Customer Reviews

Hideous Kinky

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Freud used the facts of her own bizarre childhood to craft this kinky and pretty darned sad novel of Julia, a hippie mom rambling through North Africa with her two young daughters in those hazy, lazy Hippie years of the 60s. The story is told exclusively through the voice of 5yo Lucia, so the whole odd event is full of images, hints, suspicious, limited observations, and wishes more than on concrete facts. Mom's lovers and the neighborhood street performers, missionaries, beggars, hashish, henna, and holy men add to the exotic atmosphere of this book. The child is mother to the adult for most of the movie, and Lucia yearns for nothing so much as a normal mum to take care of her and send her to school and help her with her homework. Instead, Mum goes off to seek Sufi enlightenment - and comes very close to misplacing one of her children forever.

This book is interesting from beginning to end -- a wonderful story that is very enjoyable to read. The perspective from which it is written (through the eyes of a five-year-old) enables us to see and experience life a little differently, and that is unique. It is well written, and the characters are all richly drawn and memorable. I found it to be touching, funny, sad in parts, and very moving. I read a lot of books, and have not come across such a strikingly good one in quite a while. I didn't want it to end.

This is absolutely enchanting book full of colors and spice, showing us not only the adventures of a mother and her daughters on a trek of self discovery through Morocco, but also the panorama of a country that was the Mecca of the hippie movement of the 70's. It is a vivid recollection of said adventure, seen from the point of view of a 5 year old child.

I first saw this as the movie, and then ran into it in a bookshop in Morocco. It's a very different story than the movie. More intense, less Hollywood, and more effectively the story of a child, rather than the story of Kate Winslet, movie star.

The story therefore is a bit hard to follow, as it's the perspective of a six-year old. But once you relax into that persona, Freud writes amazingly well from the perspective of a six-year old. I would imagine a child traveling through Morocco as her mother looks for money and spiritual guidance would react and feel exactly this way. The initial story about the mother's friend who is sick seems tangential- but then, the point is the perspectives of a child.

Living here in Morocco, I can also attest that Freud has hit the country and culture spot on. She accurately describes the bilad, the country, and Marraksh, and the border entry. For those looking for a story to reveal the true Morocco, from a Westerner's perspective, this is one of the better books out there.

This is a beautiful story of awareness, of the wants and needs, of being a child. For a moment, as you read this book, you too may become as one, seeing everything with the needs of the moment, and the desires of the heart.

"Hideous Kinky" is a superb book in two respects; firstly, in its narration. Permitting the reader to see the world through the eyes of a five year old is a rare treat at any given time, but when the world viewed is one as beautiful and exotic as Morroco, North Africa, the book becomes a modern classic. The second reason that I rate this book so highly is the storyline, and the issues it raises. Does the mother act in love or in selfishness, is the journey to Morrocco one of free will and love or a rash act of irresponsibilty? The reader will make his or her mind up, while treasuring the visions of North Africa through the eyes of a little girl

I kept waiting for something interesting to happen in this book but it never did.It was a pointless,boring narrative with poor,shallow characterisations.

"Through the eyes of a child / You will learn how to see.."

I saw the film when it opened at the Seven Gables last Friday. Now I'm looking forward to the book.

I loved Kate Winslett's luminous portrayal of winsome, clueless Mum, and admired her plucky young daughters for matter-of-factly living with the chaos until she woke from her quixotic dream.

"Then the tide rushes in / And washes my castles away.."

I definitely enjoyed this book, which was a quick read at 186 pages. It was atmospheric and I felt I had had an adventure when finished. The story stays with you. But I also felt like I'd read the Cliff Notes to the book. I felt like I was ready to move on to the "real" story. With many of the characters, I wondered who these people were and why they were doing what they were doing. Yes, the story is from a child's point of view, but having characters drift in and out, be troubled and do strange things without explanation was curious and unsatisfying. Perhaps you need to know the author's background to fully enjoy the sparsely filled-out story. I didn't know, and I was left a little dissatisfied because of this.

I'm reading this book at the moment. I think it is written well, but there isn't much of a plot so far, and seeing as i'm nearly at the end, i don't think it will pick up soon. The story is told through the experiences of a young girl, traveling with her Mother around morocco. While at times you really do get a sense of the places and the people, its not as good as I expected. Actually I do find it a bit over-hyped and think there are better books out there. So in summary, not bad, but not riveting.
If you like more action and plot, don't go for it. And if you like well written books that appeal to the senses, CHOCOLAT is miles better.

I have never read a novel which so accurately yet simply portrays the mind of a child facing a world in chaos. Ms. Freud never loses the voice of her 5 year old narrator who sees her mother's selfishness but is unable to become judgemental because her mother is the only flimsy piece of security she owns. An excellent book, both whimsical and heartbreaking. Read it before you become a parent!