Review: "Open Throat" by Henry Hoke — A Mountain Lion's Displacement Through LA
By
Eliciting Esperance
Lightly toasted, lightly seasoned, mostly correct.
Summary
A review of Henry Hoke's novel "Open Throat," which is narrated from the perspective of a mountain lion living under the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. The lion observes human society—cell phones, climate change, unhoused people—with an outsider's confusion that makes the observations more poignant. The story follows the lion's displacement from their park home due to wildfire and their subsequent stay with a celebrity's daughter. The review notes the book is heavy and not for everyone, but is heartbreaking and thought-provoking.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledThe mountain lion feels kinship with unhoused people who camp in the park where they live
this mountain lion—who is narrating their own displacement through LA
The lion observes the human condition—cell phones, climate change, unhoused neighbors—with a closeness that somehow hits harder because they don't understand what they're seeing
It sounds strange because it is, but it's also heartbreaking and incredibly thought provoking
You'll know within the first few pages if it speaks to you or not
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