Synopsis:As the story opens, a fatal influenza has killed off most of the earth's population, leaving behind the unexposed and the Survivors, who are now immune but suffer losses ranging from sensory impairment to being delusional. Four successive narrators include 16-year-old Ceej; his friend Tim; his spiritual Hopi girlfriend, Isabella; and his mute, Survivor sister, Harryette, all living "at the edge of the world" (near the Grand Canyon). The plot unfolds gradually: the few adults in their lives are being murdered by a cult of Survivors who believe it their God-given purpose to infect people with the flu, offering them up to the "Judgment of the Divine"; led by the charismatic Mother K (who hears voices), the cult offers a sense of wholeness to the damaged Survivors and a lure for Harryette. Meanwhile, Isabella follows her unshakable belief in a Hopi portal that will lead her (and Ceej) to another, better world. The plot lines intertwine in a crafty climax that, like much of the novel, leaves it to readers to draw their own conclusions. Hautman's ability to tell a story while offering simultaneous interpretations should draw a strong response from teens.
I just finished Hole in the Sky, by Pete Hautman. This book is seriously one of my favorite books of all time. When I was reading this book there was never a moment where I couldn't see the scene in my mind. The story felt so real, almost like it had already happened. It was easy to see myself in the situation that the characters were in. If I could say anything about this book was that its idea made me believe the story within the story. That may make little sense to you, but if you read it you won't just understand, you will feel the same as me. Not reading this book is like a big old slap to the cheek.
Reviewed
by MarcHe's #25 the one in the air tackling 29 in blue. Yes, he's crazy about football!!!
