Hotel Paradiso [Paperback]

Gregor Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2001

Gregor Robinson's debut novel charts a season in the life of 30-something David Rennison, a disillusioned banker fleeing a failed relationship and the rat race of Montreal for the warmer climes of the Bahamian port of Pigeon Cay. A fair-weather expatriate, he has come to the subtropics in search of exotic escape, but stumbles upon genteel corruption, white-collar crime, racism, and murder. Amid the turmoil of illegal Haitian refugees, voodoo rituals, and the powdery trail of drug smugglers, Rennison peers into the lives of those that both create and inherit his purgatory. His botanist handbook gradually assumes the voice of a confessional diary, betraying details of a burgeoning affair capable of remedy or poison.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This slight but entertaining collection of interrelated short stories by a banker turned writer paints a dispiriting but convincing picture of life on Pigeon Cay, a minor Bahamian island corrupted by expatriate money, drug-running money, immigrant-smuggling money and the money of sun-, sex- and sensation-seeking tourists. The picture is painted by David Rennison, a 40-year-old Canadian looking back on a two-year stint in charge of a newly established offshore branch bank. Looking to escape a failed marriage and the Montreal head office, Rennison (who is also an amateur naturalist) begins to keep notes on the flora and fauna of the island. Soon his notes turn into a journal; meanwhile, Rennison becomes entangled in the lives of the locals. In these stories, he introduces us to a colorful collection of characters, including Healey, womanizer and fellow banker; Mrs. Arbuthnot, a ditzy cellist with a creepy son; Tommas, a published and respected poet off-island who is nothing but a "black workman and bartender" to the longtime white residents; and tourists who taunt the locals by exposing too much flesh on the beach. Most of the stories take the form of mysteries, solved by Rennison using his banking or naturalist knowledge. The tales are thin on characterization; in particular, Annie Clare, the narrator's local lover, remains a shadowy figure. Their ingenuity is enhanced, however, by echoes of the writings of well-known expatriate authors (e.g., Greene, Maugham, Orwell); by convincing details of banking law and procedure; and by vivid descriptions of lush, poisonous island vegetation that mirror the corruption at the heart of the once-beautiful island.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Raincoast Books (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551923580
• ISBN-13: 978-1551923581
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,521,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very intruiging work from a Canadian author..., July 11, 2001

By 

Jonathan Burgoine "bookseller" (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hotel Paradiso (Paperback)

"Hotel Paradiso" caught my eye a while back, and I must confess that it had the misfortune of being buried in my "to-be-read" pile for quite a while. I wish I'd gone to it earlier than now.

Despite a somewhat slow start (the only real negative thing I can say about the book), "Hotel Paradiso" is a rather unique reading experience. David, our main narrative voice, has come to Pigeon Cay to get away from the rotten relationship and rat race that Montreal represents. In Pigeon Cay, he is running the only bank on the island in a world where drug running, back-room dealings, and white-collar crime walk hand in hand with racism, beatings, murders and voodoo.

The book, however, reads nearly lyrically. The passages where David describes the slow pace of the world around him are nearly meditative, and when the action begins, it garners your attention all the more for the sharp change of pacing. The myriad plots and deals and secrets of Pigeon Cay are a marvel to unravel, and definately a worthwhile reading endeavour.

Despite the slow beginning, I'd definately reccommend this one. And, as always, it's a pleasure to read strong writing from a Canadian author.

'Nathan