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Hell Called Ohio
Factory worker Warrell Swanson has always found meaning in work, dogs, hunting and waitresses. After suffering an injury, he escapes the summer heat at the local tavern with his best friend, and the library, where he falls in love with Defiance, Ohio's beautiful new librarian. But old lust challenges new love and Warrell grapples with a promotion, an indifferent management and the looming threat of a rising river as he considers escaping Defiance for good.
- GenresFiction
332 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2013
88 people are currently reading
581 people want to read
About the author
John M. Hamilton
2 books14 followersA New Orleans based novelist, John Hamilton was born and raised in the industrial mid-west. He graduated from Michigan State with a Humanities degree focused on history, philosophy and religion. He lived in Seattle for twenty-five years working in trucking, commercial fishing, and construction. As a US Navy Seabee he served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He lives with his wife, the painter, Kellie Talbot and their cat and pet duck.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 21, 2022
In general, without revealing any spoilers, I thought this book was better than OK, but not great. At times, and in places, the writing was very good. While I never did figure out if I liked Swanson, the main character, there were other characters in the book I did like. From the beginning I felt like Emily was a horrible, selfish person. I know Swanson did some strange things and asked for some of what he got, she was just awful. While I did enjoy the author's voice, most of the time I just felt like I was reading someone's journal.
Self-publishing is not easy, and I admire writers who do what it takes to get it done, but man, pay someone to edit. The misspelled words and typos were about too much to bear.
Self-publishing is not easy, and I admire writers who do what it takes to get it done, but man, pay someone to edit. The misspelled words and typos were about too much to bear.
April 13, 2021
Reading this was kind of like reading a stranger’s diary. The short, choppy chapters recount details of the narrator’s work life and intimate relationships. I thought that there were a lot of loose ends, events that occurred that seemed like they would have significance in the overall story but were never mentioned again. I liked the author’s writing style but found the narrator to be annoyingly self-absorbed and immature in his personal interactions. I thought that the narrator’s descriptions of his factory work were interesting and authentic. For me, the read was a mixed bag that ended on an abrupt note.
December 23, 2019
There were a lot of things I liked about A Hell Called Ohio, but on the whole it disappointed me. I have a hard time accepting the ending - it felt like something bestowed on a character who didn't deserve it. Every story doesn't need a campy moral lesson or a nice bow to tie it off, but I would have liked to have seen some actual development of the protagonist to earn what he feels on the last page. Instead, Warrell remains just as solipsistic as Emily says he is, enduring the death of his dog and friend, the loss of his job and both women in his life without reflecting on how his blunt self-centeredness and his obsession with mindless work prevents him from exploring greater possibilities for himself. It's possible Hamilton intended for the reader to feel reactions like I did. Perhaps Warrell should be seen as victorious not in his freedom but in his ignorance, which probably provide the same feeling in the end, anyway. I just wanted more for him and the story than that.
That said, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. Hamilton's portrayal of factory life is awesome and in my experience accurate down the smallest details of personal interaction or using a disc grinder. His dialogue is pretty good and his characters are well crafted, particularly Emily, Mario and my favorite, Adam.
This book wasn't as good as I thought it would be. But it wasn't bad, either. I give it three stars instead of two, because Hamilton seems to be in control of the narrative throughout the book even if I disagree with how he brought it to a close. The editors of this book owe him an apology, also.
That said, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. Hamilton's portrayal of factory life is awesome and in my experience accurate down the smallest details of personal interaction or using a disc grinder. His dialogue is pretty good and his characters are well crafted, particularly Emily, Mario and my favorite, Adam.
This book wasn't as good as I thought it would be. But it wasn't bad, either. I give it three stars instead of two, because Hamilton seems to be in control of the narrative throughout the book even if I disagree with how he brought it to a close. The editors of this book owe him an apology, also.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2023
If you haven’t worked in a blue collar job and lived in a small town then this story won’t resonate for you. This story at time is hard to get into but if you lived this life it makes you think to yourself “Been there, brother.” The trueness and grit of the story had me excited and heartbroken at time. The last part of the book was hard to read. The lost that happens to Swanson had me related towards him way more. This is an easy and filthy read. So read at your own discretion.
July 19, 2023
So bad, in so many ways.
February 1, 2021
if 2020 has strengthened your practice at looking inward, this book is perfect for you. this is a deep, gritty, introspective look at the life of a loner whose moral compass is rooted in the simple pride of doing the right thing even if he doesn't necessarily go out of his way to do it. it is slow moving, but with the patience this requires the reader can feel the extent of the void in warrell swawnson's life. the descriptions are sparse but honest. you can smell the sweat of the man working next to warrell, you can hear the grind of the factory, see the dim lighting in the townie bar where he lunches. and the interactions with others are credible, especially with the women warrell frustrates (and why).
the author could have tidied up a bit on some passages to move us along more efficiently, but the slow boil is part and parcel to the existential crisis central to the novel. that's why when something does happen, you feel it. or when warrell does connect with someone it means all the more.
like its main character, "a hell called ohio," may be misunderstood even though it delivers on the promise of its title. this is a book for readers who like to read for the reading. in the short period the novel covers, warrell does not experience some earth-shattering arc that changes his life. he is who he is and that is the beauty. when the work required is impossible to accomplish, he shows up early to make quota without punching in. when the river is rising, threatening to wipe out the factory, he leads his team in the effort to protect the factory. it's not for the glory he does it. he's a good man who served his country and faithfully visits his grandmother's grave and this goodness extends to how he approaches his work. what can be "learned" from him is how to stick true to yourself while the walls are closing in and pressuring you to change your posture (and when to give, even if just a little, which he does).
the pleasure of warrell is his honesty. there is a certain nostalgia for this type of silent and true man's man. i might not want to date him, but i'd want him to be my dad or brother. seeing the world through his eyes is the joy that brings the reader to reflect inward. those seeking plot-driven ticking time bombs should look elsewhere.
the author could have tidied up a bit on some passages to move us along more efficiently, but the slow boil is part and parcel to the existential crisis central to the novel. that's why when something does happen, you feel it. or when warrell does connect with someone it means all the more.
like its main character, "a hell called ohio," may be misunderstood even though it delivers on the promise of its title. this is a book for readers who like to read for the reading. in the short period the novel covers, warrell does not experience some earth-shattering arc that changes his life. he is who he is and that is the beauty. when the work required is impossible to accomplish, he shows up early to make quota without punching in. when the river is rising, threatening to wipe out the factory, he leads his team in the effort to protect the factory. it's not for the glory he does it. he's a good man who served his country and faithfully visits his grandmother's grave and this goodness extends to how he approaches his work. what can be "learned" from him is how to stick true to yourself while the walls are closing in and pressuring you to change your posture (and when to give, even if just a little, which he does).
the pleasure of warrell is his honesty. there is a certain nostalgia for this type of silent and true man's man. i might not want to date him, but i'd want him to be my dad or brother. seeing the world through his eyes is the joy that brings the reader to reflect inward. those seeking plot-driven ticking time bombs should look elsewhere.
December 2, 2020
The story revolves around a young man struggling to balance the life of industrious labor and the life of the mind, improving both pursuits yet experiencing the tension between the two worlds. (A library and the work place are the settings for these developments.) A relationship suffers for the main character’s inability to resolve who he is and will be. A flood at the job site brings out the best in the man.
I certainly identified with the character, having experienced the tension myself (having graduated from Harvard yet then heading off to work as a deckhand, gandydancer and doodlebugger among other jobs). So my appreciation for the book may have a personal bias, plus the author lives on my street. He himself has driven cement trucks and served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Seabees...and maintains a writing career, so I admire his extraordinary creativity.
It is a good read of growing up in a place than can barely contain the aspirations of person who is striving to make the right choices.
I certainly identified with the character, having experienced the tension myself (having graduated from Harvard yet then heading off to work as a deckhand, gandydancer and doodlebugger among other jobs). So my appreciation for the book may have a personal bias, plus the author lives on my street. He himself has driven cement trucks and served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Seabees...and maintains a writing career, so I admire his extraordinary creativity.
It is a good read of growing up in a place than can barely contain the aspirations of person who is striving to make the right choices.
January 27, 2021
This book left me feeling odd. I enjoyed the voice of a lonely blue collar man who is devoted to his job in a place that is nothing special. There isn't much of that in fiction. The emotions are all over the place and I caught myself wondering what mental health problems I would've diagnosed Warrell with. I didn't love it but I definitely didn't hate it. For some reason I think this book will stick with me mentally for a while, maybe simply for the depressing ending. I would be interested to see what John Hamilton writes in the future.
Also, I noticed multiple minor grammatical errors and that drives me crazy.
Also, I noticed multiple minor grammatical errors and that drives me crazy.
September 20, 2013
I was drawn to this book because the setting is the northwestern Ohio area in which I grew up, and because of the inclusion of a librarian as a major character. One-third of the way through the book and all I felt was bored, depressed and reminded of the reasons I left my hometown. Couldn't finish it myself, but it may appeal to fans of Donald Ray Pollock's "Knockemstiff".
November 16, 2015
Dim without being depressing, Hamilton does a killer job writing about mundane life without it being mundane. Can really identify with Warrell's issues/struggles with confidence, emotional discovery, and finding value in work and life.
June 17, 2020
A Hell Called Ohio by John M Hamilton tells the story of Warrell Swanson, a factory worker living a simple life in Defiance, Ohio. Warrell spends his days working, hunting, and spending time with his dog and friends. He finds contentment in the simplicity and steadiness of his daily life, until a promotion at work and a young, beautiful new librarian arrives in town. His thoughts become consumed with work and Emily, the woman he has come to love. Warrell soon learns, though, that nothing really is that simple, and nothing can stay the same forever. I liked this book. The story was sort of uneventful, in that I could probably summarize all of the major plot points in just a few paragraphs. I didn’t hate that, though, as I think it’s a nice change of pace sometimes to read a more simple story. The book was, at times, a bit mundane and boring, with there being quite a few long passages of boring and uninteresting writing. I liked reading about Warrell’s work in the factory, but I definitely zoned out a few times while reading some of its description. One huge problem I had with this book / the publishing company is that there was an absurd amount of grammatical errors, often multiple to a page. Most of them did not impede with my understanding of the novel, but quite a few did and were confusing to read. Frankly, these errors made the book seem unprofessional and almost like a joke. Overall, this book was very readable, and, although I didn’t hate it, I also didn’t entirely love it. I honestly wouldn’t particularly recommend this book for any reason.
December 26, 2013
This book was good. as a first Novel im impressed. mostly im thinking, this main character has depth, but i wanted more. I want him to sort something out. Is that the point maybe? Its very real. very true to life, who ever figures anything out? I could however see this character developed over some more novels or shorter stories. like Sam Spade or some other detective. except with factories. and western life. maybe?
January 25, 2020
Less Than I hoped
The story was slow to begin, but picked up somewhat in the middle. There was no depth of character in the protagonist, and really not much to the storyline. I didn't really care about any of the characters. Overall I was disappointed.
The story was slow to begin, but picked up somewhat in the middle. There was no depth of character in the protagonist, and really not much to the storyline. I didn't really care about any of the characters. Overall I was disappointed.
October 13, 2022
A story that goes nowhere. Would not recommend it.
June 23, 2023
Very mundane.
July 9, 2023
Absolutely awful in every way.
June 8, 2025
A Hell Called Ohio by John M Hamilton tells the story of Warrell Swanson, a factory worker living a simple life in Defiance, Ohio. Warrell spends his days working, hunting, and spending time with his dog and friends. He finds contentment in the simplicity and steadiness of his daily life, until a promotion at work and a young, beautiful new librarian arrives in town. His thoughts become consumed with work and Emily, the woman he has come to love. Warrell soon learns, though, that nothing really is that simple, and nothing can stay the same forever. I liked this book. The story was sort of uneventful, in that I could probably summarize all of the major plot points in just a few paragraphs. I didn’t hate that, though, as I think it’s a nice change of pace sometimes to read a more simple story. The book was, at times, a bit mundane and boring, with there being quite a few long passages of boring and uninteresting writing. I liked reading about Warrell’s work in the factory, but I definitely zoned out a few times while reading some of its description. One huge problem I had with this book / the publishing company is that there was an absurd amount of grammatical errors, often multiple to a page. Most of them did not impede with my understanding of the novel, but quite a few did and were confusing to read. Frankly, these errors made the book seem unprofessional and almost like a joke. Overall, this book was very readable, and, although I didn’t hate it, I also didn’t entirely love it. I honestly wouldn’t particularly recommend this book for any reason.
October 13, 2022
No spoilers.
For whatever reason, I liked this book. It does at times read like you are snooping in the protagonist's diary, but maybe that was part of the fun of reading it. For me, the plot is simple, but engrossing. A man simply living his life in northwest Ohio.. His dog, his old pickup truck, a few girlfriends, and working long hours at a factory. I seemed to identify with the protagonist, although I have never lived in northwest Ohio, nor worked in a factory. The book captured my attention and held it. The ending was not what I expected, and that's neither good nor bad. It was just an ending.
This book is outside of my usual reading preference, but it popped up on a suggested reading list, so I decided to read it. I am glad I did, although I suspect that some would not enjoy the story nor the writing style. Obviously, I enjoyed both. I can honestly see this story evolving into a movie, with some clever screenwriting.
For whatever reason, I liked this book. It does at times read like you are snooping in the protagonist's diary, but maybe that was part of the fun of reading it. For me, the plot is simple, but engrossing. A man simply living his life in northwest Ohio.. His dog, his old pickup truck, a few girlfriends, and working long hours at a factory. I seemed to identify with the protagonist, although I have never lived in northwest Ohio, nor worked in a factory. The book captured my attention and held it. The ending was not what I expected, and that's neither good nor bad. It was just an ending.
This book is outside of my usual reading preference, but it popped up on a suggested reading list, so I decided to read it. I am glad I did, although I suspect that some would not enjoy the story nor the writing style. Obviously, I enjoyed both. I can honestly see this story evolving into a movie, with some clever screenwriting.
April 13, 2023
As someone who lives in Ohio, I am very disappointed with this book. I did not enjoy the ending, since it was very abrupt and could have been executed better.
only in ohio
only in ohio
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2024
I read this for my book club as he is a somewhat local author. While I did want to keep reading, it was rather anticlimactic. There was really no story, just a bunch of thoughts sort of thrown together. There were a lot of loose ends that never got tied up and I did not like the way he cared for his dog. It would have been nice to know what actually happened with his parents, and it was weird that he just went to their house and left when Ginger ran towards their house. Warrell was obsessed with his job and ended up losing everything around him. The author went on and on about work and it was excessive. There could have been more substance to the characters aside from him, too. Overall, it was ok. I liked that he mentioned Toledo and the surrounding areas though!
October 26, 2022
It was well written. I finished it. What was the point? All the crappy stuff that happened to him was because he lived in Ohio? I find myself feeling defensive because I live in Ohio. Three stars because it wasn't horrible to read and I finished it? Two stars because nothing happened? That's not really fair; things happened. But no murders or mysteries or anything. Not really an ending, because nothing was solved. What are we left with?
November 27, 2022
Kudos to the author for creating a detailed, nuanced world of a factory worker in Ohio and his very ordinary life. Not the kind of character often found in today's fiction. Things happen, as they do to all of us, though nothing particularly earth shaking. Atmosphere and mood is everything here, so read (or not) accordingly.
July 17, 2024
I like the idea of this book, and I wanted to love it, but was left pretty underwhelmed... I just felt that the story and characters could've used a lot more depth, or at the very least just a reason to really relate to them.
December 31, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. It reads quick (2 days for me).
I think it purposefully encapsulates a life devoid of meaning and just how easily work addiction can produce an utterly unfufilling lifestyle.
I think it purposefully encapsulates a life devoid of meaning and just how easily work addiction can produce an utterly unfufilling lifestyle.
April 9, 2021
Not smart enough to find the meaning.
Definitely wasn’t the worst read. I kept hoping to find higher meaning in the mundane but I wasn’t smart enough to find it.
Definitely wasn’t the worst read. I kept hoping to find higher meaning in the mundane but I wasn’t smart enough to find it.
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July 5, 2021Captivated
The authi can't decide if he's a good guy or a bad gutor made the mundane in to something beautiful. Descriptive and raw
The authi can't decide if he's a good guy or a bad gutor made the mundane in to something beautiful. Descriptive and raw
July 28, 2022
I don’t think the title is appropriate for this book. The protagonist’s surroundings didn’t even closely resemble hell for anyone.
August 2, 2022
so so..
October 25, 2022
I just didn't connect with the main character or his thought process. I should have, because I grew up with people just like him.
January 1, 2023
Enjoyed this book! A well-written, fair look at "blue-collar" life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews