What readers think of Housebreaking, plus links to write your own review.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I had a hard time accepting the life Del is living at the start of the book, or her decision to tear down the home herself, so I almost put the book down. The character connections were surprising and brought me back to the story. It was great to see how unexpected social connections can benefit someone who is so alone, surprising to imagine anyone moving in with Del when there was any other choice available, and amazing to think that Del, who had so little, was always ready to share what she had with others. The breakdown of the house helped to rebuild Del's life, and that is what made this a good read.

This novel examines one young woman's struggle to come to grips with adulthood and being dealt a rough hand of cards. Returning to her childhood home and literally dismantling it board by board became her sole focus. I appreciate the harsh honesty of the writing but honestly, it became a bit repetitive to hear the details of the "housebreaking". I enjoyed Del's interactions with the quirky friends and family she met along the way. The ending left me wanting me a little more. Overall, the book fell a bit short for me.

Family disfunction? Housebreaking offers the hard way of coping: literally dismantling your old life by tearing down your childhood home, shingle by shingle. The misanthropic Del here is so committed to making life hard on herself that I was reminded of characters like Eleanor in 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' and May Attaway in 'Rules For Visiting.'

Read for the quirky moments as unwanted guests and family try to talk her out of it, then insist on helping and worm their way through her defenses. Del has her most human moments with the gay friends of her dead father, and with a young gay man: a nice window on gay-adjacent life.

Read for a coming-of-age moment when someone who quits all the time … learns she absolutely won't quit on this one thing.

Read for that liminal state between school and adulthood when one foot is in each world and strange things are possible.