1999 Newbery winner, Holes, by Louis Sachar stars Stanley Yelnats, a chronically unlucky boy who is sent to the juvenile detention Camp Greenlake on false charges of theft. With half the story taking place a hundred years before, the past and present of Stanley, the other inmate/campers, and “The Warden” are spun into a tight, well-plotted tale.
What I liked. I love this book. It is easily one of my all-time favorites that I’ve re-read at least three times and it continues to stand the test of time. It has just the most wonderful weaving together of various characters’ plots, the discovery of mysteries and connections, satisfying backstories, and a great happy ending.
What was interesting . Reading a little bit about Louis Sachar, his long and slow-burning career of writing part time while going through law school and doing law work was very interesting in-and-of itself. But I especially thought it was fun to think of his law training in terms of the legal scenes with the judge and then with Stanley’s fantastic lawyer later at the end of the book.
What were some limitations. I recently recommended this book to my ten-year old godson, who loved it. I did not anticipate he would also love to have a “Holes-esque” nickname like Armpit, Caveman, Zero, or X-Ray. Also in re-reading the book this time, after hearing about the nickname-longing, I was struck by the violence and cruelty in the book. It’s not glorified and justice is served, but I suppose that 10 might be a tiny bit young, depending on the person, to handle some of the violence. Or at least you’d want to have a heads up about the violence when you think about who is going to be reading it.
Similarity to other Newbery winners. In terms of a great backstory that keeps getting better and better, I would compare it to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Maniac Magee has a lot of nicknames of rough boys and deals with race with a similar levity and gravity. In terms of tone, it reminds me a little bit of The Whipping Boy, and in terms of a puzzle that comes together with different characters’ backstories, it reminds me of The Westing Game.
What it teaches me as a writer. I aspire to the kind of complex-plot and backstory work that this book pulls off so masterfully. It’s such a delight to read, revealing just enough at every turn to keep the reader wanting to read “just one more chapter.” I would love to know exactly how Louis Sachar went about creating the various stories, what came first and then had to be created to keep the whole thing together. The mystery and the backstory remind me a lot of the best parts of Harry Potter. I think his use of nicknames that, when you re-read, allow you to clearly see the connection before it’s made explicit is one of the ways that Louis Sachar pulls off making everything feel like a well-crafted puzzle. Your brain is already collecting the details that then click together a chapter or five later.
Have you read Holes? What are your favorite escape adventure novels?
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