A review by notoriousesr
The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

When Asa’s mother-in-law offers a rent-free, private (but neighboring) home to her and her overworked husband, she thinks it’s a great, economical opportunity to get out of the city. But her new neighborhood is eerie, especially when she falls into a hole seemingly made for her exact proportions.

I read The Hole in a single sitting while getting my nails done, and it was a delightfully creepy little novella about losing your identity under um... the heteropatriarchy. At least that’s how I interpreted it! One thing that I deeply appreciated is that the creepiness didn’t seem forced. It wasn’t like Oyamada was saying, “Look, look how creepy and weird this is, isn’t it? Isn’t it???” rather, she let the events unfold gradually and naturally. We’re seeing the world through Asa’s eyes, and though it’s confusing, Oyamada doesn’t waste paper on banal “What’s going ON? I’m going to frantically ruminate for a few pages!” narration. I read some reviews where people said they wanted more resolution, but I’m actually satisfied with the ending. All in all, The Hole is 4 out of 5 mysterious animals that are definitely not raccoons.