The Hypocrite

by Jo Hamya
The Hypocrite cover
Good Books rating 3.97
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 444
  • Added: 2025-09-11
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9780593686263
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2025-08-12
  • Formats: 12
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £18.99

The Hypocrite is a finely crafted novel set between the London stage and Sicily, where a young playwright, Sophia, stages a play about a pivotal summer vacation with her novelist father. The father, once a celebrated author now out of step with modern values, watches the play that lays bare his flaws and the attitudes of his generation, forcing a tense reckoning between them. The narrative deftly shifts between the present and past, revealing the complexities of family dynamics, artistic inheritance, and the struggle to understand evolving social norms. Beyond the personal drama, the novel offers a nuanced examination of generational conflict and the damage caused by complacent, charming men, while also highlighting the challenge of nurturing empathy in a rapidly changing world. Through multiple perspectives and a layered narrative, it questions the nature of memory, artistic representation, and the moral ambiguities within family and society, making it a compelling and original work that resonates with contemporary cultural debates.

Reviews
Chicago Review of Books · 2024-08-22
harrowing 4.00

The novel offers a gripping and intense exploration of generational conflicts and personal wrongdoing, leaving a lasting impact on readers.

The review portrays the novel as a compelling father-daughter drama set against the backdrop of a play that exposes the father's flawed character and past misdeeds. The narrative structure alternates between the present and past, revealing contrasting memories and perspectives that deepen the emotional tension. The reader is drawn into a tense and engrossing conflict that examines themes of accountability, family dynamics, and the consequences of public exposure. The reviewer appreciates the novel's ability to hold attention through its intense emotional drama and the complex interplay of personal histories. The story is described as memorable and powerful, with a focus on the uncomfortable truths that emerge when private failings are made public, making it a thought-provoking read about the complexities of familial relationships and personal reckoning.

Quick quotes

    A novel chalk full of wrongdoings, generational feuds, and rude awakenings.

    I was engrossed in this father-daughter duel from the first page to the very last.

    The Hypocrite is a story that will stick with you long after you put it down.

Los Angeles Review of Books · 2024-08-14
nuanced 4.10

The novel is a biting satire exploring generational hypocrisy, particularly focusing on the novelist father's failures and casual misogyny, while also challenging the daughter's moral certainty.

This review highlights the novel's sharp satire that targets both the novelist father’s failings as a parent and the insidious misogyny of his generation. It appreciates how the narrative toggles between perspectives, offering a complex view that questions the righteousness of both Sophia and her father, suggesting that hypocrisy is a shared trait. The novel’s exploration of art, personal judgment, and moral ambiguity is underscored by the inclusion of secondary characters who challenge the main characters' viewpoints, adding depth to the story’s examination of truth and perspective. The reviewer sees the novel as a nuanced interrogation of familial and artistic hypocrisy, where no character's judgments go unchallenged. This approach encourages readers to consider multiple viewpoints and the complexities of personal and generational conflicts, making the book a thoughtful and layered read rather than a simple moral tale.

Quick quotes

    The Hypocrite opens as a straightforward (albeit biting) satire targeting both the novelist’s failures as a parent and the casual (albeit insidious) misogyny of his generation.

    Hamya suggests that both Sophia and her father deserve the titular label of “hypocrite.”

    The novel maps out a third artistic path—one in which no character's judgments go completely unchallenged.

Word by Word · 2024-07-03
thoughtful 3.80

The novel challenges each character's perspective and emphasizes the ambiguity and responsibility involved in creating art inspired by real life.

This review reflects on the novel as a thoughtful examination of personal power, public perception, and artistic responsibility. It points out that the story questions the characters' self-awareness and challenges them to see beyond their habitual perspectives. The novel is described as neither a full reckoning nor a simple moral lesson but rather a nuanced challenge to the characters and readers alike about the complexities of creating art from lived experiences. The reviewer suggests that the novel’s strength lies in its portrayal of the messy humanity of its characters and the ethical dilemmas they face. It frames the story as an exploration of the tensions between personal relationships and public expression, encouraging readers to consider the ambiguities inherent in family dynamics and artistic creation.

Quick quotes

    It is not quite a reckoning, but a challenge to each of them to see what they are not seeing.

    The novel puts on stage personal power, public perception and creative potential.

    So who is the hypocrite? Everyone it seems.

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