The Hole We're In

I'm usually not drawn to stories about three generations of a family, but I find I am drawn to anything Gabrielle Zevin writes. I was not disappointed with The Hole We're In.

It is an engrossing and a scary book. It's scary because it tells how what seems at first to be small missteps with money and debt can work their ways into broken dreams for the debtors and change the life history of their children far into adulthood.

It is engrossing because of the sincere, sympathetic, and realistic way the stories of Georgia, the mother, her not very likable husband, and especially Patty her youngest daughter are told. Every character, even minor ones, comes across as driven by circumstances to make choices they would rather not have had to show more make.

Still, it is not a dark book. Characters find ways to seek out happiness when they can. show less

I want to note how difficult it is to write a bad review about one of your most favorite authors. I love her work, her interviews, her blog, her Facebook posts, she's just an interesting person. Most of her stories fall into the realm of favorite books ever, for me. This though..

I feel like 3-stars is extremely generous of a rating. This book had a decent first half buildup and then fell flat on its face with a disappointing lack of character or plot "development".

The timeline is wonky, often jumping seemingly randomly. 5 years, 10 years, 10 more years..and it jumps character views very unsteadily and at really bizarre moments. It focuses mostly on Patsy, the youngest daughter. Who is excommunicated from her church (where her father is show more the pastor) for getting pregnant by her black boyfriend and subsequently having an abortion. But then, a few chapters later, she says she lost her virginity to her husband - a white church goer. This issue is never addressed again.

The oldest son, Vinnie, hates his father because of something that happened at his college graduation. Another issue that is never really addressed.

There is little to no plot development and absolutely not character development. Just a lot of "fast-forwarding" and nothing really changing. Many of the main characters are unceremoniously killed off at random, with no explanation and no focus at all.

The book has a credit card cover, (with a really poorly chosen family photo that doesn't fit the timeline or characters described in the book) and is described as being "The Hole We're In shines a spotlight on some of the most relevant issues of our day--over-reliance on credit, vexed gender and class politics, the war in Iraq--but it is Zevin's deft exploration of the fragile economy of family life that makes this a book for the ages."

The "gender politics" are just about non-existent. The war in Iraq and the soldiers characteristics were really poorly researched, there are no class politics and there's no "exploration of fragile economy of family life".

This book is more about Seventh Day Adventists and religious v. secularism struggles. The credit-card reliance isn't really explored, it's just mentioned that the mother has a horrible conscious and screws her kids up. But it's never fixed, the characters are never remorseful nor do they learn anything from their past.

I really did not like this book. Even a tiny bit, I just can't bear to give her bad star-ratings because I love her work so much..usually. show less

A gift (loan?) from my daughter, THE HOLE WE'RE IN didn't work very well for me. Although I did enjoy Gabrielle Zevin's THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY, at least that one had some characters I could relate to. Not so this one, with its almost totally unlikable Pomeroy family and the strict "Sabbath Day Adventist" church the vain, philandering father hypocritically adhered to. The son got away as quickly as he could from the church and Buckstop, Tennessee, escaping to Yale. The older daughter seemed only interested in material things, had no empathy, and settled for a loveless marriage. Only the younger daughter, Patsy, aroused any interest for me, as the book's 'heroine,' if indeed there is one. She enlists in the army to escape her show more father's tyranny. And the HOLE of the title is an unthinkable tens of thousands in credit card debt afflicting the family as a whole. I did finish reading the book, but meh, what was the point? I think that's enough Zevin for me for a while.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

I enjoyed this book a lot. Particularly the themes woven throughout as the story jumped ahead through different time periods. Thematically this book points out a lot of contemporary issues through a uniquely American filter - our relationship to credit/debt, religious fundamentalism and its relationship to women's rights and reproductive rights. But at the same time, this was a book w/compelling characters.

from James

Not Zevin's best book (it's hard to compete against The Storied Life of AJ Fikry!), but still pretty good. The story follows one family, the Pomeroys, through several years and alternates between the points-of-view of mostly Patsy and her parents, Roger and Georgia. Patsy is the star here, the one you feel can still become something...she can dig herself out. Although major events happen to the others, you get the sense that their courses are set.

The title of the book suggests the series of misfortunes that happens to the family during the course of the book, with the ultimate "hole" being the one your laid to rest in.

It's not a depressing book, though it does seem like a family that can't catch a break. Zevin's writing is show more open and precise. You never feel boxed in or insulted as a reader. The Hole We're In is worth your time. show less

This book took be very much by surprise. After being delighted by "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac," this was a WOW in a trashy way a really messed up family. The local religious school principal /minister, Roger, has an affair with his college professor while studying for his PhD. Roger has 3 very average kids, in addition to a wife named Georgia(George) who is stealing from their son, Vincent to partially pay for their daughter, Helen's wedding. Funds are tight since Roger decided to go back to school and Roger is clueless about the families financial deficit. Vincent and his younger sister, Patsy are the family black sheep since they went to public college and Patsy to the military to pay for college. Sounds like a normal family so show more far. Dad ships Patsy off to a relatives home because he discovered a $275.00 charge to Planned Parenthood, which was actually from his wife's abortion. George just lets Patsy take the heat for that one...
Major Disconnect is the underlying theme of this book. It is way to twisted to put on the shelve here at our Lutheran High School. show less

Wow. I had read about this book and all the comments were favorable, but I was not prepared for how much I liked it. While all of the characters are flawed, and only one is remotely likeable, Zevin manages to make the reader understand why they make such horrible choices and what just a few bad decisions can do. Sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, it is a really great read.