Northern girl Harriet lives and works on a London estate which is a battleground between the white working class plus the immigrants versus the newly arrived middle class focaccia-eaters. Unhappy and overweight, she hires a personal trainer who lures her into joining the martial arts class he runs. There she learns the regime of the completely phoney martial arts 'master' and embarks on a spiritual and literal journey which leads her to a hotel opposite the railway station at Crewe, the 'Weeping Women Hotel'. This is Alexei Sayle's best work to date -- good plot, great characters plus his trademark anarchic black humour.
Weeping Women Hotel
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'It is wonderfully entertaining and tells us a lot about what it's like to live in 21st century Britain.' - Jonathan Coe, Guardian. 'Darkly humorous...an eccentric, bleak and wonderfully self-assured novel.' - Daily Telegraph. 'Like a psychopathic ringmaster in a circus, Sayle ushers in his cast of characters...He makes them perform their surreal little dance, about vengeance, and guilt, and the casual brutality of life, and then, with a shrug, he feeds them to the lions.' - Independent"
About the Author
Alexei Sayle is a comedian, actor, presenter and writer. His television work as a writer and performer includes The Young Ones, Alexei Sayle's Stuff, and The All New Alexei Sayle Show. He has written regularly for the Observer, Independent, Time Out, Car Magazine and Esquire and he has appeared in numerous films, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to Gorky Park and Swing.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't understand why Alxei Sayle is not more celebrated as a writer. His books are accessible, fun, witty and well-written. He is easily the equal of many more feted authors (Nick Hornby, Tony Parsons and John O' Farrell spring to mind) and yet his work seems to get little recognition. Perhaps he is still equated in the minds of many as the short, fat anarchic comedian that he was in the 80s? If this is the reason, that's a shame! Alexei Sayle is genuinely talented and I hope he continues to grow as a writer.
"Weeping Women Hotel" is written mostly from the points of view of two sisters. When I started reading this I found it difficult to believe that Sayle could pull off getting into the mind of a woman, but he managed it successfully as far as I'm concerned (but then what would I know as a man!). It would be interesting to find out the views of women readers of the book on this! The characterisation of the women, Harriet (fat and unattractive) and her sister Helen (successful and good-looking) is excellent throughout. they are both thoroughly believable characters even though at times Sayle tends to describe things in a whimsical manner and the names and personalities of a few of the minor characters are less believable.
The plot concerns the introduction of Harriet to a bizarre martial arts cult and her subsequent development. A side plot involves Helen and her semi-imaginary friend, an Argentinian puppeteer. The plots intertwine nicely and by the end are building to what seems like a frightening conclusion. However, the book stops rather suddenly. I was left looking for a missing chapter. hence, 4 stars rather than 5 for what is otherwise a very enjoyable book.
There are some disturbing scenes in the book (you would expect nothing else from Alexei Sayle) but this is a very enjoyable read. It's ideal material for taking on holiday. Not too taxing but thoroughly entertaining. It may not be quite up to the standard of his short stories (read The Dog catcher - that's very good!) but this is another sign that Alexei Sayle the writer is developing.
"Weeping Women Hotel" is written mostly from the points of view of two sisters. When I started reading this I found it difficult to believe that Sayle could pull off getting into the mind of a woman, but he managed it successfully as far as I'm concerned (but then what would I know as a man!). It would be interesting to find out the views of women readers of the book on this! The characterisation of the women, Harriet (fat and unattractive) and her sister Helen (successful and good-looking) is excellent throughout. they are both thoroughly believable characters even though at times Sayle tends to describe things in a whimsical manner and the names and personalities of a few of the minor characters are less believable.
The plot concerns the introduction of Harriet to a bizarre martial arts cult and her subsequent development. A side plot involves Helen and her semi-imaginary friend, an Argentinian puppeteer. The plots intertwine nicely and by the end are building to what seems like a frightening conclusion. However, the book stops rather suddenly. I was left looking for a missing chapter. hence, 4 stars rather than 5 for what is otherwise a very enjoyable book.
There are some disturbing scenes in the book (you would expect nothing else from Alexei Sayle) but this is a very enjoyable read. It's ideal material for taking on holiday. Not too taxing but thoroughly entertaining. It may not be quite up to the standard of his short stories (read The Dog catcher - that's very good!) but this is another sign that Alexei Sayle the writer is developing.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Alexei Sayle's short stories were a revelation, so nearly immaculate it made you wonder how he did it. His first novel Overtaken had a brilliant structure, with stories on many levels, but it was patchy in its storytelling, whereas The Weeping Women Hotel is complex yet transparent and accessible. Sayle's depiction of the main character, Harriet, and the people around her is spot on. I'm a woman of nearly the same age as Harriet and at times it seemed almost impossible to imagine that her story was written by a middle-aged man, it feels so accurate and real. There are all the unexpected twists and turns that mark an Alexei Sayle story, and the jokes, and all the interesting and weird stuff, but more than that, I found it clever, profound and deeply moving. Probably a good read for men as well, but certainly a great gift to buy for a girlfriend.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Eileen Shaw
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Alexei Sayle can write a very funny sentence and has wit and style. Though he was acclaimed by Richard and Judy to be "a brilliant writer" and "a great novelist," I have to say this goes too far. He's not a great novelist, but he is a very funny writer.
This book has an ambitious sub-text, and it is about women who struggle to make sense of a hostile world. The novel opens with battered, bruised, Harriet checking into a hotel somewhere near Crewe where she will stay until her money runs out, then take a menial job at the hotel for room and board. The novel then proceeds to tell the story of how she got there. It is not exactly what one might guess from Harriet's physical condition.
The novel takes on conventional standards of beauty, the soullessness of modern culture and community, the failure of spiritual beliefs to provide solace, and in general copes as well as any novel can with such a disparate and wide-ranging, not to say unfocused, range of subjects. Alexei Sayle writes well from a woman's viewpoint and the novel is engaging and amusing, as well as attempting some serious under-the-surface commentary. Much of it verges on the surreal, however, and it is this that some readers may find distracting. This is a pity because, viewed in its entirety, it is a highly original and entertaining book.
This book has an ambitious sub-text, and it is about women who struggle to make sense of a hostile world. The novel opens with battered, bruised, Harriet checking into a hotel somewhere near Crewe where she will stay until her money runs out, then take a menial job at the hotel for room and board. The novel then proceeds to tell the story of how she got there. It is not exactly what one might guess from Harriet's physical condition.
The novel takes on conventional standards of beauty, the soullessness of modern culture and community, the failure of spiritual beliefs to provide solace, and in general copes as well as any novel can with such a disparate and wide-ranging, not to say unfocused, range of subjects. Alexei Sayle writes well from a woman's viewpoint and the novel is engaging and amusing, as well as attempting some serious under-the-surface commentary. Much of it verges on the surreal, however, and it is this that some readers may find distracting. This is a pity because, viewed in its entirety, it is a highly original and entertaining book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
its OK
not as good as some of his other excellent work. But i can't stop saying soup swoop loop the loop
Published 3 months ago by Junia Cleary
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mildly amusing
There's no reason why a good stand-up comedian should make a good novelist, so I wasn't particularly disappointed to find that this doesn't live up to the hype. Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2010 by Phil O'Sofa
1.0 out of 5 stars
And the point is.....
An easy enough and even fairly entertaining read, but my goodness me what a let down!
A load of stuff that just finishes.
A waste of time.
A load of stuff that just finishes.
A waste of time.
Published on 4 Sep 2010 by blink
2.0 out of 5 stars
Why don't really clever people tell stories?
It's a great puzzle. There are plenty of media luvvies out there who are so clever and witty (like Sayle) and yet whenever they write a book they usually write about nothing but... Read more
Published on 29 July 2008 by SAP
5.0 out of 5 stars
good, good, good
One of the best books I've read in 12 months - very funny, especially on the London, charity and gym/body scenes (these probably transpute to other cities and cultures). Read more
Published on 18 July 2007 by Ellie
2.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe not the worst book I have ever read...
...but close. On one level, it was readable, in that I didn't struggle to finish it and there were some genuinely funny bits, particularly the Paul Coelho jibes. Read more
Published on 15 July 2007 by EmmaH
4.0 out of 5 stars
a very good read
I picked this up due to the cover (font and style) and then saw it was by Alexi Sayle, who I only know through 'The Young Ones', so was interested to see what on earth this would... Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2007 by NB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly Inspiring
I enjoyed Alexei's other books, but this one is his best to date, imho. I read it at a time when I needed some serious encouragement - and I got it. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2006 by Ms. S. E. Willow
3.0 out of 5 stars
Did I miss something?
Alexei is a delightful writer, his work exudes all the characteristics one might expect from his television work, and more besides. Read more
Published on 27 April 2006 by Mr. T. P. Hiscock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is this next year's Booker? Probably not, but it should be
I finished The Weeping Women hotel last night and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I think we've found a new Evelyn Waugh for the working classes. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2006
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