Sometimes you read to learn something. Sometimes you read to do research. Sometimes you read to be entertained. The latter is certainly the case with Luke Upton’s first novel Absolutely Huge, an absolutely entertaining and engaging novel about a fictional rugby star named Gethin “Huge” Hughes.
This star reminds you of many of today’s celebrities and superstar athletes. He’s literally huge in everything he does. He rises from normalcy to global stardom before a crashing fall brings him back to earth. He is a likable, almost lovable character that makes some predictable missteps. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, maybe even cry out of pure sympathy for a character that is so great and so flawed at the same time.
Upton, a business journalist and Welsh Rugby satirist by trade, knows his way around a book. He’s a brilliant storyteller that knows how to engage the reader. His love of rugby comes through loud and clear. There are many ups and downs in this story, but there is plenty of humor along the way. Yet it is not just humor for humor’s sake. This is social and sporting commentary at its best.
Upton does a brilliant job merging satire, pop culture, and world rugby into a enjoyable and easy read.
Yes, spoof and parody accounts are incredibly popular right now on social media so a spoof biography seems like a sure bet. It is that and so much more in this case. It’s the most entertaining rugby title we have ever reviewed. That should come as no surprise with a great young writer and an accomplished publisher like Y Lolfa. It’s a great pairing that will bring great literature to market for years to come.
