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There are currently 25 member reviews
for Housebreaking
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Dominique G. (Plano, TX)
This was a treat!
The writing is assured and much attention is given to the characters and description. I was rooting for Del all the way, holding my breath at times wondering how I would feel living in my old home in the midst of dismantling, how would I handle this or that. Colleen Hubbard somehow managed to make Del's story so real – despite some really insane moves in my opinion – that I was running a parallel scenario on how real it sounded to me. It's a book and a story whose main character gets a hold of you and doesn't let go. I could not relate to her living conditions and some of her choices and yet somehow it made sense for her. It's one of those books that when you read about the cold peeking and the snow blowing you feel yourself freezing and you shiver inside. Del sets her own course, braves obstacles and we are lucky as readers to get an inside peek of her while the people in her life are held at a distance. Highly recommend! I can't wait to read what Colleen Hubbard writes next.
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Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Deconstructing Sorrow
Housebreaking is the story of Adela 'Del' who has inherited the dilapidated family home after the death of her father. She returns to her hometown and makes a deal with her uncle, which requires her to dismantle the house. To me this is the story of fractured families, loneliness, determination and ultimately the triumph of the human spirit. The book also illustrates why so many young people leave the small towns today because there are no jobs, little opportunity, the need to please family and too often 'settling' rather than taking a chance in the unknown.
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Roberta R. (West Bloomfield, MI)
Fast and Fun Read, But a Little Unbelievable
Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard was a very fast and fun read for a debut novel about brokenness in early life and putting that life back together. However, I had a difficult time viewing this story line in the "believable" category for a totally inexperienced twenty plus female to accomplish what Del did. The thing that holds the book together for me (and thus my "good" rating) is the exceptionally strong character the author develops in Del, as well as developing her relationships with a few supporting characters.
The author follows Del from being a drop out high school and her job to job "loser", somewhat thoughtless person to a stubborn, focused and surprising young lady who is somehow able to overcome all obstacles in moving her entire old family house across a pond, mostly by herself, and finds how to somehow go on with life from the brokenness of her early roots.
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Kathryn B. (Dripping Springs, TX)
Deconstructing the Protagonist
The overall metaphor of breaking down a childhood house serves as an excellent concept for deep diving into the protagonist's childhood memories and deconstructing them with an adult POV. Del is a solitary woman who likes it that way and is frustrated when anyone tries to break her barriers down. She relates best to gay men, perhaps because they pose no threat of intimate attachment. I found her stubborn and unreasonable throughout the story and even got angry at her over her final act before leaving town. What an idiot! Despite reader absorption in the literal breaking up of her house, the characters really drive the story. Even minor characters, of which there are many, are well drawn and intriguing.
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Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM)
A Lesson from DIY TV
Twenty-something Del's in a spot -- no job, no place to live, not much money saved, She grew up as an "outsider" and cultivates being suspicious, miserable and tough. Her mother died when she was young; she lived with her gay father and various of his friends until he died, drifted from one no-hoper job to another until, at the end of her rope, she hears from her unlikeable uncle in the construction business with an offer to buy the family farm to develop it into tract housing. Rather than giving him the satisfaction of demolishing her childhood home, she takes on the project herself, and along the way, she learns about friendship. Not an outstanding book, but readable.
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Ruthie
Engaging Read
This is a novel about characters, and as a reader I loved watching them evolve and grow. Del is not the most lovable woman, she is aimless, drifting from one menial job to another, self-sabotaging and miserable. A few crucial events occur that force her to grow up and take responsibility for herself and her life. How she chooses to do so was a bit wacky, but she finds the strength and backbone she needs.. While working towards her goal, one fueled by both memories and anger, she begins to drop her defenses (a bit) and accept and be a friend.
The actual circumstances she puts herself in sometimes were somewhat unbelievable, the characters were sometimes over the top, but all in a warmhearted way. This is an easy and engaging novel.
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Beth M. (New York, NY)
A surprisingly heartfelt story
This book was a quick read. While I found the premise a bit unbelievable, I kept reading to follow Del's journey. Her strength, determination and persistence surprised me. I loved the connections she made with the people she encounters. They helped her open her heart and heal in unexpected ways. Reading this book was an unexpected pleasure and the ending was just right.
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