Small Hours is the second novel by bestselling author Bobby Palmer.
The story follows a family brought together after years of distance and strained relationships. Observing it all is a mysterious fox, who roams around the family’s home, witnessing their pain and their attempts to reconnect before it’s too late.
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Book Blurb
If you stood before sunrise in this wild old place, looking through the trees into the garden, here’s what you’d see:
A father and son, a fox standing between them.
Jack, home for the first time in years, still determined to be the opposite of his father.
Gerry, who would rather talk to animals than the angry man back under his roof.
Everything that follows is because of the fox, and because Jack’s mother is missing. It spans generations of big dreams and lost time, unexpected connections and things falling apart, great wide worlds and the moments that define us.
If you met them in the small hours, you’d begin to piece together their story.
Small Hours Book Review
Small Hours is the second novel I’ve read by Bobby Palmer, and as someone who loved Isaac and the Egg, I was eager to dive into this one.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to think. We were introduced to Jack and a talking fox and I had no idea where the story was going. However, I’m glad I persevered with the story, because this book turned out to be profoundly moving.
At its heart, Small Hours is a story of connections, both within a family and to nature. It also shows the characters rediscovering what truly matters in life.
Bobby Palmer creates a family of flawed yet lovable characters, and I especially felt drawn to Jerry and Hazel, who are written with such warmth and depth.
The depiction of Jerry’s experience with dementia is particularly sensitive, with a stream-of-consciousness style that feels both authentic and heart-wrenching, as the story jumps in a way that mirrors his mind. My own beloved Grandma suffered from dementia, so I really appreciated how well the subject was handled.
The nonlinear structure and jumps in perspective took a little getting used to, but I felt it was so fitting for this story. Palmer’s tender, unique writing style really brings out the family’s unspoken love and the moments, big and small, that have shaped them.
Overall, Small Hours is a memorable, beautifully crafted novel and its story and message will stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait to read whatever Bobby Palmer writes next.
What to read next
If you read and enjoyed Small Hours, I’d definitely recommend reading his debut, Isaac and The Egg. It’s such a moving and unique story.
I would also recommend reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt as I felt it had a similar whimsical feel to it.