Meet Earnest Hemmingway, aspiring writer and recently unemployed
singleton who is plagued by a name that sounds the same as the famous author’s,
whose writing, incidentally, our Hem can’t stand. With his sudden abundance of
free time he decides to finally crack on with that novel he’s been working on
for years. Unfortunately, he has sudden, crippling, writer’s block which he
blames on the ghost of Hemingway.
After a very public breakdown, which naturally ends up online and
goes viral, he starts a support group for others suffering with famous names.
He finds an enthusiastic group who encourage him to go on a trip they call the
Ernest Hemingway Exorcism World Tour – visiting the places he lived and worked
in the hope of moving past his creative block. Various of his group members,
including Professor James Moriarty and Marie Antoinette, offer to accompany him
on some sections of the trip and we see them grow closer during their time
together.
Alongside this storyline runs that of his father’s determination
that he take over the family underwear business. He is the fourth Earnest
Hemmingway of the family as the first-born son and it is seen as his duty
despite his complete lack of interest, and the presence of his willing and able
sister Sarah.
A lighthearted tale that discusses the pressure of family
expectation, gender discrimination, and responsibility. Hem comes across as
kind and generous with his friends, but many of the characters seem to lack any
real depth. A lighthearted book that’s perfect as a holiday read.
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