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Title: Holes
ISBN: 0807215945
Author:
Louis Sachar
Publicate Date: 2003-03-11
Publish: 2003-03-11
List Price: $25.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Audio Cassette
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $7.40
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $7.17
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Holes
I bought this book for my son who entered 6th grade this year. It was a mandatory reading grade that had to be done by August 1, 2008. I listened with intent each time he read a chapter to me. Just as he finsihed the book, they actually showed the movie Holes, on television. So, I got to enjoy the book again.
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2: Really enjoyed it !
If you compare this book with many other popular books in recent years, Holes is a sure winner. In comparison, The Kite Runner and The Book Thief are just like kid stuff. I really enjoyed reading this book!
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3: very well writen
although this is a book recommended for middle schoolers, the author does a great job at switching from past to present while maintaining the interest of the reader.....in my opinion, it is not an easy task for adults to stay on track when authors write in this form, however i am impressed with the coherence that the author was able to accomplish this difficult task.
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4: Holes
Great book to read to adolescents. Sensitive and practicle. Good fodder to discuss right and wrong. The movie was good too. Not as good as the book of course, but good as well. Teenage boys told me it was a book to read. Short chapters, lots going on keeps the pages turning.
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5: Holes: A fantastic book
Holes is set primarily in Texas close to the present day (the late 20th Century), although parts of the book flash back to the same area in Texas in the late 19th Century and to the country of Latvia in the late 19th Century as well. The story is told by an all-knowing narrator who guides the story back and forth between the present day situation of the story and two key plot lines about the past. The bulk of the story centers around the main character and protagonist Stanley Yelnats and his life in a boys' juvenile detention center called Camp Green Lake. Stanley has been falsely convicted of a crime and must work hard all day under the hot Texas sun. The boys in the detention center are forced to dig large holes day after day with no other apparent purpose than to "build character." Stanley's family has been under a curse for generations, which began back in the late 19th Century when Stanley's great-great grandfather Elya broke a promise he made to a gypsy woman named Madame Zeroni. A small part of the story that the narrator tells focuses on how this sub-plot developed in the past and how it still affects Stanley and his family today.
The other side-plot of the story focuses on the town of Green Lake, Texas in the late 19th Century, before the lake became dried up and the place became a juvenile detention center. This part of the story deals with the issues of racism and prejudice, and helps to build up the plot for the present day section of the story, where Stanley and the others are at a juvenile detention center. Stanley struggles to make friends and to survive the tough conditions at Camp Green Lake, and he is always battling the larger fight against his family's curse. He and a friend at the camp (named Zero) discover that the camp's warden (a relative or descendant of Charles Walker) is actually making the boys dig holes because she is looking for something valuable. Stanley finds out about his family's history and how his great grandfather's suitcase full of money is buried somewhere in Camp Green Lake. When Stanley's friend Zero escapes from the camp, Stanley escapes as well to go and help him. They figure out that Zero is a direct descendant of the gypsy Madame Zeroni, and so the boys sort of heal that old family rift and thus lift the curse off of Stanley's family. When they return to the camp a week later the boys find the suitcase. The warden tries to take it from them but Stanley's lawyer finally shows up, proves his innocence, and allows Stanley and Zero to leave the detention center (with the suitcase full of money!). The story concludes happily with Stanley and Zero receiving a million dollars each for the stocks and jewels in the suitcase, with the detention center closing down so that a girl scout camp can be built, and with Stanley's father finally creating a cure for foot odor which makes him rich.
There are not many negative aspects to Holes, as it is an excellent read for adults and children alike. One drawback may be that the chapters are very short, spanning two or three pages on average. This makes the story a bit choppy at times as it flips back and forth between the past and the present settings without much warning. Some readers might like the short chapters though, as it keeps the story moving and keeps the reader on his or her toes. I personally think that Holes is a great novel for emerging young readers. It has a rich and complex plot but is not too difficult to read and understand. The author weaves a good mix of humor and fate, and the characters are very realistic and relatable. I like how the characters in the book are diverse and represent different types of kids with different economic and racial backgrounds. Holes is an enjoyable book to read and contains many plot twists and turns that will keep you interested. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading it.
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