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What the Ground Can't Hold
Two Americans are presumed dead and nine people are trapped in a cabin after an avalanche in the remote Andes... Among them is Emma, an Australian faced with an impossible decision that could see her parents jailed. Jack, a teenager obsessed with Jack Kerouac, guided by a skewed moral compass. Carmen, a tango dancer whose estranged father is dying of cancer. Pedro, the cabin manager who's in hiding from those he loves most. And Wolfe, an American on a deadly family quest. With food supplies dwindling, these unlikely companions are forced to extremes and discover they are bound by more than their surroundings - each has a secret that links them to Argentina's Dirty War. What the Ground Can't Hold is a gripping exploration of the ways the past closes in on the present, and destroys the foundations upon which we build our lives.
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 31, 2013
What The Ground Can’t Hold follows the stories of five unlikely companions forced to rely upon each other when they are trapped at an Argentinian refugio in melting and treacherous snow. Though all are from different backgrounds and walks of life, all have a link to Argentinia’s Dirty War…
I have to admit that this isn’t usually my kind of novel. I usually find literary novels mind numbingly dull. However, Shady is Sub Dean of Creative Writing at my old University and with the book launch coming up on Saturday, I was interested to see how this debut novel panned out. I also love historical angles in my fiction. This is ironic as probably the part of the story I was disappointed in was the stuff dealing with the Dirty War. I don’t know much about this chapter in Argentinian history at all and the novel assumes that you do have that background knowledge. On the plus side, this means that characters feel very real and natural in their interactions with others, but it does make the story a bit confusing in parts for those who know little about Argentinian history.
I absolutely loved that we got to see five different points of view centred around reactions to the Americans leaving – and presumably dying – at the hands of an avalanche, with each person struck by a different aspect of the two boys personality. They both seemed like nasty pieces of work but depending on each character’s personal circumstance, depended on which piece of nastiness they most picked up upon. The writing is lyrical and beautiful, the landscape is so well described you start to shiver and the characterisations are spot on. Characters act like real people and they sound like it too! Even though each character speaks to us in the first person, Shady makes sure she differentiates each character with their own unique voice. The ending is suitably ambiguous given the nature of the moral questions that Shady poses about forgiveness, apology, fear and regret.
Though I would have liked more on The Dirty War, this wasn’t the point of the story, rather a facet of it. Instead,What The Ground Can’t Hold took me by surprise, didn’t let me go and has lingered on in my mind long after the final pages were shut.
Review originally published at my blog, InkAshlings.
http://inkashlings.wordpress.com/2013...
I have to admit that this isn’t usually my kind of novel. I usually find literary novels mind numbingly dull. However, Shady is Sub Dean of Creative Writing at my old University and with the book launch coming up on Saturday, I was interested to see how this debut novel panned out. I also love historical angles in my fiction. This is ironic as probably the part of the story I was disappointed in was the stuff dealing with the Dirty War. I don’t know much about this chapter in Argentinian history at all and the novel assumes that you do have that background knowledge. On the plus side, this means that characters feel very real and natural in their interactions with others, but it does make the story a bit confusing in parts for those who know little about Argentinian history.
I absolutely loved that we got to see five different points of view centred around reactions to the Americans leaving – and presumably dying – at the hands of an avalanche, with each person struck by a different aspect of the two boys personality. They both seemed like nasty pieces of work but depending on each character’s personal circumstance, depended on which piece of nastiness they most picked up upon. The writing is lyrical and beautiful, the landscape is so well described you start to shiver and the characterisations are spot on. Characters act like real people and they sound like it too! Even though each character speaks to us in the first person, Shady makes sure she differentiates each character with their own unique voice. The ending is suitably ambiguous given the nature of the moral questions that Shady poses about forgiveness, apology, fear and regret.
Though I would have liked more on The Dirty War, this wasn’t the point of the story, rather a facet of it. Instead,What The Ground Can’t Hold took me by surprise, didn’t let me go and has lingered on in my mind long after the final pages were shut.
Review originally published at my blog, InkAshlings.
http://inkashlings.wordpress.com/2013...
March 22, 2017
So, Shady does an amazing job of creating a back story for each character, with some considerably more likeable than others.
For a quick rundown:
Emma - Totally flakey. Makes baffling decisions. A bit whingy. 2/5.
Jack - A typical teenager with typical teenage problems. Kind of angsty, but generally a good kid. 3/5.
Carmen - The only saviour. Has legitimate issues. Kind hearted. Sees the good in Jack. Interesting back story. 4/5.
Pedro - So annoying. Incredibly unlikeable. Skimmed a lot of his story. 1/5.
Wolfe - Started as a 2/5. Seemed very one dimensional. Had the greatest character development. His part of the story had the most oomph. And his part of the story was the most action packed. 4/5.
Generally, I enjoyed the story and *most* of the characters. I would definitely read another of Shady's books, and she's just a generally great woman. I definitely recommend this book.
For a quick rundown:
Emma - Totally flakey. Makes baffling decisions. A bit whingy. 2/5.
Jack - A typical teenager with typical teenage problems. Kind of angsty, but generally a good kid. 3/5.
Carmen - The only saviour. Has legitimate issues. Kind hearted. Sees the good in Jack. Interesting back story. 4/5.
Pedro - So annoying. Incredibly unlikeable. Skimmed a lot of his story. 1/5.
Wolfe - Started as a 2/5. Seemed very one dimensional. Had the greatest character development. His part of the story had the most oomph. And his part of the story was the most action packed. 4/5.
Generally, I enjoyed the story and *most* of the characters. I would definitely read another of Shady's books, and she's just a generally great woman. I definitely recommend this book.
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October 4, 2013This story is full of skeletons in closets, guilt, loss and emotional baggage heavy enough to bury its carrier. Without exception, this cast of characters carry secrets with them that threaten to crush them... Read my full review here: http://blog.thatbookyoulike.com.au/bu...
March 11, 2014
A wonderful literary suspense. While the writing is beautiful, it's the intricate layering of characterisation and plot that made this book almost impossible to put down.
January 31, 2018
This is a heartbreaking, yet powerful story about how so many different lives can come together and bond, due to something they never knew they had in common, other than being stuck in a refugio with dwindling food supplies. This shows the effect of the Dirty War on somewhat ordinary people and highlights the trust that they must put into eachother to survive.
March 23, 2020
A riveting account of the lives of five characters holed up in a refuge in Argentina's alps. While they're physically confined by the hut, mountains, ice and snow, their memories and entanglements with one another are complex and far reaching. Loved it.
September 9, 2019
good. very good. but also dark. very dark.
June 22, 2021
Fantastic read by a talented writer!
December 11, 2021
By the time I got to the last chapter the story seemed to run out of fizz.
November 19, 2013
Wow. That was the first thing that came to mind when I finished Shady Cosgrove’s stunning novel, What The Ground Can’t Hold. It’s one of those books that leaves you wondering, hoping, thinking and remembering all at once; it’s an open-ended book that leaves you wanting and yet satisfied. I loved it. I want to read it again.
A cast of troubled, secretive and determined characters peoples What The Ground Can’t Hold. Stuck in a remote mountain cabin following an avalanche, the ensemble must come to terms with each other and with themselves … and the possibility that they might not make it back to civilisation. There’s Emma, an Australian who’s in Argentina following the revelation that she is adopted and that her parents were victims of Argentina’s Dirty War; angry and lost, she came to the cabin with two American men (Jeremy and John) who are now presumed dead. There’s Jack, an angsty 16-year-old obsessed with Jack Kerouac and despising his parents for moving him away from his girlfriend; Jack forms a friendship with Carmen, a 20-something tango dancer whose estranged father is dying of cancer. Pedro, the cabin manager has his own reasons for making a life for himself in the mountains, and these are challenged when Wolfe turns up, challenging and full of questions. The story is told through the different viewpoints of these characters, revealing their differing reactions to events and each other, and revealing (to the reader) a common bond most are unaware of.
How people react in situations says a lot about their character. I like the way What The Ground Can’t Hold explores this concept by allowing each of the main characters to have a say; their voices re-tell the same scene from a different perspective, adding depth, but then propel the story along so momentum is not lost. The different voices bring depth, not only through their perspectives, but also through the different cultures and lifestyles they have led prior to this point. The secondary character Jeremy (one of the two lost in the avalanche) does not fare well in the eyes of others – he’s manipulative and cunning, but while some see through him straight away, others are more trusting. The novel also explores the way the past catches up with people, shaking foundations they may have worked hard to build or repair; the setting of unstable snow-covered ground in the mountains is the perfect metaphor to illustrate and enhance the point. You can run, but you can’t hide. Wherever you go, there you are. The situation the characters find themselves in causes them to examine their own strengths and weaknesses and in the end, each one has come a long way in a matter of days.
What The Ground Can’t Hold is cleverly constructed and the writing spot on. What I found interesting was how my feelings towards the different characters changed over time, as I got to know them through their own voice, and later, through others. Cosgrove delivers a story that’s filled with warmth and ice – there are as many heart-warming moments, teary moments and sad moments as there are haunting and chilling moments. The plot is well paced and the story believable. I don’t know much about the Dirty War in Argentina, or Argentina itself, so there was a lot of historical information in there to tempt the nerdy me as well. The ending is … well, it’s unexpected. Loved this – it’s one of my favourites this year.
A cast of troubled, secretive and determined characters peoples What The Ground Can’t Hold. Stuck in a remote mountain cabin following an avalanche, the ensemble must come to terms with each other and with themselves … and the possibility that they might not make it back to civilisation. There’s Emma, an Australian who’s in Argentina following the revelation that she is adopted and that her parents were victims of Argentina’s Dirty War; angry and lost, she came to the cabin with two American men (Jeremy and John) who are now presumed dead. There’s Jack, an angsty 16-year-old obsessed with Jack Kerouac and despising his parents for moving him away from his girlfriend; Jack forms a friendship with Carmen, a 20-something tango dancer whose estranged father is dying of cancer. Pedro, the cabin manager has his own reasons for making a life for himself in the mountains, and these are challenged when Wolfe turns up, challenging and full of questions. The story is told through the different viewpoints of these characters, revealing their differing reactions to events and each other, and revealing (to the reader) a common bond most are unaware of.
How people react in situations says a lot about their character. I like the way What The Ground Can’t Hold explores this concept by allowing each of the main characters to have a say; their voices re-tell the same scene from a different perspective, adding depth, but then propel the story along so momentum is not lost. The different voices bring depth, not only through their perspectives, but also through the different cultures and lifestyles they have led prior to this point. The secondary character Jeremy (one of the two lost in the avalanche) does not fare well in the eyes of others – he’s manipulative and cunning, but while some see through him straight away, others are more trusting. The novel also explores the way the past catches up with people, shaking foundations they may have worked hard to build or repair; the setting of unstable snow-covered ground in the mountains is the perfect metaphor to illustrate and enhance the point. You can run, but you can’t hide. Wherever you go, there you are. The situation the characters find themselves in causes them to examine their own strengths and weaknesses and in the end, each one has come a long way in a matter of days.
What The Ground Can’t Hold is cleverly constructed and the writing spot on. What I found interesting was how my feelings towards the different characters changed over time, as I got to know them through their own voice, and later, through others. Cosgrove delivers a story that’s filled with warmth and ice – there are as many heart-warming moments, teary moments and sad moments as there are haunting and chilling moments. The plot is well paced and the story believable. I don’t know much about the Dirty War in Argentina, or Argentina itself, so there was a lot of historical information in there to tempt the nerdy me as well. The ending is … well, it’s unexpected. Loved this – it’s one of my favourites this year.
February 5, 2017
Shady Cosgrove is a smart author, in that she's written a novel told from five different perspectives with some narrative overlap without simply regurgitating the same material from a negligible alternate angle.
What The Ground Can't Hold is a mildly interesting story ostensibly about people trapped in the Argentinian mountains, surrounded by snow. What it needed was fewer complete backstories for each character - although Cosgrove succeeds in crafting separate voices for each of them - and more of a sense of cabin fever. The story progresses very incrementally, and every backstory doesn't actually reach a logical conclusion, with so many threads left dangling at the end that you don't exactly have an opportunity wondering how any of them will resolve themselves.
Still, there is craft here. It's not the most successful novel, and there are so many dang red herrings it's hard to cope with any of them, but it's eminently finishable.
What The Ground Can't Hold is a mildly interesting story ostensibly about people trapped in the Argentinian mountains, surrounded by snow. What it needed was fewer complete backstories for each character - although Cosgrove succeeds in crafting separate voices for each of them - and more of a sense of cabin fever. The story progresses very incrementally, and every backstory doesn't actually reach a logical conclusion, with so many threads left dangling at the end that you don't exactly have an opportunity wondering how any of them will resolve themselves.
Still, there is craft here. It's not the most successful novel, and there are so many dang red herrings it's hard to cope with any of them, but it's eminently finishable.
November 10, 2013
I love books that focus on character and this book is right up on my favourites shelf. Rich characters, great writing, a compelling story. I noticed a few readers were not satisfied with the ending but I thought the ending was great. Loved it!
April 4, 2014
An enjoyable read. The author tells the story from the different characters' perspectives in each chapter and the characters are well drawn and interesting. The way their backgrounds and personalities intersect is fresh and intriguing. A good solid story.
September 11, 2022
Rarely have I read a book so quickly that did not involve vampires of some kind. This book was enthralling, subtle but compelling as it builds a picture of each character. Yes, it was pretty darn good.
March 19, 2014
This book was quite different, not what I expected. The characters were all quite strange and bringing their own stories. I was sad that it was left with no resolution to all of their stories but I expect this has been done intentionally so a second book can be released
September 18, 2014
Argentina had a dirty war? And happily housed nazis after WWII? I really enjoyed this book, not least for the interesting tidbits of Argentinian history I was blissfully unaware of. Ending left me 'cold' though (pardon the pun).....very open to interpretation and I personally prefer closure.
September 6, 2013
It only took me a couple of days to get through this book. I really enjoyed it but the ending didn't deserve the 5th star.
January 27, 2014
Loved the characters. Couldn't put it down as each chapter was interwoven brilliantly
March 11, 2014
I stayed up late to read this book. Captivating. Loved it.
March 18, 2014
Excellent read. Thank you Shady Cosgrove
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews