Scan barcode
A review by broro117
Holes by Louis Sachar
5.0
Twenty-ish years after first reading this book, it still slaps, y'all.
I've often used Holes as a measuring stick (or a measuring shovel, if you will) for whether or not there's a chance I'll get along with someone. What are their thoughts on the (absolutely perfect) 2003 film adaptation? Did they love it? We're off to a good start. Were they apathetic toward it, or did they just not care for it? Well, that's gonna be tough to come back from. Did they love the movie and read the book? Now we're cooking with gas.
This is quite simply a perfect puzzle of a book. Is the writing style always top-notch? No, it's a little repetitive and stilted at times — but then I don't really expect the writing style in middle grade books to be flawless.
Looking past that, though, I just can't give any fewer than 5 stars for this story. I can't fault it. The way Sachar weaves together storylines from three different time periods is quite possibly more satisfying than anything else I've read or watched to this day.
Also, Kissin' Kate is a total badass. My favorite part of the movie has always been her origin story and watching her rampage all over the Wild West. The tragic ending of her romance with Sam (SAM!!!) was likely one of the very first real "Wow, racism sucks" gut-punches I ever experienced. I remember keenly feeling the injustice of it all as a kid, and no matter how many times I rewatched the movie (which was a lot), I'd still find myself clinging to a Hadestown-esque hope that "maybe it'll turn out this time." Honestly, I don't think it'd be too far-fetched to say that as a kid growing up in a deeply conservative, deeply racist area of rural Ohio, reading the Sam-and-Kate plotline may have been one of the main catalysts for my becoming aware of and working to dismantle my own racism.
Just brilliant. Brilliant from top to bottom. Definitely one of my top recommendations for any young reader (or for readers of any age, for that matter).
I've often used Holes as a measuring stick (or a measuring shovel, if you will) for whether or not there's a chance I'll get along with someone. What are their thoughts on the (absolutely perfect) 2003 film adaptation? Did they love it? We're off to a good start. Were they apathetic toward it, or did they just not care for it? Well, that's gonna be tough to come back from. Did they love the movie and read the book? Now we're cooking with gas.
This is quite simply a perfect puzzle of a book. Is the writing style always top-notch? No, it's a little repetitive and stilted at times — but then I don't really expect the writing style in middle grade books to be flawless.
Looking past that, though, I just can't give any fewer than 5 stars for this story. I can't fault it. The way Sachar weaves together storylines from three different time periods is quite possibly more satisfying than anything else I've read or watched to this day.
Also, Kissin' Kate is a total badass. My favorite part of the movie has always been her origin story and watching her rampage all over the Wild West. The tragic ending of her romance with Sam (SAM!!!) was likely one of the very first real "Wow, racism sucks" gut-punches I ever experienced. I remember keenly feeling the injustice of it all as a kid, and no matter how many times I rewatched the movie (which was a lot), I'd still find myself clinging to a Hadestown-esque hope that "maybe it'll turn out this time." Honestly, I don't think it'd be too far-fetched to say that as a kid growing up in a deeply conservative, deeply racist area of rural Ohio, reading the Sam-and-Kate plotline may have been one of the main catalysts for my becoming aware of and working to dismantle my own racism.
Just brilliant. Brilliant from top to bottom. Definitely one of my top recommendations for any young reader (or for readers of any age, for that matter).