.

Winston Churchill described his debilitating depression as a black dog. The premise of the novel is to make that black dog, Black Pat, a character in the book. I knew that before I started the book, as most readers probably do. What I didn't realize is that the book is not about Churchill. The dog is not a literary device to allow a different view of Churchill. The books is really about the Dog. Churchill's known relationship with the Dog simply provides the starting place of common knowledge. Then the novel follows what happens when the Dog inserts himself into someone else's life. Churchill's relationship with the dog is the backdrop against which this drama plays out.

When I began the book, I accepted that the Dog was Depression personified. When the dog knocks on Ester's door, I felt like I was watching SNL Land Shark skit. (Candygram.) I wanted to warn her of the dog's bad intentions. But soon I started arguing with the author in my head... "Depression wouldn't act like that." Depression wouldn't dig up the yard or drool on the carpet. I found the dog conformed much more to my notions of depression when he was with Churchill. In retrospect I think this turns out to be the point. While I have entertained Black Pat for a while (Like most people, I think.), the visit is different than for someone with hereditary depression such as Churchill. I found this aspect of the book the most interesting.

Unfortunately having the Dog as a character created a number of problems that ultimately made the book unsatisfying. On the one hand, the dog seemed to me to have the most dialog and the most personality of anyone in the book. The main characters seemed to revolve around his whimsy. And by comparison, Winston and Ester also seemed quite flat and unremarkable. Perhaps it was the pulling out (and dogifying) of one part of them, that made them feel incomplete?

And since, as their depression, Black Pat is actually part of these characters, he can't have independent motivation. Despite his charismatic dialog, I can feel he can only be described as a force--chaos or confusion--or maybe a presence. While at times. he tortures our characters, he isn't allowed the ambition of a villain--or really any emotion. Throughout the book, various characters tell him to go away. He responds that this is his job and therefore he can't. He expresses regret and yet he doesn't seem to feel it. This is very confusion and it sets up a very odd ending when the Dog moves out of Ester's home. I was left feeling that (as much as I was glad it happened) something wasn't quite right.

Even though don't think Hunt quite succeeded with this novel, I'm glad she wrote Mr. Chartwell and I'm glad I encountered it. I will look forward to more from her.(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I kept waiting for something, anything to actually happen in this book. Maybe I'm supposed to feel that way as depression can make you feel like life is not moving forward. Not sure if that is on purpose by the author, though, or just how I felt about it.
The language of the story-telling gets in the way of the story. There are too many descriptive passages that you need to read over once and again to try to pull some meaning from what's there. Chockful of metaphor after metaphor, some which are...more I kept waiting for something, anything to actually happen in this book. Maybe I'm supposed to feel that way as depression can make you feel like life is not moving forward. Not sure if that is on purpose by the author, though, or just how I felt about it.
The language of the story-telling gets in the way of the story. There are too many descriptive passages that you need to read over once and again to try to pull some meaning from what's there. Chockful of metaphor after metaphor, some which are so nonsensical that you must pause to ponder what the author is attempting to say.
The premise is thought-provoking. What if depression manifested as this big smelly, dirty, nuisance of a black dog? The idea is clever, although not new as that is how Winston Churchill referred to his depression.
There are two storylines; one about Churchill's retirement from politiics and one about Esther, a quiet librarian, with whom the black dog also comes to stay. I liked how obnnoxious the dog becomeas as she can't control him and he slowly takes over her home.
What I didn't like is that the whole thing is just so slow-moving. It spans only three or four days and there is nothing compelling happening during those days. Again, maybe this is to show why Esther is depressed, by nothing happening? I don't know.
The reveal of why she is depressed took too long to roll out, in my opinion. I had it figured out fairly early on what had happened so it wasn't a shock to find out it was what I thought.
The big conversation between Churchill and Esther was so hard to decipher that I had to read it over again. Neither will actually acknowledge that the black dog is there, so they both talk around the situation and I didn't get much out of the dialogue, other than the basic message. I won't put that here so no spoilers.
I'm not quite sure I'd agree with the ending, not sure that it doesn't demean those who suffer from depression in some ways. That's just my take on it anyway.
Not sure if it lived up to my expectations. (less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Maggie Stiefvater rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

Five Things About Mr. Charwell:

1. If I tell you this is a book about depression, you won’t want to read it. At least, I wouldn’t want to read it. Depression is real, yes, but depression also tends to be static; it clogs and slows and dilutes its victim. Which makes for boring fiction. So I won’t tell you that this book is about depression (because it’s not very true, anyway). I will instead tell you that this book is about Winston Churchill, which also isn’t tremendously true. Winston Churchill...more Five Things About Mr. Charwell:

1. If I tell you this is a book about depression, you won’t want to read it. At least, I wouldn’t want to read it. Depression is real, yes, but depression also tends to be static; it clogs and slows and dilutes its victim. Which makes for boring fiction. So I won’t tell you that this book is about depression (because it’s not very true, anyway). I will instead tell you that this book is about Winston Churchill, which also isn’t tremendously true. Winston Churchill struggled with depression during his life, referring to it as a black dog. Well, in this book, depression is truly a black dog, six feet tall and smelly and just there. So there you go. This is practically a dog book.

2. Also, it’s not really about depression. It’s about strength. Possibly this makes it a not-depressing book with depression as a main character. Rebecca Hunt is a very clever wordsmith, and I had to stop a few times to read sentences out loud because of how very TRUE their contents were. I love a book that makes me nod and say “that’s exactly how it is! I never thought of it that way!” (Well, I don’t really say that. I just go GAH and read it out loud. But that’s what I mean.)

3. Plus, it’s funny. It’s interesting, isn’t it, how sadness and laughter live right next door to each other. This book nails that. Hunt is well aware of the humor inherent in a six foot tall dog named Mr. Chartwell looking for a room to let, and she runs with it.

4. The metaphor is pretty stinkin’ impeccable. I really think this exchange between one of the narrators, Esther, and the black dog, Mr. Chartwell, is a great example of both the book’s humor and the effectiveness of the metaphor. She has just asked him how it is that Mr. Chartwell affects Churchill, and he replies: “It’s hard to explain. With Churchill we know each other’s movements, so we have a routine, I guess. I like to be there when he wakes up in the morning. Sometimes I drape across his chest. That slows him down for a bit. And then I like to lie around in the corner of the room, crying out like I have terrible injuries. Sometimes I’ll burst out at him from behind some furniture and bark in his face. During meals I’ll squat near his plate and breathe over his food. I might lean on him too when he’s standing up, or hang off him in some way. I also make an effort to block out the sunlight whenever I can.”

5. The novel never overstays its welcome. Short chapters fill its brief 242 pages, making for a speedy read. The conceit of a panting black dog following people around might have gotten old if Hunt had let it, but — unlike Mr. Chartwell — Hunt gives the reader precisely what is needed and then is gone before there can be an aftertaste. (less)

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May 25, 2012 Sandy rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one

Shelves: audio, england, hist-fiction, 20th-cent-life

So, what WAS the point of this book??? It was really pretty silly and did virtually nothing to captive me but I hate putting a book down half read and am even less inclined to do it if the book is on CD therefore part of my driving day... The character - Esther was meek and unremarkable... half the point, I imagine, and her friends Beth and Big Oliver utterly annoying - especially Beth. Her new colleague and friend, Mr. Corkbowl, has what must be one of THE most unappealing and awfully drab name...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Geoffrey Cubbage rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fun. Quirky. Unpretentious. One-word summaries seem to suit Mr. Chartwell; it's an uncomplicated read.

Take an absurd premise (Winston Churchill's depression, which he called "the Black Dog," appears as an actual black dog and takes lodgings with a Buckingham Palace secretary/librarian with problems of her own) and add a cast of delightfully ordinary Brits and you've got a solid debut novel. Ms. Hunt never makes the reader work too hard to accept her flight of fancy; she has the basic rule of mag...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Valley Cottage Library rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: katie-pick

This is not a book for everyone. I won't lie. It's a weird one. It has the feeling and pace of a lot of the weirder indie movies(think Spike Jonze). In order to enjoy this book, you have to be able to suspend disbelief and just accept that there is an annoying, smelly, talking, drinking dog following people around to depress them. Once you accept that, this is a subtly funny, very imaginative novel.

This book brings together the stories of Winston Churchill during his last week of office and a y...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a dark book about depression that has both light-hearted and humorous moments--a wonderful combination. Winston Churchill suffered from depression his entire life and called his depression the "black dog". Using this historical fact, Rebecca Hunt has crafted a wonderful novel about depression and how it can completely consume lives. The story takes place over a five day period in July 1964 and involves Winston Churchill as he prepares to retire from Parliament and leave public life and E...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, borrowed, fiction, general-fiction, historical-fiction, 4-star

This was a tricky one for me. I thought it was funny and very moving. I really liked it. But. My apologies to Mr. Churchill, but the black dog metaphor just doesn't work for me. Depression as an annoyance, an uninvited guest who shows up and bugs you, chewing rocks and whispering in your ear, crushing your chest and hogging the bed just misses something. Depression is so all-encompassing and I've found that it's very internal as well. It's not a visitor, it's an all-out crippling assault; your o...more

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Aug 06, 2011 J.M. Cornwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Allegorical fantasy told with dark humor and containing a sharp golden heart.

Parliamentary librarian, Esther Hammerhans, put an ad in the newspaper for a renter. She wanted company, someone to help divert her attention from the looming date of her husband’s suicide two years before. What she got was a massive black dog that calls himself Mr. Chartwell. He has business in the city and needs a room to be close to his client—Winston Churchill. Black Pat also has business with Esther, but she does...more

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May 31, 2011 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a clever and funny book about a serious topic. Churchill named his depression a black dog and Rebecca Hunt personifies the dog. Mr Chartwell is a very large (human sized) black labrador who can speak and interact. His job is with those who have depression and he takes his job seriously. The story is set over 5 days in July 1964.
Mr Chartwell (or Black Pat as he is also known) divides his time between Winston Churchill, who is retiring from Parliament and Esther, a House of Commons librari...more

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May 25, 2011 Claudia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Een boek over depressie met daarin een hond als hoofdpersoon klinkt in eerste instantie niet interessant. Mocht je de depressie weghalen zal je vast denken dat dit een kinderboek is. Het verhaal gaat namelijk over een hond die kan lopen en praten. Niets is minder waar. Depressie wordt erg mooi beschreven en de pratende hond is niet geschikt voor kinderen. Dit boek is uniek. Een interessant verhaal dat iedereen moet lezen!

Stel je eens voor, je wordt wakker en je voelt dat je niet alleen bent in d...more

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May 24, 2011 Dan (aka Utterbiblio) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rebecca Hunt's take on depression is refreshing and on point. Living with such a debilitating condition is very much how Rebecca depicts it. It's not a book for everyone, it's dwindling and tiresome at times due to the subject matter, but it shouldn't be avoided.

It's a book, that despite my comments, should be read by everyone to respect what some people have to walk through life with over their head. Hunt's depictions of the illness are the physical embodiment of how all of your energy, happine...more

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May 03, 2011 Lydia Presley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, contemporary, disorders, fiction

While I do not feel the summary shows this novel in the light it should have been shown, Mr. Chartwell definitely takes it's place among some of the most unique, interesting books I've read. I approached the story believing there'd be more interaction between the famous Mr. Churchill and Esther but instead, found more of a coincidental connection and just one small scene with both involved. This disappointed me a bit, but something else made up for that disappointment.

Having dealt with depressio...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Carole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Esther Hammerhans is a wispy, slim library clerk who works at Westminster Palace ….. Sir Winston Churchill is just about to retire from politics after 60 years …. at first glance they seem to have absolutely nothing in common, until the day Mr Chartwell enters Esther’s life and they begin to share this huge black dog as he divides his time between them.

She had been lonely --

For a long time the weeks of her life had drifted past as ghosts. There was the rare bump of pleasure, perhaps from a meal

...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Amy Meyer rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Friends

Recommended to Amy by: review

Title: Mr. Chartwell
Author: Rebecca Hunt
Date Published: February 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1400069408
Publisher: The Dial Press
Pages: 256
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Publisher’s Book Summary: July 1964. Chartwell House, Kent: Winston Churchill wakes at dawn. There’s a dark, mute “presence” in the room that focuses on him with rapt concentration. It’s Mr. Chartwell. Soon after, in London, Esther Hammerhans, a librarian at the House of Commons, goes to answer the door to her new lo...more Title: Mr. Chartwell
Author: Rebecca Hunt
Date Published: February 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1400069408
Publisher: The Dial Press
Pages: 256
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Publisher’s Book Summary: July 1964. Chartwell House, Kent: Winston Churchill wakes at dawn. There’s a dark, mute “presence” in the room that focuses on him with rapt concentration. It’s Mr. Chartwell. Soon after, in London, Esther Hammerhans, a librarian at the House of Commons, goes to answer the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette the size of a mattress. It’s Mr. Chartwell. Charismatic, dangerously seductive, Mr. Chartwell unites the eminent statesman at the end of his career and the vulnerable young woman. But can they withstand Mr. Chartwell’s strange, powerful charms and his stranglehold on their lives? Can they even explain who or what he is and why he has come to visit?

In this utterly original, moving, funny, and exuberant novel, Rebecca Hunt explores how two unlikely lives collide as Mr. Chartwell’s motives are revealed to be far darker and deeper than they at first seem.

My Thoughts: I thought Mr. Chartwell would be an innovative and creative story when I first read it's summary. When I received an ARC of Rebecca Hunt’s debut and fully understood what the book is about, I’ll admit I was a little skeptical because the book requires the reader to accept something intangible as real. It’s documented that Winston Churchill suffered periods of depression throughout his life and he referred to this depression as “black dog”. Rebecca Hunt manifests depression in her novel as an actual Black Dog called, as the title suggests, Mr. Chartwell or, in full, Black Pat Chartwell. Chartwell was the name of Winston Churchill's home in Kent, England. My skepticism was unnecessary and a waste of time. Rebecca Hunt's debut is a captivating and exceptional story that portrays depression as a living, breathing entity both despicable and amusing. The story is brought to life through quirky characters, witty, engrossing dialogue and an ingenious story-line. It’s deceptively simple and fun but by the time you finish reading it, you’ll realize Mr. Chartwell is a rich, engrossing book about an important issue and it will stick with you for a long time.

The star of the novel, for me, is Black Pat, an extremely large, somewhat revolting, black dog. He is egocentric, witty and intelligent. He also has a cruel, nasty side that he's adept at concealing when it suits him. Ms. Hunt does an amazing of job of making Black Pat a combination of dog and man and I found the passages describing his daily activities such as eating, sleeping and bathing interesting, laugh out loud funny, as well as gross! Much of the novel's comic aspects come from Black Pat. The dark, sinister aspect of his personality is more subtle and it wasn't until I'd read a substantial portion of the book that I recognized it. In the chapters where Black Pat visits with Winston Churchill, he is implacable, harsh and reprehensible, yet we sense a mutual respect. Ms. Hunt successfully conveys the unrelenting nature of depression by describing the things Black Pat does when he‘s with Winston Churchill. He chews on rocks and lies across Churchill. When I stopped and thought about what Black Pat was doing to Churchill I shuddered to think how demoralizing it must be living with him for a lifetime.

Ms. Hunt provides an interesting contrast in Black Pat's behavior with Esther Hammerhans, a young woman who permits Black Pat to stay with her almost against her will. He is witty, teasing and entertaining in Esther's presence. Black Pat's idea of flirting is engaging but also wearying and very effective. Esther is sad, confused and uncertain about her life. She's haunted by a recent tragedy, unsure of how to come to terms with it and move on with her life. Black Pat seems to know more about Esther than he admits. He uses her debilitated state to his advantage and exhausts Esther with his behavior and chatter. As the story progresses, Black Pat's attraction to Esther becomes clear at which point his previously engaging behavior appears loathsome and unkind. When Black Pat thinks Esther's figured him out an unexpected desperation and sadness similar to Esther's overcomes him. Esther finds it difficult to reject Black Pat. He offers her a connection to her past that nobody else can but if she accepts him she stands to lose everything.

I thought this book was a quick, amusing read but almost too entertaining and light, particularly the first half of the book. The dialogue is often too cute with much bantering between characters. Black Pat enjoys creating nonsensical rhymes and makes references to the "game" he's playing. In several chapters, Churchill and his wife call each other Mr. Pug and Mrs. Pussycat. Additionally, several of the secondary characters are too eccentric. Esther's friend from work is a socially inept man, Corkbowl, who tends to make others awkward and uncomfortable when he speaks and her friend Beth is extremely blunt, pushy and has no concept of personal space. Beth, despite being Esther's close friend, doesn't have a clue about her despair and inner turmoil.

The dark side of Black Pat's behavior initially only shows up in the chapters with Churchill, of which there are few and most short. The majority of the book focuses on Esther's relationship with Black Pat and with her friends, most of which is animated and lively. I didn't feel the morbidity of Black Pat until I sat and thought about what he was doing to Churchill and later on in the book, to Esther. Ms. Hunt's novel doesn't lend itself to much introspection because it is so amusing.

I would have liked some more chapters about Churchill and Black Pat's relationship. Black Pat has been a part of Churchill's life for a long time and now that Churchill’s 87 years old, there's a long history between them. I also hoped for more about Esther's life, especially her past. I don't want to give away important parts of the book so I'll just say that when Esther finally has an epiphany about Black Pat, I thought she would look back on her life over the last several years. Unfortunately, the author leaves this thread dangling rather than take what seems a good opportunity to tie the individual stories together.

Overall, I thought Mr. Chartwell was enjoyable with an exceptional and creative story. Ms. Hunt's prose is wonderful and she has a talent for writing innovative metaphors that, aside from a few awkward sentences, provided great descriptions and explanations throughout. I think Ms. Hunt took a risk writing about depression in this way, but she succeeded. Readers familiar with depression will likely find Mr. Chartwell a more substantial read than those who have no experience. This is a book that I would recommend to many different people and I think it's great for book clubs as it offers several areas for discussion. I just can't imagine that there wouldn't be as many varied opinions about Mr. Chartwell as there are people who read it. I’m looking forward to other books by Rebecca Hunt and hope she writes one soon!(less)

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Mar 11, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

In her debut novel Mr. Chartwell, author Rebecca Hunt asks her readers to suspend disbelief and allow her to introduce the “dogification” of depression. In 1964 London, the recently widowed librarian Esther Hammerhans opens the door to the only respondent to her add for a boarder, only to find a giant dog, capable of speech, who introduces himself as Mr. Chartwell. Although Mr. Chartwell is a bit repulsive, and somewhat hard to believe, Esther soon finds herself drawn to him and his unusual powe...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Brooke rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, death, suicide, historical-fiction, physical-mental-disabilities-illne

hm. Well. This book was an interesting take on depression. Rebecca Hunt uses the figure of a large, black, beastly dog over turning and overtaking people's lives to attempt to illustrate the despair and life-owning horror that is depression. I really thought the imagery et. al was interesting and fresh. I like the language of her writing, but was often bored and slogging through. I was determined to finish reading and I did, but it was difficult.
I find, by searching google, that Churchill referr...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Linda Rollins rated it 3 of 5 stars

An unusually creative and surprising tale

A story about Winston Churchill, a young woman named Esther and a massive black dog called Mr Chartwell, who walks on his hind legs and talks. The intrigue of this introduction alone leads you to read on.

The writing at first seems a little hesitant, almost as though the author isn’t quite sure and is trying too hard. The language used is sometimes beautiful but it doesn’t seem to flow as it should. However, the writing becomes more confident as you gradu...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Felice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Going into Mr Chartwell you should know that Winston Churchill suffered with depression throughout his adult life and referred to depression as "the black dog". Got it? Now you are ready to read one of the more original novels I've read in a long time.

The title character in Mr Chartwell is that black dog. Or something very like a dog. Mr Chartwell is 6' 7", smelly, and resembles a black Labrador. He has quite a few human characteristics: he speaks English, walks on his hind legs, drinks, needs...more Going into Mr Chartwell you should know that Winston Churchill suffered with depression throughout his adult life and referred to depression as "the black dog". Got it? Now you are ready to read one of the more original novels I've read in a long time.

The title character in Mr Chartwell is that black dog. Or something very like a dog. Mr Chartwell is 6' 7", smelly, and resembles a black Labrador. He has quite a few human characteristics: he speaks English, walks on his hind legs, drinks, needs an apartment and is employed. His job is persecuting Winston Churchill. Chartwell has been hounding Churchill for years. In 1964 when the novel opens Churchill is retiring from politics after sixty years. The idea of retirement does not sit easily with him and neither does having the black dog as a companion once again.

Chartwell has his teeth in Esther Hammerhans as well. Esther is a young widow with a room to let. She's naturally reluctant to rent it to Chartwell when he shows up but he has a way of not taking no for answer and soon moves in. Chartwell finds the grieving Esther an easy mark and takes over. Like an unloved and persistent stray Chartwell grabs a hold and insinuates himself into Esther's life. It's the old repulsive fascination thing for Esther. She finds Chartwell hideous and obnoxious and yet is seduced into waiting on him and caring for him anyway or maybe it's just that misery loves company, any company. I won't be forgetting Esther or Chartwell anytime soon.

What is Chartwell after? Can Esther and Winston help each other? Will Chartwell ever leave? Can a novel about depression have a happy ending? What does it all mean? Why isn't this novel a gigantic mess? Questions, questions, questions---most of which I'm not going to answer. Discovery is a big part of the oddball charm of this novel.

I will tell you that the boldness of Mr Chartwell is astounding. This is unique, metaphorical, very humorous novel by a first time author. Don't think that this is all pretentious, experimental, is-anything-ever-going-to-happen writing. There is as much storytelling in Mr Chartwell as there is invention. Impressive. The author, Rebecca Hunt paints vivid word pictures in this excellent debut. She has a clever, winning way with description. Hunt is successful as well in making a depressing subject, Depression, funny. You feel the weight of this debilitating disease and you can empathize but you are smiling while you do it and you have to wonder what for goodness sake is Rebecca Hunt going to write about next?

(less)

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Jan 02, 2011 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: simply-fantastic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked up this book with the intention to read something lighter, and kind of silly, during a busy holiday season. Hunt sets a "deceptively whimsical tone" in the first half of this story. Librarian, Esther Hammerhans, is looking for a lodger to rent out the spare room in her house. Enter Black Pat (aka Mr. Chartwell) a massive black dog, with poor habits, ends up being no joke at all. He is in town visiting Churchill, and unfortunately it seems, Ester, too.

This portion of a review from the I...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-edition

This debut novel is an odd little book, a quick and entertaining read, but I still haven't decided just what I think about it.

The fictitious Esther works in a library and is depressed, with good reason, but the depression is threatening to destroy her life. The very real Winston Churchill is chronically depressed, and has learned to accept depression's company. Even so, at the end of his career, it is weighing heavily on him. Of course, circumstances eventually intertwine their lives. Throughout...more

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Nov 26, 2010 David Hebblethwaite rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Winston Churchill famously described his depression as a “Black Dog”; the premise of Rebecca Hunt’s first novel is that there really was a black dog – Black Pat Chartwell, a six-foot-seven talking dog who walks on his hind legs. The events of Mr Chartwell take place in July 1964, in the week running up to Churchill’s retirement from Westminster (and scant months before his death). Black Pat becomes a lodger in the home of Esther Hammerhans, a clerk in the House of Commons library. Just as Church...more Winston Churchill famously described his depression as a “Black Dog”; the premise of Rebecca Hunt’s first novel is that there really was a black dog – Black Pat Chartwell, a six-foot-seven talking dog who walks on his hind legs. The events of Mr Chartwell take place in July 1964, in the week running up to Churchill’s retirement from Westminster (and scant months before his death). Black Pat becomes a lodger in the home of Esther Hammerhans, a clerk in the House of Commons library. Just as Churchill is steeling himself for the end of his parliamentary career, so Esther is watching the calendar with trepidation; the two will come together by novel’s end, and the shadowy figure of Black Pat will never be far away.

Reading Mr Chartwell, there’s no doubt that we’re in the hands of a singular new talent. Hunt has an ear for a striking image (e.g. “Terrified, she spoke with all the pepper of lettuce,” [p. 9]); sometimes (as with the example I’ve just given), I was left unsure just how well the imagery actually worked – but, at its best, it’s very good indeed; and I’d much rather have a distinctive authorial voice that takes a few risks than a generic one that plays it safe.

Literalising Churchill’s metaphor of depression, as Hunt does (and it’s no secret: Black Pat declares his identity on page 38), is an interesting move, because it allows the author to demonstrate in a very concrete way how depression encroaches on the protagonists’ lives. Both Churchill and Esther are shown to be putting up a shield to the outside world – he, his bons mots; she, a nondescript appearance and manner. We see how Black Pat inveigles his way beneath both characters’ façades, at the same time as his physical presence intensifies (for example, the increasing amounts of hair and mess he leaves around Esther’s house represent Black Pat’s growing closer to her).

However, I came away from Mr Chartwell feeling that it hadn’t quite achieved what it seemed to be aiming for. Black Pat never seemed to be quite a sinister enough presence, nor his gaining of influence over Esther delineated quite clearly enough, for the novel to be fully effective. But it’s an interesting read for all that, and it places Hunt squarely on my list of writers to watch.(less)

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Mar 15, 2011 Blair rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, fantasy, read-on-kindle

Mr Chartwell centres around a single idea, though it's admittedly quite a striking one: based on Winston Churchill's famous description of his depression as 'the black dog', it imagines the physical incarnation of depression as an actual, huge, walking (occasionally on hind legs) and talking, black dog, the Mr Chartwell of the title. We see how the presence of the dog - Black Pat, as he decides to call himself - affects two characters; Churchill himself, facing the official end of his parliament...more Mr Chartwell centres around a single idea, though it's admittedly quite a striking one: based on Winston Churchill's famous description of his depression as 'the black dog', it imagines the physical incarnation of depression as an actual, huge, walking (occasionally on hind legs) and talking, black dog, the Mr Chartwell of the title. We see how the presence of the dog - Black Pat, as he decides to call himself - affects two characters; Churchill himself, facing the official end of his parliamentary career, and Esther, a young widow approaching the second anniversary of her husband's death.

This is an easy one to read; it's quite short, the chapters are brief and get straight to the point, and the premise is interesting. The idea of the book grabbed me as soon as I heard about it, and when I started reading I was immediately engaged and wanted to keep finding out what would happen next. As well as this it is, certainly at first, really quite funny; Black Pat is a rather irritating and repulsive character, full of maddening one-liners and disgusting habits. Churchill in particular is very well-drawn (I could picture him saying pretty much every line Hunt had given him; she's captured his voice brilliantly) and Esther is immediately likeable too. The characters surrounding Esther, however, have a cartoonish quality to them and, ironically, end up seeming more unrealistic than the anthropomorphic dog. While I warmed to the character herself, I couldn't muster much interest in her situation; perhaps the book just isn't lengthy or fleshed out enough to create a proper background for the main events. The dialogue is weirdly disjointed at points, yet the style of writing and the author's turn of phrase are original and often remarkable.

I admire the fact that the author has found an unusual and amusing way to approach the tricky and, well, depressing subject of depression, but at the end of the novel I didn't feel Mr Chartwell had been entirely successful. As someone who has suffered from depression, it didn't particularly affect me, provoke feelings of recognition or make me feel sympathy with the characters. It sounds stupid, but I couldn't really get my head around the dog-as-a-metaphor thing either; the reader knows Black Pat isn't really there, but much of his behaviour is physically destructive/intrusive, and I didn't really get how this was meant to correspond to the mental effects of depression - though innovative, it was all a bit heavy-handed at times. I feel like I'd have been able to identify this as a first novel, even if I hadn't already known. I think Hunt is a talented and promising writer, but while this is an interesting read it doesn't quite hit the mark.(less)

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Jan 03, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A book perhaps for those with enquiring, open minds, for those willing to suspend disbelief - otherwise it would be quite difficult, nigh impossible to get past the premise of depression personified as a walking, talking, beer drinking black dog.

It is July 1964 and Winston Churchill faces the abyss as he approaches his retirement, a time which, free from the distraction of work, will open the door to the likes of Black Pat, the huge, menacing black dog who darkens his mood and encumbers him bot...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Jeannette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, fantasy, historical-fiction, 2011-read

This story is a fictionalized account of Winston Churchill's lifelong struggle with his "black dog" of depression. Running parallel to and later intersecting with the totally fictional tale of Esther Hammerhans and Mr. Chartwell.

This is a very unique and interesting way of showing the struggle that depression can be. For that alone, I would recommend this book. But, the author's style of writing is so fragmented or disjointed at times that I really found it difficult to connect with the story. I...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'd definitely give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. Great read and a very clever, even unique (don't get to say that often) premise. Winston Churchill described his depression as a "black dog," and in this book, Rebecca Hunt makes depression a huge, monstrous, talking, bothersome black dog who hounds those he's assigned to visit.
In the novel, Churchill is on the eve of retiring from his 64 years of public service, and Black Pat is busy torturing him. His only breaks come when the dog is working on y...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

To paraphrase Elvis Presley, depression “ain’t nothing but a hound dog.” In an audacious conceit, Ms. Hunt imagines the depression that hounded Winston Churchill his entire life as exactly that – “unmistakably a dog, a mammoth muscular dog about six foot seven high” whose short black fur is “dense and water-resistant, his broad face split by a vulgar mouth.”

This mesmerizing dog’s day job is the consistent persecution of Winston Churchill, who, at 89 years old, is on the cusp of retiring from hi...more To paraphrase Elvis Presley, depression “ain’t nothing but a hound dog.” In an audacious conceit, Ms. Hunt imagines the depression that hounded Winston Churchill his entire life as exactly that – “unmistakably a dog, a mammoth muscular dog about six foot seven high” whose short black fur is “dense and water-resistant, his broad face split by a vulgar mouth.”

This mesmerizing dog’s day job is the consistent persecution of Winston Churchill, who, at 89 years old, is on the cusp of retiring from his position as prime minister. In real life, Churchill often referred to his depression as “that black dog”. However, in a bold move, Mr. Churchill is really relegated to the role of bit player in this very original book.

The real protagonist is Esther Hammerhans, a young widow, a House of Commons library clerk, who is approaching the anniversary of her husband’s death. When we meet her, she has decided to rent out her guest room, and the giant Labrador – aka “Black Pat” – comes to look it over. Her first instinct is to hide but hide where? “There was nothing in the hallway to dive behind, it was a wasteland.”

After wrestling with herself, Esther decides to let Black Pat – or metaphorical depression – stay, at least on a trial basis. She finds him to be strangely seductive: he makes bad jokes, builds a barbecue in her garden where he cooks coots and old shoes, misbehaves in dog-like manner, and tries to inveigle himself more thoroughly into her life.

It will fall to Churchill – who is intimately familiar with Black Pat and wonders aloud to him “whether you were there, waiting to stake your flag from the moment my soul entered the earth” to minister to Esther and give her guidance to cope. Churchill says, “…it will struggle on its knees to serve, fighting out the inches in dust and desert. But do never forget where it is migrating to, for it will bear you there. It is a migration into the dust.” He has learned through trial and error that “we are still captains of our souls”, despite the fight it takes to remain there.

There are strengths and weaknesses in this audacious novel. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 20.9 percent of American adults alone – or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population who are 18 and older – suffer from a mood disorder. The novel speaks charmingly and originally about how depression is perceived by one who is coping with it. For the imaginative personification of depression alone, this is a book worth reading.

However, it is precisely this unconventionality that sometimes works at odds with itself. Black Pat too often appears immensely loveable, not the fearsome force that cause too many adults to suffer or even take their own lives. More problematically, Ms. Hunt seems to wrestle with whether to keep using Black Pat as a metaphor or to make him a fully-realized being who can think, feel, and destroy.

Ultimately, the book begins to read like a parable. Anyone in Esther’s place would be depressed; her depression is not the organic kind that Churchill appears to suffer from. The reader never quite feels the menace. At the end of the day, the characters (with the exception of Black Pat) come across as lacking verve and complexity.

This is, after all, a debut book, and Rebecca Hunt amply signifies that she has the talent and rich imagination to become a force to be reckoned with. Her ability to take on the “bête noir” of Winston Churchill is audacious and bold. Would that she had gone just a little further.

(less)

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Dec 16, 2010 Jake Rideout rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I have to say that the cover of this book is the best I've seen of the 2011 titles. I love it so much that I asked our Random House rep to procure me a poster to hang in the store and then my apartment.

Mr. Chartwell is the "bete noir" that Winston Churchill sometimes referenced when speaking of his depression. Named after Churchill's estate, Mr. Chartwell shows up at Esther Hammerhans's front door one day to inquire about renting a room. She lets him in and her relationship with t...more

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