Hell's Gate

This is a book which starts in reality then heads into fantasy. Throughout it is well written and the story flows smoothly. There are no surprises in the story, just the pursuit of what might best be seen as a dream. As ever, the language flowsxsmoothlybeven in translation.

An unusual take on grief and remorse, and a very effective one. Matteo feels responsible for his son’s death and jumps at the chance to see if he can locate him in the underworld. He finds that ‘Hell’ is a place of no comfort, where the dead are constantly reminded of their mistakes and missed opportunities - much the same as Matteo’s life has become since his son died. His journey takes him through the different stages the dead experience before they are snuffed out for good. I was particularly taken with the concept of the Spiral of the Dead - a mechanism where spirits move inexorably towards oblivion at the centre of the whirlpool, their inner light dimming, some faster than others depending on how long they are still remembered back in the land of the living. I defy anyone to become at all engaged with any of the characters, they are so sketchily drawn, but their purpose is to lead us on the journey and that is a work of great ingenuity (and not too gruesome, which I found a relief).

Review copy courtesy of Gallic Books via NetGalley, many thanks.

in some ways this intense and relentless book is astounding - the grief and impact on your life it recounts is utterly compelling and convincing - when their son is killed in a senseless event, their lives fall apart: the revenge extracted is part of what is purportedly Italian culture and while normally I'd bridle at the prejudice, it is done with such convincing attention to the place and time and in such detail that I am persuaded. seeking solace from women, violent rejection of behaviour that is antagonistic to family life, and simply violence itself expected and exacted by ordinary people, distorted by fatal history, is well set out and engrossing. its relentless pace and intrigue (who is he anyway? he acts as if he is the dead boy...grown up??) make it hard to put down. (I always like respite though so it's a down side for me). really ambitious and a close look at intense reaction that may not be your own but which is persuasive.

return for an honest review.

This is a strangely unnerving little book, blending a story of loss and vengeance with elements of magical realism and questions about the nature of life and death. Gaude powerfully depicts the impact on Matteo and his wife, Guiliana, of their son’s death; how despair “stalked them constantly, surprising them at moments they least expected” with revenge becoming “the only form their love could take”. However, their emotional responses become markedly different. Matteo is consumed by guilt, constantly reliving the day his son was shot and wondering about “the minute microscopic changes that could have altered the course of events”. Guiliana’s response is implacable anger – at the man who killed their son, at the sympathy of friends and relatives, even at God for allowing it to happen – becoming like some avenging angel or heroine of Greek tragedy. Her challenge, “Bring me my son, Matteo. Bring him back to me” sees Matteo embark on a Dantesque journey in the company of four companions in pursuit of the idea that life and death are not distinct states but that portals exist to allow travel between the two. Gaude’s depiction of this journey blends elements of a Miltonic view of Hell with the mythology of the Greek underworld but is recounted as if it is real leaving the reader to wonder if the subsequent events should be accepted as fact or as a manifestation of intense grief. A thought provoking read that I admired rather than loved.

Initially, I was expecting some sort of a horror novel, but Hell's Gate is surprisingly more. It is a tale of revenge, redemption, and love. The novel starts off with a rapid and violent beginning, reminiscent of something written by Jim Thompson. Then there is the backstory that fuels the revenge, a backstory that starts off as a simple narrative of a tragic event but then turns into a desperate story of madness and violence in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe coupled with a journey through the Underworld that could have been guided by Virgil as in Dante's Inferno. It was quite a ride, and I enjoyed it for the most part.

The novel itself is briskly written, a page-turner from the start. This does not necessarily allow for the full fleshing-out of characters as other readers have noted, but I never felt like I didn't "know" who the characters were. The misfit band that helps Matteo on his dangerous trek are quickly assembled and each given a unique quality or quirky trait that makes them stand out, but they do feel as if they are there solely to help Matteo. In another novel, their stories -- the Professor, the Priest, the Prostitute, and the Proprietor -- would be interesting to read. But in Hell's Gate the concern of the novel appears to be the message of redemption, and the power of love to heal (temporarily; oblivion awaits us all) the worst that life can throw at us. Yet at the same time there is a shadow of violence and hatred that the novel does not escape fully if it indeed is trying to be in some way uplifting. There is too much blood on the page, and it seeps through to the end.

I love his writing style. The story itself was a little different than what I expected, but still good.

An odd book about grief and loss after Neapolitan taxi driver's son, Pippo, only 6 years old, is killed in the crossfire between two warring gangs. It hinges on the belief of an Underworld that can be accessed through Hell's Gate which is a bit hard to credit. However, the agony suffered by Pippo's parents over the loss of their son and the way thinking about their loved one sustains Pippo in the Underworld is an interesting one. There are some lovely observations on life, love and grief that make this book worth reading.

This is a brave book that changes the way we think about what happens after death .I found it very haunting and heart wrenching for the parents of the dead little boy ,but the aspect of a Hells Gate was very daunting and frightening .Why would an innocent child end up in hell what happened to Heaven ? .I loved the characters and its true that when a tragedy happens to a family it either makes them stronger or tears them apart .If you could exchange your life for the life of your dead child you would .

I know I'm not the first (and I'm sure to not be the last) person to pick this one up expecting a horror novel. However, don't let the genre deter you from giving this a read. I was pleasantly surprised to find this was not just another author's take on the horrors of hell. Instead, Hell's Gate focuses more on the grief and psychological effects parents go through when losing a child. There's not much to the characters in this novel, though. Each one, to include the main characters, father Matteo and mother Giuliana, were incredibly two-dimensional. I was not in any way attached to them and wasn't necessarily effected by their inevitable fates. If it wasn't for the fact that I myself have children, I don't think I would understand the motivations of the either of them.

That's not to say this made for a bad read. To me, the characters were the only issue, but not anything that ruins the book. The story kicks off on a high note and maintains a high level of excitement throughout. You're made aware (kind of) from the start about what's going, with the details unfolding as you continue the journey. Even with the sequence in hell being a fairly short stint, there is no shortage of action. Gaudé was somehow able to take the aforementioned two-dimensional characters and place them in a unique situation, which made for a truly page-turning story.

Overall, I give this one a solid four stars. I am able to forgive the issue with the characters since this a truly original story told from a unique perspective. I recommend Hell's Gate to anyone that's a fan of a non-horror story tackling the ideas of if life, death, and the after-life.

I thought I might try this book, but it was not for me. Some dark characters that I could not connect with. Might work for other readers.
Thought it might be like Steven King, but not at all like his style.

I enjoyed this up to a point. Gaudé writes so well, so fluently and so empathetically that his exploration of how grief and loss undo couple Matteo and Guiliana after the death of their son is both haunting and very moving. But I just couldn’t buy into the central premise of the book that there exists some sort of mythological underworld with access from our own world and the events that transpire in that cross-over from one world to the next didn’t work for me. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting and compelling tale and one that has stayed with me.

A terrific tale about loss and revenge told with sharp with and bite. Loved it!

I don't remember why I wished for it, it doesn't seem like my kinda thing. I don't know what to make of it either - its fantasy elements seem contrived and derived from so many known works of art. It doesn't feel very original, yet its foundation is overwhelmingly practical.

Matteo and Giuliana are torn apart by the sudden violence that kills their son - the first third of the book wallows in their unending grief; their sorrow feels tangible and real. But, soon we descend into the realm of the fantastic, and this part of the book feels far too familiar to be novel. It's too derivative of the works of Dante's 'Inferno', without being a direct copy of the same. Despite this, it is a compelling and gripping read.

I found the translation wanting. Despite being erudite, it was not polished. Nor was it free of errors - too often I found myself rereading sentences because there were missing words.

There are enough twists and turns in the tale to keep even the most unlikely reader (me, for example) interested. The atmospheric setting of Naples and the well-rounded characters help carry the story along.

While I don't think this story is memorable, the writer certainly has a firm handle on human emotions and the effects of loss in people's lives.

There is no hope in this book yet it is strangely life affirming

Although this novel is set in Naples and its surrounding areas the author is French and the book is a translation from his mother tongue. Translated books often lose a good deal in the transition. There are a few wonderful exceptions such as “The Name of the Rose” and “Focault’s Pendulum” by the marvellous, late Umberto Eco and the Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell but by and large it usually pays dividends if books can be read in the original language in the same way that foreign films often benefit from being watched with sub titles instead of a dubbed version. Fortunately, this translation, as far as I can judge, retains all the flavour of the original.

It is a story about love but more predominantly it’s one about death. The death of six-year-old Pippo who is caught in cross fire on an Italian street while being hurried along to school, gripping his father’s hand. The effect of little Pippo’s death on his parents, Matteo and Giuliana, can subsequently be experienced in the text which follows the opening sequence. Effectively their lives stop. Nothing in the world matters – not even each other.

A chance meeting with other dark characters leads Matteo to a determination that he can go through the gates of Hell of the title and retrieve his son. He may have failed his wife but he will not fail Pippo. It may be arrogant to suggest it but I feel that no-one who is not a parent can fully understand the love of a parent for a child. It transcends all other types of love and most parents would give their lives for their children. What follows is a descriptive passage par excellence. The underworld in all its glory and the suffering of the souls of the dead.

The novel in a strange way is life affirming even though there is no explanation as to why an innocent six-year-old should be trapped in the underworld. The reader is transfixed by the action which rolls out in front of him and totally suspends disbelief.

There is little joy in the book. Instead there is total grief and endless sadness. It’s not at all uplifting yet it tackles a subject most people would prefer to ignore although it is a wonderful reminder that life is short and transitory and death lasts for infinity. It’s also a fine example of how a relatively short book can also be a great one. The read is well worth the effort and highly rewarding.

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Perhaps more of a three and a half stars, based on enjoyment. There's no denying the power of the heartfelt pieces of writing about grief and redemption here, but I didn't particularly like the weirder, more metaphysical aspects of it all. The start, where you think you're reading one of the publisher's noir efforts, is great, as a man takes revenge on a Mafioso in bloody fashion, and a child gets killed in a gang shootout. After that you do need at times to brace yourself for what comes ahead – not just the daunting encounters with broken hearts and self-cursed people, but with the frankly odd. The mix of the unlikely and the brilliant leaves me partly in two minds about this book, but I do know some parts I would never fully enjoy, hence my middle-ground rating.

I received and advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.

The nice people at Gallic books sent me an email asking me if I would "Fancy a Trip to the Underworld" and asked me to consider reviewing this book. I confess that I wasn't sure about this one, but I do like Gallic and they have provided a constant stream of books that I love by authors that I am unfamiliar with but have now become favorites. Despite my hesitation, I gave it a try and hoped that this novel wouldn't turn out to be one of those allegorical mind-benders that just made my brain hurt.

Wow, was I wrong.

The underworld is painfully (and geographically) real as are the terrible circumstances that bring our protagonist Matteo to its bronze gates. His six year old son Pippo is killed in the cross fire of a gang fire fight and his sudden and violent death drop Matteo and his wife Giuliana down an elevator shaft of grief which destroys their relationship and leaves them reeling with violent thoughts of violence and revenge. Matteo reaches out to Guiliana but she is unavailable to him and instead gives him an ultimatum--bring me back my son or kill his murderer.

Matteo sets out on a mission of revenge but instead winds up meeting up with other lost souls, also seeking comfort, and finds a professor who tells him, in all seriousness, that the gates to the underworld are real and that he can direct him to their location. With a faithless priest seeking redemption by his side, he enters the underworld with the intention of dragging Pippo back into the world of the living.

The underworld is vaguely Dantesque in terms of the fact that the souls are in torment, but Gaude's underworld is much more like the Greek Hades. The inhabitants of the underworld are "shades" whose main suffering seems to be a unrequited desire to return to the land of the living and there apparently is no true heaven or hell. I won't go into more detail because to do so would be to spoil the pleasure of the discovery. Suffice it to say that Gaude's underworld is a very interesting and profound place with fascinating locations.

Gaude's background is theatrical and it shows in this novel. In theater it is always all about the characters and this novel is very theatrical in that respect. You ache for these poor souls. The pain is relentless and it is impossible to not be moved by their suffering. However, I also found the plot, especially when we venture past the gates of the underworld, to be thrilling. Gaude is a wonderful writer with great style and depth.

I am pretty sure that this book will show up on my 2017 favorites list.

5 stars.

This story is translated from French and set in Naples, which could be an interesting combination, only the translation seems a little dry. Part of this is because some chapters are written in present tense, which I assume is true to the original. It might work better in French, but I had a very hard time getting into the plot.

Sometimes it would start to get interesting, then I would lose track of what was supposed to be happening. Eventually it became clear that a child had been killed and his mother wanted the father to track down the killer and murder him in revenge, but killing a man in cold blood is not as easy as it sounds.

In the process of trying to satisfy his wife's need for revenge, Matteo, the father, meets some interesting characters and finds himself examining some of life's deeper questions. An invitation from an unusual priest to visit the underworld leads Matteo on an adventure he didn't bargain for.

Although it took a while to get into this story, it certainly had some interesting aspects. Depictions of the underworld are always of interest and the characters were a strong point. The ending comes full circle and everything fits into place eventually, but it's the sort of story you would have to read twice to get the full benefit of what's going on.

2 and a half stars.

Sometimes when you read a book it just doesnt do it for you. This was one of those times. It isnt bad, but i just found myself bored with it. The characters werent all that good to read about and for a relatively short book many times i found that it dragged.

The premise itself is interesting though and the descriptions of hell were really smart. Good but not great.

I received a copy of this from netgalley and these are my thoughts.

I've literally just finished reading Hell's Gate and found it a magnificent modern fairytale. I will write a full review tomorrow and add this here, along with links to my blog and other review pages.

I found this book to be a most unusual, yet rewarding story of love and loss,and the overwhelming grief experienced over the death of a child. This book will not suit everyone as it questions religious beliefs, but it is well written and conveys wonderful visual images. It is creepy in its telling yet awesome in all senses of that word.
A young six year old boy is caught up in crossfire between rival gangs and is killed. Matteo his father was present but failed to protect his son. In the following days, he can only share his grief with a retired professor, a public house owner, a priest and a transvestite prostitute, all of whom he meets at a local cafe. After breaking the news of the boy's death to his mother, she gradually becomes twisted and bitter. The local people she curses as they only came to feast on her sadness, the church she curses as they cannot offer her any consolation. The marriage founders and she commands Matteo to bring her boy back to her from the gates of hell if necessary.
What happens next is stunning and miraculous, but a heavy price is paid by both parents. I cannot give away any more of this story.
I initially stumbled over this story, it was confusing with its talk of rebirth, but I am so glad I persevered. It challenges beliefs of revenge and Hell. I found this book brave and haunting ,strangely eerie and unsettling. I have left a copy of this review on Goodreads.

"We no longer believe in anything. And in order not to depress ourselves we call that progress."

Oddly, this one was a slow start for me, but I'm so glad I stuck with it... The opening is rather banal - and then suddenly quite horrifying (I have a toddler) - and as I had not read the blurb recently, and couldn't recall precisely what the book was about, I was having a hard time getting invested in the story as a result. Then I went back online to check the blurb - and knew I'd have to keep reading. I'm immensely glad I did. The book was a glorious tale of love and faith and the lengths we will go to for our families - both the ones we are born to/with and the ones we make. Giuliana and Matteo suffer more than any people should have to - and keep suffering long after one would expect the capacity of human suffering to allow... But ultimately they are each saved through their own, individual, brand of faith and it allows each of them to achieve their own, individual, form of redemption.

***
"'But where is it?" asked Matteo, a new curiosity in his voice.
'Where is what?'
'Death.'
'All around you,' was the reply. 'In every dark recess and corner. Under every stone laid here millennia ago. In the dust that flies and in the cold that grips us. It is everywhere.'"
***

I certainly didn't take any comfort in Gaude's vision of the afterlife - this is not the fluffy clouds of Renaissance heaven or the choose-your-own-adventure of Matheson's What Dreams May Come... This is a brutal and harsh vision of What Comes Next, with no differentiation between the good, the bad, or the indifferent. This is not a morality tale of any conventional format - there is no visible post-death reward for being good (or even innocently blameless), no punishment for evil, there is just a devastating wearing down. This is not a traditional morality tale. The redemption that comes in this novel is hard-won - it is not a reward for good behavior, but rather a result of painstaking effort and an unflagging faith. And maybe that IS, ultimately, the moral of the tale...

This is not a story for the faint of heart - there is devastation here, a scorching of the earth that leaves very few people standing through most of the tale... But in the end, love will out - even when it doesn't look the way we thought or hoped it would. All in all, it was quite a beautifully moving tale - difficult to read but worth the effort.