A successful novelist turns a simple story into a written cinema.This is exactly what Aurthur Hailey, did in most of his
novel including his most appreciated one called HOTEL.If ever any book can be said to have a little of everything - thrills, information, pace, a peek at human nature, romance... it is this. A book that comes very close to being a complete book in that it offers many flavors, unlike most of the
thriller category that offer some but not all of the above. In this book, the major take-away is two-fold - one, the lovely romance between 2 couples and two, the usual Hailey in-depth study of the chosen field .
Arthur Hailey is known for his in depth research of the topic at hand. He usually chooses one field to base his story on and does an in-depth study of the same. This makes reading his books a very entertaining as well as informative activity. But what takes the cake is the fact that each of his books will have a different flavor - you will be treated to a different range of emotion in each book!Written in the back drop of of a NEW Orleans hotel;the novel exhibit the many dimension of human relationship.The story moves around one of the city hotel which is facing its financial crisis and how they manage to put it back in the business.The novel also pictures the problem and prospect of contemporary socio-economy.The characters are portrayed in such a manner that it comes alive while reading the book.
Intertwined are a multitude of sub-plots which are an integral part of the story, and combine beautifully in the climax into one wonder full ending. I am giving an idea of the sub-plots below .
Sub-plot 1
Peter McDermott, the general manager of the hotel - A man with an ivy-league education but sufferings the ill-effects of a bad indiscretion in his previous job at one of the top hotel chains in the world, that forced him to shift to this insignificant hotel, and the oh-so-slowly developing love story with Christine Francis, the secretary to the proprietor.
Sub-Plot 2
The career of the General Manager comes under threat as the new management wants him out...
Sub-Plot 3
Enter Curtis O-Keefe! The owner of one of the largest hotel chains in the world, on a tour to the hotel prior to final take-over negotiations
Sub-Plot 4
A hit and run accident by none other than the ambassador appointee of the UK to the states - a royal Duke, no less!
Sub-Plot 5
The antiquated hotel infrastructure, set-up and the proprietor’s out-dated views and management style...
There are other minor digressions - a professional hotel thief, minor incidents like a rape attempt, racism, conventions, ego tussles etc that add fillers to the novel...The attention to detail on every aspect - the day-to-day hotel running, the professional hotel thievery racket, the problems of running a hotel and its departments, characterizations etc are all something to behold.
The story story lost its pace after the author reveled his trump card and I think he revealed it a bit too early. The last few chapters was not so
easy read for me...rather boring!I also feels that the character of Marsha Prescott is just over pictured.New York Times rated it as compulsive read and I can say they are very good at their job!
As for u if u want a good time pass read this all time classic!