PromptedInkReads reviewed The Hole in the Wall by Lisa Rowe Fraustino
Review of 'The Hole in the Wall' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Lisa Rowe Fraustino sets up a surreal world where, amongst the mined-out landscape, lies Sebby's little niche, the Hole in the Wall; a place where colors seems to swirl around and leap out of the cavern's cervices. Sebby's voice and point-of-view kept me hooked from beginning to end and the dialogue between him and Barbra--whom Sebby refers to as "Shish" or "Barbie"--and other characters were vigorous and made a snug fit into the setting. My only spoiler-free criticism comes from the somewhat abrupt transitions between flashbacks and the narrative's present moment.
I was almost convinced that the colors running through the Hole in the Wall were magical as to how they worked on Sebby and the chickens. The scenes at the ORC Onion pulled back the curtain, but Sebby's limited knowledge on technology maintained that surreal feel although those more familiar with thermal optic goggles or other science fiction gadgets …
Lisa Rowe Fraustino sets up a surreal world where, amongst the mined-out landscape, lies Sebby's little niche, the Hole in the Wall; a place where colors seems to swirl around and leap out of the cavern's cervices. Sebby's voice and point-of-view kept me hooked from beginning to end and the dialogue between him and Barbra--whom Sebby refers to as "Shish" or "Barbie"--and other characters were vigorous and made a snug fit into the setting. My only spoiler-free criticism comes from the somewhat abrupt transitions between flashbacks and the narrative's present moment.
I was almost convinced that the colors running through the Hole in the Wall were magical as to how they worked on Sebby and the chickens. The scenes at the ORC Onion pulled back the curtain, but Sebby's limited knowledge on technology maintained that surreal feel although those more familiar with thermal optic goggles or other science fiction gadgets may think twice. The embedded political message focuses more on excessive mining--or even fracking--than it does on alternatives.
While Fraustino aims The Hole in the Wall at young readers, I would recommend it to aspiring writers who are struggling with dialogue, perspective, or both.
Disclosure:I was a part of Dr. Lisa's adolescent literature class and senior seminar, Adaptation and Ideology, during my time at Eastern.