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The Hollow Ground
Set amongst the deadly coal mine fires of 1960s Pennsylvania, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut that will "grab you by the brisket and not let go" (Gary Shteyngart)
"We walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say. Basement floors too hot to touch. Steaming green lawns in the dead of winter. Sinkholes, quick and sudden, plunging open at your feet."
The underground mine fires ravaging Pennsylvania coal country have forced Brigid Howley and her family to seek refuge with her estranged grandparents, the formidable Gram and the Black Lung stricken Gramp. Tragedy is no stranger to the Howleys, a proud Irish-American clan who takes strange pleasure in the "curse" laid upon them generations earlier by a priest who ran afoul of the Molly Maguires. The weight of this legacy rests heavily on a new generation, when Brigid, already struggling to keep her family together, makes a grisly discovery in a long-abandoned bootleg mine shaft. In the aftermath, decades' old secrets threaten to prove just as dangerous to the Howleys as the burning, hollow ground beneath their feet.
Inspired by real-life events in now-infamous Centralia and the equally devastated town of Carbondale, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut with an atmospheric, voice-driven narrative and an indelible sense of place. Not since To Kill a Mockingbird has a young character been so heartbreakingly captivating. A "powerful story of love and survival" (Pulitzer Prize finalist David Gates), Harnett's novel is a must-read for lovers of literary fiction.
"We walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say. Basement floors too hot to touch. Steaming green lawns in the dead of winter. Sinkholes, quick and sudden, plunging open at your feet."
The underground mine fires ravaging Pennsylvania coal country have forced Brigid Howley and her family to seek refuge with her estranged grandparents, the formidable Gram and the Black Lung stricken Gramp. Tragedy is no stranger to the Howleys, a proud Irish-American clan who takes strange pleasure in the "curse" laid upon them generations earlier by a priest who ran afoul of the Molly Maguires. The weight of this legacy rests heavily on a new generation, when Brigid, already struggling to keep her family together, makes a grisly discovery in a long-abandoned bootleg mine shaft. In the aftermath, decades' old secrets threaten to prove just as dangerous to the Howleys as the burning, hollow ground beneath their feet.
Inspired by real-life events in now-infamous Centralia and the equally devastated town of Carbondale, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut with an atmospheric, voice-driven narrative and an indelible sense of place. Not since To Kill a Mockingbird has a young character been so heartbreakingly captivating. A "powerful story of love and survival" (Pulitzer Prize finalist David Gates), Harnett's novel is a must-read for lovers of literary fiction.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2014
37 people are currently reading
2836 people want to read
About the author
Natalie S. Harnett
1 book29 followersTHE HOLLOW GROUND won the John Gardner Book Award,the Appalachian Book of the Year Award and was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. It's a Goodreads Book Group Worthy Title. A BookBrowse Top 2015 Book Club Recommendation. An Amazon & Audible Best Seller. A LIBRARY JOURNAL's "Debuts with Buzz" Selection; & a SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE's '5 Books to Read This Month' Pick. Natalie holds an MFA from Columbia. She's been awarded an Edward Albee Fellowship, a Summer Literary Seminars Fellowship,& a VT Writer’s Grant. She was a finalist for the Mary McCarthy Prize, the Mid-List Press Award, the Glimmer Train’s Award for New Writers, and The Ray Bradbury Fellowship. www.natalieharnett.com. View the Educator's Guide here: http://natalieharnett.com/educators-g...
View discussion questions here: http://natalieharnett.com/reading-gro...
View discussion questions here: http://natalieharnett.com/reading-gro...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
September 15, 2015
Set in the 1960's rural Pennsylvania. This story is focused on the viewpoint of eleven year old Brigid.
Her story starts off as her family lives with her aunt after her dad had been hurt in a mining accident years ago and has had a tough time with working. Jobs seem against his drinking and gambling so it's easier for him to just let his wife do the working for the family.
The whole area is in a coal mining zone and fires have erupted underground.
Her aunt is killing by the fires and the family has to pick up and move in with her grandparents. Her family is supposedly cursed from back when her great-grandpa was part of the Molly Macguire's and a priest cursed the family from then on out. The curse is never really explained enough to make sense to me as to why it was such a big lead up in this book.
But then the whole thing never took off for me. I kept hoping that the secrets that kept getting mentioned would turn into something interesting but it just didn't pan out that way.
Brigid's family life is very bleak, with dad doing as he pleased and her mom's bipolar moods. Some things finally get revealed to as to why they act the way they did but it still just didn't make the book worth the time of reading. I got mad at myself for not dnf'ing this one.
Dutifully I heated up the pan, thinking how the way people liked their eggs matched their personalities. Ma all folded with the center golden part cooked and flattened. Daddy, raw and drippy, running all over with just a flick of a fork's tine.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Reviewer spotlight-for reviewer's who deserve attention and don't game the system by bumping up their reviews for attention every five minutes.
My friend Diane also read this book and she liked it. She reads smarter books than I do so check out her review. She does a great job.
Her story starts off as her family lives with her aunt after her dad had been hurt in a mining accident years ago and has had a tough time with working. Jobs seem against his drinking and gambling so it's easier for him to just let his wife do the working for the family.
The whole area is in a coal mining zone and fires have erupted underground.
Her aunt is killing by the fires and the family has to pick up and move in with her grandparents. Her family is supposedly cursed from back when her great-grandpa was part of the Molly Macguire's and a priest cursed the family from then on out. The curse is never really explained enough to make sense to me as to why it was such a big lead up in this book.
But then the whole thing never took off for me. I kept hoping that the secrets that kept getting mentioned would turn into something interesting but it just didn't pan out that way.
Brigid's family life is very bleak, with dad doing as he pleased and her mom's bipolar moods. Some things finally get revealed to as to why they act the way they did but it still just didn't make the book worth the time of reading. I got mad at myself for not dnf'ing this one.
Dutifully I heated up the pan, thinking how the way people liked their eggs matched their personalities. Ma all folded with the center golden part cooked and flattened. Daddy, raw and drippy, running all over with just a flick of a fork's tine.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Reviewer spotlight-for reviewer's who deserve attention and don't game the system by bumping up their reviews for attention every five minutes.
My friend Diane also read this book and she liked it. She reads smarter books than I do so check out her review. She does a great job.
February 8, 2016
I picked up this book from Audible purely because of the setting and the fact that I'm somewhat fascinated by Centralia, Pa, which is what I thought it was based on. It's creepy, and I love the whole "ghost town" aspect of it, and the fact that it's been the basis for horror settings like Silent Hill just makes me even more fascinated by it. But I've never been there. I've lived in the Anthracite Coal region of Pennsylvania since 2004, and have visited some of the historical sites of that industry (Concrete City, the Mauch Chunk Museum in Jim Thorpe, the Anthracite Museum in Scranton, and used to drive past this abandoned coal breaker every day for work... etc), but though I only live an hour or so from Centralia, I haven't yet been to see the town, or what's left of it, for myself.
In fact, until right now, I thought Centralia was unique in being, you know, on fire. I came all gung-ho to this review to talk about how many liberties this author took with just setting towns on fire for dramatic settings for her book... You know, something like: "How much of the state did she think was on fire? Because it seems like 'all of it' is the appropriate answer - at least three different fire zones?? Come on..." and here is the point where I have to admit that, no. I'm the ignorant one. According to this article from 2014, there are currently 8 moderate to serious mine fires in my county and the neighboring county directly north of me, and if a comment on that article is to be believed, there are as many as FORTY-FIVE fires throughout the state.
Let me reiterate that in case you blinked and missed it. That's 2014. Two years ago.
And Google, EVER so helpful, informs me one of those fires is just a few miles from me, in a town called Laurel Run. That's been burning since 1915, and caused the entire town to be demolished and relocated in the 60s until it was contained in the 70s. And I could WALK to it right now. I can practically see it from my house and ohmyshit IT'S STILL ON FUCKING FIRE.
Thanks Google. So much. Really.
Well, shit. On the bright side, since I'll never sleep again, I guess I'll get a lot more reading in.
OK, I'll stop being dramatic and actually talk about the book a bit. So, like I said, I picked this up because of the setting. I listened to a sample, and the first line hooked me, and the cover didn't hurt either. I REALLY wanted to like this book. I wanted it to be creepy because of the setting, and heartbreaking, because what else COULD it be? And I wanted it to be well-written and historically accurate (or at least close) because, even though I didn't grow up here and have no roots here, I love the history of the area and wanted this book to represent that history well.
In other words, I set myself up for disappointment.
It's almost not fair to rate this book because of the high expectations I had. (Though when has that stopped me before?) In this case, it just fell short for me. I think, possibly because of the interest I had in the setting, it is almost like this should be rated on two different levels. The setting, and the story plopped down on top of it.
So let's talk about that. I live in this area, and so, perhaps, I have a bit of an advantage when it comes to picturing it. I could see the mountains and the valleys as I listened, and I know many of the actual real-life towns mentioned (Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Allentown, etc), though I can't say that I know how they'd have been in the 60s. I know the way the light shines through the trees, and how the snow falls, and how different the area looks in each of the seasons. (Not so pretty now, mid-winter with no snow to cover the brown and dead trees, but in a few weeks, or in the fall, it will be one of the prettiest areas you could find.)
I know the pride that people have in their homes and land here, so it's not hard for me to imagine people staying despite the ground beneath them burning, despite poisonous gases seeping up through their basements and homes, despite the risk of cave-ins and sinkholes, etc. Even if people weren't struggling financially, many would have stayed anyway.
The setting, I think, was OK... but it still felt like it was given short shrift. I wanted area and the time and the peril to be a character on its own. I wanted it to feel alive and real... And to a point it did, but I think that much of that was me projecting my knowledge of the area and its history onto the info given in the book. I brought more to it than it offered me, if that makes sense.
The story felt detached from the setting. Which is odd because it was tied so closely with the mines, specifically THESE mines, and tried to be more meaningful than it was. Brigid, the main character and narrator, knows quite a bit about mining because her daddy and uncle and grandpa were miners, and she's grown up in it. Her grandpa is dying of the Black Lung, and her uncle died in the mines during a cave in - one in which her father was also injured.
But the story around the family and its secrets felt like it was separate from the area. I wanted a profound tie, something that would be unique here, something poignant and interesting, and instead it was the same kind of story I've read a thousand times before, only set in the Pennsylvania Anthracite region. It felt... cheap. I wanted the story and the setting to meld, to be parts of a whole... but if you take the setting away or change it to anywhere else, the story wouldn't change that much. Just the details. I was disappointed by that.
That being said, the family story was well-written. I liked the characters and feel of the story, even though it was massively predictable. As I listened to this while driving to Pittsburgh and back, I called events and revelations well before they were revealed in the book.
I did like the circularity and the familial themes in the book, though. I liked how the title can both refer to the literal ground, and also familial foundation. I liked that it was somewhat realistic in that things don't always work out to be a happy ending.
Also, I liked the writing, for the most part. This is a beautifully descriptive book, though maybe a bit too much so, given the fact that an 11 year old girl is narrating it. It just felt a bit too... precocious. Especially given the way the brother is depicted. He seemed to be somewhat mentally or developmentally disabled, seemingly unable to form full sentences even at nearly 7 years old (and actually, the only things I remember him actually saying are "No!" and "Want home."), yet here's his sister describing things like this:
What eleven year old thinks or talks like that? I get that she's smart, and reads historical romance and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (a book I've seen this compared to - I see what you did there.), I still don't think that THAT kind of descriptiveness fits.
I'm a little ambivalent about the mystical aspect of this book. This is an Irish Catholic family, and they believe they are cursed. Brigid also becomes friends with a Puerto Rican girl who believes that she can see spirits. This is interpretable as being superstition and mysticism, or you could take it literally, if you were so inclined... I wasn't. I thought that it was a little trying on my patience. I would have liked the story to live strictly in the realm of the real. This aspect of the story felt out of place and distracting. It was almost like, because the main character is a young girl, the story didn't know what it wanted to be, and kept losing itself in this "fantasy" realm. So for the most part, I just rolled my eyes and waited for the story to move on.
Finally, because I need to wrap this up... I did not like the reader of the audiobook. She did that "little girl" voice that I freaking HATE. It annoys me that audiobook producers think that stories narrated by young girls (or teens, or young women) have to sound like they are 8 years old. The voice doesn't match the personality. Brigid is strong, independent, intelligent, and insightful. She's not a vapid little girl, so I found it annoying as hell that she was read that way. I didn't like the way that some of the adults were read either. All of the grandmother aged women sounded alike. All of the mother aged women sounded alike, except for Ma, and that was only because Ma was given so much description of her tone and expression and personality that to read her in the way the other women were read would be completely out of character. But all of the other women sounded "southern gentlewomanly". Makes sense, because the reader, Luci Christian, is from Texas. But that's not at ALL how accents around here sound. Aggravating. I really wish that they'd have gotten someone from the area (or at least who would understand the dialect) to read this.
Anyway... Overall, I liked this. I'm not disappointed that I spent an Audible credit on it, but I did want a bit more out of it. I think that, for the right kind of reader, this could be a great book. And for a debut, it's definitely not the worst I've read. (Well that sounds like a shining endorsement, doesn't it? LOL)
OK, in summation... I have a fair amount of complaints, but when I wasn't able to listen to this, I was thinking about it, so that's a good thing, right? I'm going with 3 stars for that, but if I drop it down to two in the coming weeks or so, I think that would be fair, too.
In fact, until right now, I thought Centralia was unique in being, you know, on fire. I came all gung-ho to this review to talk about how many liberties this author took with just setting towns on fire for dramatic settings for her book... You know, something like: "How much of the state did she think was on fire? Because it seems like 'all of it' is the appropriate answer - at least three different fire zones?? Come on..." and here is the point where I have to admit that, no. I'm the ignorant one. According to this article from 2014, there are currently 8 moderate to serious mine fires in my county and the neighboring county directly north of me, and if a comment on that article is to be believed, there are as many as FORTY-FIVE fires throughout the state.
Let me reiterate that in case you blinked and missed it. That's 2014. Two years ago.
And Google, EVER so helpful, informs me one of those fires is just a few miles from me, in a town called Laurel Run. That's been burning since 1915, and caused the entire town to be demolished and relocated in the 60s until it was contained in the 70s. And I could WALK to it right now. I can practically see it from my house and ohmyshit IT'S STILL ON FUCKING FIRE.
Thanks Google. So much. Really.
Well, shit. On the bright side, since I'll never sleep again, I guess I'll get a lot more reading in.
OK, I'll stop being dramatic and actually talk about the book a bit. So, like I said, I picked this up because of the setting. I listened to a sample, and the first line hooked me, and the cover didn't hurt either. I REALLY wanted to like this book. I wanted it to be creepy because of the setting, and heartbreaking, because what else COULD it be? And I wanted it to be well-written and historically accurate (or at least close) because, even though I didn't grow up here and have no roots here, I love the history of the area and wanted this book to represent that history well.
In other words, I set myself up for disappointment.
It's almost not fair to rate this book because of the high expectations I had. (Though when has that stopped me before?) In this case, it just fell short for me. I think, possibly because of the interest I had in the setting, it is almost like this should be rated on two different levels. The setting, and the story plopped down on top of it.
So let's talk about that. I live in this area, and so, perhaps, I have a bit of an advantage when it comes to picturing it. I could see the mountains and the valleys as I listened, and I know many of the actual real-life towns mentioned (Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Allentown, etc), though I can't say that I know how they'd have been in the 60s. I know the way the light shines through the trees, and how the snow falls, and how different the area looks in each of the seasons. (Not so pretty now, mid-winter with no snow to cover the brown and dead trees, but in a few weeks, or in the fall, it will be one of the prettiest areas you could find.)
I know the pride that people have in their homes and land here, so it's not hard for me to imagine people staying despite the ground beneath them burning, despite poisonous gases seeping up through their basements and homes, despite the risk of cave-ins and sinkholes, etc. Even if people weren't struggling financially, many would have stayed anyway.
The setting, I think, was OK... but it still felt like it was given short shrift. I wanted area and the time and the peril to be a character on its own. I wanted it to feel alive and real... And to a point it did, but I think that much of that was me projecting my knowledge of the area and its history onto the info given in the book. I brought more to it than it offered me, if that makes sense.
The story felt detached from the setting. Which is odd because it was tied so closely with the mines, specifically THESE mines, and tried to be more meaningful than it was. Brigid, the main character and narrator, knows quite a bit about mining because her daddy and uncle and grandpa were miners, and she's grown up in it. Her grandpa is dying of the Black Lung, and her uncle died in the mines during a cave in - one in which her father was also injured.
But the story around the family and its secrets felt like it was separate from the area. I wanted a profound tie, something that would be unique here, something poignant and interesting, and instead it was the same kind of story I've read a thousand times before, only set in the Pennsylvania Anthracite region. It felt... cheap. I wanted the story and the setting to meld, to be parts of a whole... but if you take the setting away or change it to anywhere else, the story wouldn't change that much. Just the details. I was disappointed by that.
That being said, the family story was well-written. I liked the characters and feel of the story, even though it was massively predictable. As I listened to this while driving to Pittsburgh and back, I called events and revelations well before they were revealed in the book.
I did like the circularity and the familial themes in the book, though. I liked how the title can both refer to the literal ground, and also familial foundation. I liked that it was somewhat realistic in that things don't always work out to be a happy ending.
Also, I liked the writing, for the most part. This is a beautifully descriptive book, though maybe a bit too much so, given the fact that an 11 year old girl is narrating it. It just felt a bit too... precocious. Especially given the way the brother is depicted. He seemed to be somewhat mentally or developmentally disabled, seemingly unable to form full sentences even at nearly 7 years old (and actually, the only things I remember him actually saying are "No!" and "Want home."), yet here's his sister describing things like this:
Through the kitchen window came this light, the color of swallowtail or goldfinch wings. I've never seen a light like that again. It felt like it shot through the slats of my ribs, searing me with a kind of happiness maybe all kids feel 'cause they don't know any better. But then deep in Brother's plump little throat formed this squeal of delight. Within seconds he was up, standing all on his own, and charging toward us with his first steps.And this:
Ma turned, spreading her arms, cooing like a mourning dove. But when he fell into her, sobs shot from her mouth like the fire itself had flamed up through the floor and singed the skin from her bones.
When I woke that February morning, the morning that changed our lives, the pinkish air pushing in the opened window told of snow. I snuggled closer underneath the covers toward Auntie and pictured the mine fire flaming along the veins of coal beneath our town, veins as numerous and intricate as the blue ones on Auntie's legs.
What eleven year old thinks or talks like that? I get that she's smart, and reads historical romance and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (a book I've seen this compared to - I see what you did there.), I still don't think that THAT kind of descriptiveness fits.
I'm a little ambivalent about the mystical aspect of this book. This is an Irish Catholic family, and they believe they are cursed. Brigid also becomes friends with a Puerto Rican girl who believes that she can see spirits. This is interpretable as being superstition and mysticism, or you could take it literally, if you were so inclined... I wasn't. I thought that it was a little trying on my patience. I would have liked the story to live strictly in the realm of the real. This aspect of the story felt out of place and distracting. It was almost like, because the main character is a young girl, the story didn't know what it wanted to be, and kept losing itself in this "fantasy" realm. So for the most part, I just rolled my eyes and waited for the story to move on.
Finally, because I need to wrap this up... I did not like the reader of the audiobook. She did that "little girl" voice that I freaking HATE. It annoys me that audiobook producers think that stories narrated by young girls (or teens, or young women) have to sound like they are 8 years old. The voice doesn't match the personality. Brigid is strong, independent, intelligent, and insightful. She's not a vapid little girl, so I found it annoying as hell that she was read that way. I didn't like the way that some of the adults were read either. All of the grandmother aged women sounded alike. All of the mother aged women sounded alike, except for Ma, and that was only because Ma was given so much description of her tone and expression and personality that to read her in the way the other women were read would be completely out of character. But all of the other women sounded "southern gentlewomanly". Makes sense, because the reader, Luci Christian, is from Texas. But that's not at ALL how accents around here sound. Aggravating. I really wish that they'd have gotten someone from the area (or at least who would understand the dialect) to read this.
Anyway... Overall, I liked this. I'm not disappointed that I spent an Audible credit on it, but I did want a bit more out of it. I think that, for the right kind of reader, this could be a great book. And for a debut, it's definitely not the worst I've read. (Well that sounds like a shining endorsement, doesn't it? LOL)
OK, in summation... I have a fair amount of complaints, but when I wasn't able to listen to this, I was thinking about it, so that's a good thing, right? I'm going with 3 stars for that, but if I drop it down to two in the coming weeks or so, I think that would be fair, too.
May 15, 2014
3.5 A very strong debut set in the 1960's in Pennsylvania coal country.
Brigid Hawley is eleven yrs old, a girl that has had to grow up fast, due to the impoverished circumstances of her parents and their dysfunctional lives. When the underground fires consume her aunt's house where her family was living they move into the house of her grandmother and grandfather. Her mother does not get along with the grandmother and her father is far from the family favorite. It is here that things rapidly disintegrate.
The family curse, which they blame on all misfortune, the raging fires and nighttime visits by a man who monitors the air in their house, a mine accident, black lung disease and the total let down of the government and its infernal delays and paperwork. Secrets revealed in both her father's and mothers lives, send things spiraling and causing Brigid to make adjustments in her thinking time and time again.
Brigid is unaccountably the star of this novel, her anguish, wanting to find a home, to keep her parents together are all so heartfelt. I really felt for this young lady. She is wise beyond her years and eventually comes to term with the many lessons she has to learn.
""That's what wanting does, I guess. It takes away everything, even
the pleasure of getting the thing you wanted in the first place."
A hard lesson for a young girl to have to learn.
ARC from Netgalley,
Brigid Hawley is eleven yrs old, a girl that has had to grow up fast, due to the impoverished circumstances of her parents and their dysfunctional lives. When the underground fires consume her aunt's house where her family was living they move into the house of her grandmother and grandfather. Her mother does not get along with the grandmother and her father is far from the family favorite. It is here that things rapidly disintegrate.
The family curse, which they blame on all misfortune, the raging fires and nighttime visits by a man who monitors the air in their house, a mine accident, black lung disease and the total let down of the government and its infernal delays and paperwork. Secrets revealed in both her father's and mothers lives, send things spiraling and causing Brigid to make adjustments in her thinking time and time again.
Brigid is unaccountably the star of this novel, her anguish, wanting to find a home, to keep her parents together are all so heartfelt. I really felt for this young lady. She is wise beyond her years and eventually comes to term with the many lessons she has to learn.
""That's what wanting does, I guess. It takes away everything, even
the pleasure of getting the thing you wanted in the first place."
A hard lesson for a young girl to have to learn.
ARC from Netgalley,
March 30, 2016
This is a book for young adults ONLY. It is childish. It is about preteens and their attraction to the opposite sex. Are you going to want to listen to sentences such as the following?
"God, isn't he to die for?! I think I will let him feel me up."
There is very little about the burning anthracite coal mines in Pennsylvania.
I had trouble with the author's choice of words. Not once, but continually. Have you heard of "roly-poly hills"?! Does an eleven-year-old speak of a boyfriend's "private parts'"? A child of that age would not say, "I was about to drop down to my destiny."
This is a story of unnuanced dysfunctional family relationships.
The narration by Luci Christian is fine, but even for me exceedingly slow, and I like slow narrations!
I am quitting after listening to half of the audiobook. I cannot bear it anymore. This is a total failure for me!
"God, isn't he to die for?! I think I will let him feel me up."
There is very little about the burning anthracite coal mines in Pennsylvania.
I had trouble with the author's choice of words. Not once, but continually. Have you heard of "roly-poly hills"?! Does an eleven-year-old speak of a boyfriend's "private parts'"? A child of that age would not say, "I was about to drop down to my destiny."
This is a story of unnuanced dysfunctional family relationships.
The narration by Luci Christian is fine, but even for me exceedingly slow, and I like slow narrations!
I am quitting after listening to half of the audiobook. I cannot bear it anymore. This is a total failure for me!
August 14, 2018
These events took place in an old coal mine area in Pennsylvania; where living among burning ground
was a very hard life.
A very sad story of a very dysfunctional family. The love was there, but different family members couldn't feel it for all the hurt they had endured in their childhood. Favoring one child over the other and the wife not understanding why she was placed in an orphanage, lead to great sorrow.
was a very hard life.
A very sad story of a very dysfunctional family. The love was there, but different family members couldn't feel it for all the hurt they had endured in their childhood. Favoring one child over the other and the wife not understanding why she was placed in an orphanage, lead to great sorrow.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : The Hollow Ground - Nevisande : Natalie S. Harnett - ISBN : 1250041988 - ISBN13 : 9781250041982 - Dar 320 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2014
April 19, 2014
Set in the 1960s Pennsylvania coal-mining country, The Hollow Ground focuses on the turbulent adolescent years of Brigid who is born into a wholly dysfunctional Black Irish Catholic family believed to be “cursed” by a priest decades ago during a Molly Maguire incident involving her grandfather.
Brigid struggles with normalcy despite her family’s impoverished state which causes them to move frequently and live in cramped conditions sometimes with equally destitute relatives. It is through her eyes, we witness the destruction and disruption the infamous coal fires have on families like hers, the community (often turned to ghost towns), and the environment. It is a tough life for her as she changes schools frequently, struggles to find friends, and deals with two neglectful parents who are dealing with their own personal demons and secrets. Her unemployed father, physically disabled in a mysterious mine explosion which took the life of his brother, drowns his sorrows in the bottle and strays further from home for long stretches of time. Her mother, orphaned at an early age, struggles with abandonment issues and disappointment stemming from her husband’s shortcomings and his inability to provide for his family (among other things).
Although fictional, the disastrous coal fires that scorched hundreds of acres and subsequently displaced thousands gives the novel with some verisimilitude - because it actually happened and the characters, their reactions seemed very realistic. Through young Brigid’s point of view, the reader witnesses the environmental devastation, her grandfather succumbing to Black Lung disease, the history of the area, and the corporate and governmental neglect and tons of bureaucratic “red tape” her family endures while waiting for assistance and reimbursement for their loss of life and property. I found this book to be a page-turner because I wanted to know more about her parent’s backstories (which did not disappoint), the tactics used to fight the fires, and how Brigid would fare amid all the revelations.
I thought this was a very good debut and look forward to future works from this author.
Brigid struggles with normalcy despite her family’s impoverished state which causes them to move frequently and live in cramped conditions sometimes with equally destitute relatives. It is through her eyes, we witness the destruction and disruption the infamous coal fires have on families like hers, the community (often turned to ghost towns), and the environment. It is a tough life for her as she changes schools frequently, struggles to find friends, and deals with two neglectful parents who are dealing with their own personal demons and secrets. Her unemployed father, physically disabled in a mysterious mine explosion which took the life of his brother, drowns his sorrows in the bottle and strays further from home for long stretches of time. Her mother, orphaned at an early age, struggles with abandonment issues and disappointment stemming from her husband’s shortcomings and his inability to provide for his family (among other things).
Although fictional, the disastrous coal fires that scorched hundreds of acres and subsequently displaced thousands gives the novel with some verisimilitude - because it actually happened and the characters, their reactions seemed very realistic. Through young Brigid’s point of view, the reader witnesses the environmental devastation, her grandfather succumbing to Black Lung disease, the history of the area, and the corporate and governmental neglect and tons of bureaucratic “red tape” her family endures while waiting for assistance and reimbursement for their loss of life and property. I found this book to be a page-turner because I wanted to know more about her parent’s backstories (which did not disappoint), the tactics used to fight the fires, and how Brigid would fare amid all the revelations.
I thought this was a very good debut and look forward to future works from this author.
May 12, 2014
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
I've seen that this has been compared to To Kill a Mockingbird, and the comparison is apt in that both novels feature young girls dealing with very adult issues. This is also an example of a book with a young narrator that's not being marketed as YA (though if TKaM were published today, it probably would be; and of course it is frequently read in junior high school English classes).
The "hollow ground" of the title refers both to the physical -- the story takes place in the early-1960s against the backdrop of the Appalachian coal mine fires, which literally hollowed out the ground beneath whole towns and rendered them uninhabitable -- and the figurative -- the emptiness upon which so many people try to live their lives or establish their sense of self.
Although the metaphors are somewhat obvious at times, e.g. Brigid's family's troubles seem to spiral more and more out of control right along with the coal mine fires, ever spreading and encroaching and unavoidable, this does not take away from the beauty of the writing or from the feelings that these characters and their plight inspire. These are very realistic, complicated and flawed people, living through some very difficult times during an era that many readers might otherwise refer to as "simpler". All seen through the eyes of a bright but unlucky tweenager. I loved the ending, too -- I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to close.
I've seen that this has been compared to To Kill a Mockingbird, and the comparison is apt in that both novels feature young girls dealing with very adult issues. This is also an example of a book with a young narrator that's not being marketed as YA (though if TKaM were published today, it probably would be; and of course it is frequently read in junior high school English classes).
The "hollow ground" of the title refers both to the physical -- the story takes place in the early-1960s against the backdrop of the Appalachian coal mine fires, which literally hollowed out the ground beneath whole towns and rendered them uninhabitable -- and the figurative -- the emptiness upon which so many people try to live their lives or establish their sense of self.
Although the metaphors are somewhat obvious at times, e.g. Brigid's family's troubles seem to spiral more and more out of control right along with the coal mine fires, ever spreading and encroaching and unavoidable, this does not take away from the beauty of the writing or from the feelings that these characters and their plight inspire. These are very realistic, complicated and flawed people, living through some very difficult times during an era that many readers might otherwise refer to as "simpler". All seen through the eyes of a bright but unlucky tweenager. I loved the ending, too -- I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to close.
March 29, 2015
Reader Beware: This engaging story will pull and twist your emotions: anger, frustration, heart-wrenching grief, and at some points relief. Brigid, the narrator, is the voice of reason throughout this tale of a dysfunctional family’s journey to some kind of normality and peace. One general theme in the story comes when Harnett writes, “I had the awful feeling that for the rest of our lives home was something we’d always be wanting,” and the reader understands that longing. It’s that search for our own place in the world that we all encounter.
Oh yeah—there is that other layer of the story that is extremely interesting, putting this book into the category of historical fiction with the coal fires of Pennsylvania and the references to the Irish activists, "Molly Maguires." But it is also a story with twists and turns to the plot that have you gasping out loud. It's a good book, worth the read.
Oh yeah—there is that other layer of the story that is extremely interesting, putting this book into the category of historical fiction with the coal fires of Pennsylvania and the references to the Irish activists, "Molly Maguires." But it is also a story with twists and turns to the plot that have you gasping out loud. It's a good book, worth the read.
June 10, 2014
The Hollow Ground: A Novel
By:
Natalie S. Harnett
What I knew about this book before I read it...
Do you remember reading A Tree Grows In Brooklyn? That's what this book reminded me of...a young girl narrating the story of her poor damaged family as they live and endure a fire burning under their towns.
My thoughts after reading this book...
Just the thought of these underground fires was scary and frightening...but to this family it was a way of life. Brigid's father says...we walk on fire and water...and so they do. Brigid is the narrator of her family's life. Her injured father...Adrian...goes through one job after another...always succumbing to booze and bars and gambling...her mother...Delores...is bitter, her brother quiet...slow. Her special times are spent with Auntie...until they aren't any more. The underground fires keep growing and burning.
After weeks in a hotel the family moves to Adrian's boyhood home...to a dying grandfather, a rigid mean grandmother and a sainted dead younger brother and his memories. Adrian loses another job but Ma finds her long lost brother...and then Brigid slips into an underground shaft and makes a frightening discovery. Everyone has their own demons in this book.
What I loved about this book...
I loved it all but one of my favorite lines was when Brigid announced that her Ma was one of the best crotch sew-ers at her mill. Oh my! I loved Adrian until he drank...sober he seemed bright, loving, carefree...but he gave up job after job...the more he gave up the meaner Ma became. I loved the inspector...who walked through their house at night...checking for carbon monoxide. Scary at first but then it became a normal occurrence! I loved Brigid's voice throughout this book...her narration made it memorable for me.
What I did not love about this book...
I had dreams about falling into blazing holes in the ground and worrying about every step I took. And this story was based on a real area in Pennsylvania! These families were so poor...I hated it when Ma took Brigid's birthday doll away from her because it was only a show off gift!
Final thoughts about this book...
I loved the real history behind this book. I read and loved the author's thoughts about it. I loved Brigid as a narrator...her reality was sad and her thoughts were wise. I loved her love for reading. I think that this is a book that will steal the hearts of many readers. It felt real...and sad...and hopeful.
By:
Natalie S. Harnett
What I knew about this book before I read it...
Do you remember reading A Tree Grows In Brooklyn? That's what this book reminded me of...a young girl narrating the story of her poor damaged family as they live and endure a fire burning under their towns.
My thoughts after reading this book...
Just the thought of these underground fires was scary and frightening...but to this family it was a way of life. Brigid's father says...we walk on fire and water...and so they do. Brigid is the narrator of her family's life. Her injured father...Adrian...goes through one job after another...always succumbing to booze and bars and gambling...her mother...Delores...is bitter, her brother quiet...slow. Her special times are spent with Auntie...until they aren't any more. The underground fires keep growing and burning.
After weeks in a hotel the family moves to Adrian's boyhood home...to a dying grandfather, a rigid mean grandmother and a sainted dead younger brother and his memories. Adrian loses another job but Ma finds her long lost brother...and then Brigid slips into an underground shaft and makes a frightening discovery. Everyone has their own demons in this book.
What I loved about this book...
I loved it all but one of my favorite lines was when Brigid announced that her Ma was one of the best crotch sew-ers at her mill. Oh my! I loved Adrian until he drank...sober he seemed bright, loving, carefree...but he gave up job after job...the more he gave up the meaner Ma became. I loved the inspector...who walked through their house at night...checking for carbon monoxide. Scary at first but then it became a normal occurrence! I loved Brigid's voice throughout this book...her narration made it memorable for me.
What I did not love about this book...
I had dreams about falling into blazing holes in the ground and worrying about every step I took. And this story was based on a real area in Pennsylvania! These families were so poor...I hated it when Ma took Brigid's birthday doll away from her because it was only a show off gift!
Final thoughts about this book...
I loved the real history behind this book. I read and loved the author's thoughts about it. I loved Brigid as a narrator...her reality was sad and her thoughts were wise. I loved her love for reading. I think that this is a book that will steal the hearts of many readers. It felt real...and sad...and hopeful.
September 10, 2014
Historically, the book was interesting, but after while it just seemed to drag. I just wanted the author to get on with it.
I had a hard time grasping the concept of "the curse", it just seemed too pre-1960. I would like to believe that we were better educated in that time period. I can't EVER recall my grandparents or even great grandparents regaling stories of supernatural, ghosts, or anything. Maybe they were just too practical?
I also found it hard to believe that Brigid's mother had a revolving door of men living with her in that time period. It just didn't seem congruent with the rest of the story.
And the typos and errors in a final, finished, supposedly edited book was unbelievable. How could they slip by? For me, it was extremely distracting.
I would rather have skipped this book and read a factual book about the lives of people who were affected by the burning mines.
Disappointing.
I had a hard time grasping the concept of "the curse", it just seemed too pre-1960. I would like to believe that we were better educated in that time period. I can't EVER recall my grandparents or even great grandparents regaling stories of supernatural, ghosts, or anything. Maybe they were just too practical?
I also found it hard to believe that Brigid's mother had a revolving door of men living with her in that time period. It just didn't seem congruent with the rest of the story.
And the typos and errors in a final, finished, supposedly edited book was unbelievable. How could they slip by? For me, it was extremely distracting.
I would rather have skipped this book and read a factual book about the lives of people who were affected by the burning mines.
Disappointing.
August 23, 2014
"The Hollow Ground" is unremittingly dark, but the eleven-year-old narrator tells her story with unremitting hope. Perhaps it's the naive hope of a child, but the book manages to stay out of the abyss. Adrian and her family live in a Pennsylvania mining town that is being gnawed at by fires in the coal mine that it sits upon. The fires are both geographical and emotional as the family faces housing peril, a powerful foil for its truly mythical dysfunction. It's a quick read, and it has seared its spot on my brain.
July 15, 2016
The beginning of the book was a two and by the end it was a four! I think I'll give it three stars all around.
May 8, 2014
The Hollow Ground by Natalie S. Harnett is a narrative told from the perspective of a young pre-teen girl living in the midst of devastating Pennsylvania coal mine fires. The novel is inspired by real events in the the 1960’s, and interestingly, some of those same fires still burn today.
This novel is a fictional piece but gives the reader a real appreciation of history and what the miners, their families, and the towns experienced.
Our main character is Brigid who is, for her time, a precocious little girl. She comes from a poor family who has seen their fair share of trouble of all kinds. Brigid’s family loses their home to the fire and we experience this loss through the eyes of a child. Her disheveled, broken family craves a better life that will never come.
This book, for me, is about the setting and the town but even more than that The Hollow Ground is about a young girl coming of age and learning to let go. Brigid learns about family, she learns that her parents -especially the father she loves desperately- are not who they seem. She begins to make up her own mind about things and how she feels rather than follow in the footsteps of her mother.
The setting of The Hollow Ground is complex. There is so much wreckage and devastation in these towns. However, through Brigid we also see how people can strive to make the best of things rather than be brought down by circumstance.
What doesn't work for me in this novel really is the writing style. I found myself thinking that it felt very repetitive. I felt that the author kept using the same terms and expressions rather than finding different ways to get across a meaning throughout the novel.
I also found that the majority of the characters we not likeable or people a reader can have any empathy for. This again, I think is due to the authors style. The dialect of her characters gives the reader the impression that they are all unintelligent. I think it’s very stereotypical that just because they are poor that it fits they are also simple minded.
The portrayal of the characters left me with a negative feeling about this novel. I enjoyed the story line but I cannot say I’m a fan of the delivery of the story.
As always - Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advance read copy.
This novel is a fictional piece but gives the reader a real appreciation of history and what the miners, their families, and the towns experienced.
Our main character is Brigid who is, for her time, a precocious little girl. She comes from a poor family who has seen their fair share of trouble of all kinds. Brigid’s family loses their home to the fire and we experience this loss through the eyes of a child. Her disheveled, broken family craves a better life that will never come.
This book, for me, is about the setting and the town but even more than that The Hollow Ground is about a young girl coming of age and learning to let go. Brigid learns about family, she learns that her parents -especially the father she loves desperately- are not who they seem. She begins to make up her own mind about things and how she feels rather than follow in the footsteps of her mother.
The setting of The Hollow Ground is complex. There is so much wreckage and devastation in these towns. However, through Brigid we also see how people can strive to make the best of things rather than be brought down by circumstance.
What doesn't work for me in this novel really is the writing style. I found myself thinking that it felt very repetitive. I felt that the author kept using the same terms and expressions rather than finding different ways to get across a meaning throughout the novel.
I also found that the majority of the characters we not likeable or people a reader can have any empathy for. This again, I think is due to the authors style. The dialect of her characters gives the reader the impression that they are all unintelligent. I think it’s very stereotypical that just because they are poor that it fits they are also simple minded.
The portrayal of the characters left me with a negative feeling about this novel. I enjoyed the story line but I cannot say I’m a fan of the delivery of the story.
As always - Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advance read copy.
September 2, 2016
We walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say.
This novel grabbed me with that first line and didn't let go. I knew that there were coal mine fires that burned for decades, but I never knew how it effected the families living around, and worse, over those fires. I didn't know that people continued to live in unbelievable conditions because they had few options.
This is a dark tale. It is not especially violent or cruel, but darkness prevails. The family thinks it is cursed, but most of the characters are so often nasty to one another that one has to wonder if they are their own curse. Brigid, the protagonist, is a wonderful character, thoughtful and accepting but still a child and still hoping for better. Everyone has a story behind the bigger picture, and it's not always pretty. In fact, it usually is not pretty at all.
There is a touch of the supernatural – ghosts and Ouija boards, and of course, the curse.
However, the writing is lovely: beautifully descriptive, with nice flow. The characters, although not always likable, had depth and complexity. There were a couple of places where the author could have paid a bit more attention or made herself clearer, as when storm windows are put up as screens are taken down in the spring. Perhaps the author meant that as a general thing, not what they were doing that specific spring, but it made me look back to double check the time of year. Still, for such a lovely book, that is a very small nit.
If you want something uplifting and cheery, save this book for another time, but for those who don't mind a dark story, this one is wonderful.
I was given an advance copy of this book for review.
This novel grabbed me with that first line and didn't let go. I knew that there were coal mine fires that burned for decades, but I never knew how it effected the families living around, and worse, over those fires. I didn't know that people continued to live in unbelievable conditions because they had few options.
This is a dark tale. It is not especially violent or cruel, but darkness prevails. The family thinks it is cursed, but most of the characters are so often nasty to one another that one has to wonder if they are their own curse. Brigid, the protagonist, is a wonderful character, thoughtful and accepting but still a child and still hoping for better. Everyone has a story behind the bigger picture, and it's not always pretty. In fact, it usually is not pretty at all.
There is a touch of the supernatural – ghosts and Ouija boards, and of course, the curse.
However, the writing is lovely: beautifully descriptive, with nice flow. The characters, although not always likable, had depth and complexity. There were a couple of places where the author could have paid a bit more attention or made herself clearer, as when storm windows are put up as screens are taken down in the spring. Perhaps the author meant that as a general thing, not what they were doing that specific spring, but it made me look back to double check the time of year. Still, for such a lovely book, that is a very small nit.
If you want something uplifting and cheery, save this book for another time, but for those who don't mind a dark story, this one is wonderful.
I was given an advance copy of this book for review.
July 14, 2015
This is a lovely book, although a heartbreaking story. What I loved most about it is that it is a story of over-mined Appalachian coal mines, left to roil and burn beneath the earth when the coal boom ends. This is not a story we've heard about very often, so in that way, it is original and educational. I definitely learned more about the area, its inhabitants, and its history of mining from reading the book. I'm not the biggest fan of "child narration," however, and this is told from the perspective of a just-budding girl; this means that you get only half the story, because the girl can only know what she knows and isn't told the rest. Harnett stays very true to this, though, and for that, the story is consistent and well-written. I wanted to keep reading all the way to the end, so there is definitely enough here in the story to overcome my internal battle with not enjoying "little-girl" perspectives (which is funny, I know, because I've written three novels from that very perspective) and the innocence and immaturity that perspective can cast over a story. Harnett does an excellent job of not making her girl too all-knowing or "too adult," staying inside the mind and eyes of a child, and the story itself is interesting (and thankfully doesn't linger too long on her boy crushes) and tackles tough topics, like classism, sexism, and sexual abuse, with some dignity. Worth the read for the pure history and atmosphere of it, for sure. (The audiobook version is read splendidly, too.)
October 18, 2017
This was not an easy book to get through. In just over 300 pages you watch a family fall apart while their homes and the ground they walk on crumble and burn. Brigid starts the book as a hopeful child, but after losing her home and aunt to the raging coal fires she starts down the path to become a jaded and angry teenager. There are many tough subjects addressed in this book, so caution to those sensitive to alcoholism, child molestation, and child abandonment. I thought the writing was very good, although the pacing was a bit slow for my tastes.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
May 4, 2014
A powerful and extraordinary debut novel! THE HOLLOW GROUND dives into total dysfunction of The Howleys, a wounded family of three generations, with special focus on one special adolescent girl, Brigid, taking upon herself-- burdens of her immediate family, and those of generations past. As the characters come alive---more than the “fires of the community” are out of control; the lives of this family are raging!
THE HOLLOW GROUND is inspired by real-life events in Centralia and Carbondale, Pennsylvania (renamed Barrendale in the book), where devastating coal mine fires irrevocably changed the lives of residents.
I would encourage readers to visit the author’s website at http://natalieharnett.com/, prior to reading the book. Very informative, and a wealth of information -- Educator’s Guide, Character Development - inspiration (Bridgid, Ma, Gram), More About the book, and Reading Group Guide. (ideal for bookclubs).
Set in the 1960s in the Pennsylvania coal mining country, a novel of a Black Irish Catholic family, experiencing more than a little bad luck; perhaps a curse by a priest, from decades prior during a Molly Maguire incident, involving the grandfather. (or, so they think). However, is the curse really what lies inside your heart and soul?
If you are looking for a “feel good” book, this is not for you. THE HOLLOW GROUND is deep, well-written and thought-provoking; whereby, Natalie S. Harnett captures the true essence of the time, the people, characters, destruction, and culture of Pennsylvania's Anthracite Region; the serious threats from the coal mine fires and more importantly, the emotional fallout.
The author depicts in realistic terms, the ugliness, destruction, and the devastating conditions during this time (physical and mental), and how it has affected the lives of those passed down thru generations. The environment is poor, people are uneducated, and they are unable to find a way out of this bleak life – no escape from this madness.
The novel can be depressing and at times; however, critical and rewarding for the overall story, as THE HOLLOW GROUND explores the intense emotions, of those impacted. The reader can easily sympathize with the environment, the town, and the characters. (Brigid).
Brigid wants her family to be happy--she has no financial security or stability, nor any role models. Her family moves from place to place, as her dad is unable to hold down a job, combined with the fires and destruction. She is unable able to make friends and if she does, something happens which involves her crazy family, or their past. (You have Gram praying to the saints, while the girls seeking answers from a Ojai board.)
Her unemployed father, (emotional damage) suffered thru a mysterious mine explosion which took the life of his brother—he is in a constant stage of drowning his sorrows in a bottle, and cannot hold a job (either stealing, betting, or scheming). SECRETS AND MORE SECRETS
The mother (MA-disliked her), as she was a constant complainer about anything and everything. (Like can you get over your past, and move on)? Of course, she had to tolerate her lazy husband, and she cannot get over, nor forgive the trauma she experienced as a child—her mom died, her father and stepmom sent her to an orphanage at age 4, even though they kept her brother. During the entire book, she vents to her daughter Brigid —she has a huge chip on her shoulder-talks big; however, is always looking for the easy way out, takes no responsibility or control of her life.
While Brigid struggles, they move in with the dad’s mom and dad (grandparents), cramped living quarters, with Brigid trying to again maintain order and peace (which is like impossible), as ma gets along with no one-- Ma and Gram have many failings as mothers (mother-daughter dynamics) are a big theme..
The grandparents have their own demons, and the death of the other son, Frank; a constant reminder. So now you have two neglectful parents, and grandparents--no better (Gram has a little spunk), and a challenged little brother. Brigid desires some sort of normalcy in her life and continuously tries to solve everyone’s problems.
When eleven-year old Brigid makes a discovery with her friends in the long abandoned bootleg mine shaft, what comes next is dangerous, keeping her from her best friend, and others, plus more secrets begin to unravel, and a mystery to solve.
Readers get a first-hand look into the issues faced during this horrific time, with fires burning out of control, destroying homes and lives as well as (governmental neglect, bureaucratic “red tape” involved while waiting for assistance and reimbursement for loss of life and property, politics, and literally no assistance for these people). Due to the coal fires, the officials literally came to the homes in the area to check gas levels each evening for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ma and Daddy are greatly influenced by their pasts, as well as grandparents. Memories and repressed memories—what they remember, what they don’t remember, as well as what they do not recall—shape who they are. Even with the terrifying backdrop of the fire beneath their feet, what takes prominence in the novel-- is Brigid's desire for her family to stay together and have a better life.
Will Brigid break the cycle, as secrets unravel? Can saints, curses, or secrets determine happiness or misery? The grounds beneath these mining towns is unsafe—a true metaphor for Brigid’s life—no foundation, parents out of control, and damaged by their disappointments. She will need to find her own inner strength, instead of being bitter, to find a way beyond her family’s past and misfortune.
I liked this discussion question: “THE HOLLOW GROUND could be viewed as a cautionary tale about what happens when we delve underground. Do you think mine fires such as the one that took place in Barrendale could serve as an argument against other environmental issues of concern such as fracking or oil drilling?”
“There isn’t a family curse,” Auntie explained. “Or that’s not exactly what I mean. There is one. But it’s not out there,” she said, pointing out the window. “It’s in here.” She aimed a thick, slightly crooked finger at me and prodded my chest. “Inside me?” Auntie sighed. “Not just you. Inside each one of us. You see we make—”
On a personal note, have experience with environmental devastation, with an uncle and cousin having worked in a mill with fiber and asbestos, in North Carolina during the 1950-60s. To date he is still suffering with lung cancer and now has spread to his kidneys. He is still fighting lawsuits, which have not been settled; unsure they will be before his death. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways.
Fans of T. Greenwood, Carla Buckley, and Jodi Picoult would appreciate THE HOLLOW GROUND. Highly recommend--looking forward to reading more from this newfound and talented author! http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/p...
A special thank you to St Martin's Press, Thomas Dunne Books, and NetGalley, for providing an ARC for an unbiased and honest review.
THE HOLLOW GROUND is inspired by real-life events in Centralia and Carbondale, Pennsylvania (renamed Barrendale in the book), where devastating coal mine fires irrevocably changed the lives of residents.
I would encourage readers to visit the author’s website at http://natalieharnett.com/, prior to reading the book. Very informative, and a wealth of information -- Educator’s Guide, Character Development - inspiration (Bridgid, Ma, Gram), More About the book, and Reading Group Guide. (ideal for bookclubs).
Set in the 1960s in the Pennsylvania coal mining country, a novel of a Black Irish Catholic family, experiencing more than a little bad luck; perhaps a curse by a priest, from decades prior during a Molly Maguire incident, involving the grandfather. (or, so they think). However, is the curse really what lies inside your heart and soul?
If you are looking for a “feel good” book, this is not for you. THE HOLLOW GROUND is deep, well-written and thought-provoking; whereby, Natalie S. Harnett captures the true essence of the time, the people, characters, destruction, and culture of Pennsylvania's Anthracite Region; the serious threats from the coal mine fires and more importantly, the emotional fallout.
The author depicts in realistic terms, the ugliness, destruction, and the devastating conditions during this time (physical and mental), and how it has affected the lives of those passed down thru generations. The environment is poor, people are uneducated, and they are unable to find a way out of this bleak life – no escape from this madness.
The novel can be depressing and at times; however, critical and rewarding for the overall story, as THE HOLLOW GROUND explores the intense emotions, of those impacted. The reader can easily sympathize with the environment, the town, and the characters. (Brigid).
Brigid wants her family to be happy--she has no financial security or stability, nor any role models. Her family moves from place to place, as her dad is unable to hold down a job, combined with the fires and destruction. She is unable able to make friends and if she does, something happens which involves her crazy family, or their past. (You have Gram praying to the saints, while the girls seeking answers from a Ojai board.)
Her unemployed father, (emotional damage) suffered thru a mysterious mine explosion which took the life of his brother—he is in a constant stage of drowning his sorrows in a bottle, and cannot hold a job (either stealing, betting, or scheming). SECRETS AND MORE SECRETS
The mother (MA-disliked her), as she was a constant complainer about anything and everything. (Like can you get over your past, and move on)? Of course, she had to tolerate her lazy husband, and she cannot get over, nor forgive the trauma she experienced as a child—her mom died, her father and stepmom sent her to an orphanage at age 4, even though they kept her brother. During the entire book, she vents to her daughter Brigid —she has a huge chip on her shoulder-talks big; however, is always looking for the easy way out, takes no responsibility or control of her life.
While Brigid struggles, they move in with the dad’s mom and dad (grandparents), cramped living quarters, with Brigid trying to again maintain order and peace (which is like impossible), as ma gets along with no one-- Ma and Gram have many failings as mothers (mother-daughter dynamics) are a big theme..
The grandparents have their own demons, and the death of the other son, Frank; a constant reminder. So now you have two neglectful parents, and grandparents--no better (Gram has a little spunk), and a challenged little brother. Brigid desires some sort of normalcy in her life and continuously tries to solve everyone’s problems.
When eleven-year old Brigid makes a discovery with her friends in the long abandoned bootleg mine shaft, what comes next is dangerous, keeping her from her best friend, and others, plus more secrets begin to unravel, and a mystery to solve.
Readers get a first-hand look into the issues faced during this horrific time, with fires burning out of control, destroying homes and lives as well as (governmental neglect, bureaucratic “red tape” involved while waiting for assistance and reimbursement for loss of life and property, politics, and literally no assistance for these people). Due to the coal fires, the officials literally came to the homes in the area to check gas levels each evening for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ma and Daddy are greatly influenced by their pasts, as well as grandparents. Memories and repressed memories—what they remember, what they don’t remember, as well as what they do not recall—shape who they are. Even with the terrifying backdrop of the fire beneath their feet, what takes prominence in the novel-- is Brigid's desire for her family to stay together and have a better life.
Will Brigid break the cycle, as secrets unravel? Can saints, curses, or secrets determine happiness or misery? The grounds beneath these mining towns is unsafe—a true metaphor for Brigid’s life—no foundation, parents out of control, and damaged by their disappointments. She will need to find her own inner strength, instead of being bitter, to find a way beyond her family’s past and misfortune.
I liked this discussion question: “THE HOLLOW GROUND could be viewed as a cautionary tale about what happens when we delve underground. Do you think mine fires such as the one that took place in Barrendale could serve as an argument against other environmental issues of concern such as fracking or oil drilling?”
“There isn’t a family curse,” Auntie explained. “Or that’s not exactly what I mean. There is one. But it’s not out there,” she said, pointing out the window. “It’s in here.” She aimed a thick, slightly crooked finger at me and prodded my chest. “Inside me?” Auntie sighed. “Not just you. Inside each one of us. You see we make—”
On a personal note, have experience with environmental devastation, with an uncle and cousin having worked in a mill with fiber and asbestos, in North Carolina during the 1950-60s. To date he is still suffering with lung cancer and now has spread to his kidneys. He is still fighting lawsuits, which have not been settled; unsure they will be before his death. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers, or were exposed to airborne asbestos dust and fibers in other ways.
Fans of T. Greenwood, Carla Buckley, and Jodi Picoult would appreciate THE HOLLOW GROUND. Highly recommend--looking forward to reading more from this newfound and talented author! http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/p...
A special thank you to St Martin's Press, Thomas Dunne Books, and NetGalley, for providing an ARC for an unbiased and honest review.
March 2, 2021
This story, though fiction, is based on real life events of Carbondale and Centralia where coal mine fires burned for years, destroying lives of residents and changing the earth on which they lived. The main character is Brigid Howley, an eleven year old girl, living with her father, mother and little brother. Circumstances occur that force Brigid's family to move in with her Father's parents. The book is a story of survival and suffering, therein it is a dark story and though Brigid remains optimistic despite her circumstances, you really wonder how she can rise above the sadness. The book provides a brutal and frank description of the people that lived in these burning towns. The coal miners had little choice. They were poor and the mines were their life, their culture and families stuck together. Those were the observations I made after reading the stories and wondering why they just didn't escape their circumstances. Imagine living in a home where you leave the doors unlocked so when you are sleeping the gas authorities can enter quietly to check the gas levels to make sure the homeowners were safe. Imagine living in a town where "we walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say. Basement floors too hot to touch, steaming green lawns in the middle of winter. Sinkholes, quick and sudden, plunging open at your feet". Meanwhile, people developing lung diseases, sinkholes swallowing homes and people, and the need to say goodbye to your family home because the fires in the ground are reclaiming them. I learned about the resiliency of people with life long struggles in a hostile environment and learned so much about the coal fires. I did enjoy the book, despite the sad tone.
January 21, 2025
This was interesting, how awful to have lived over burning mines. Well written, reminded me of how one felt about one's parents when a teenager.
October 11, 2021
"The Hollow Ground" is literature in the true sense of the word and its young heroine, Brigid Howley, is the most compelling lead I've seen since Scout Finch. Within the pages of this novel you'll find drama, mystery, murder, but so much more than that - writing comparable to the greats, Eugene O'Neill and his ilk.
The novel takes place in the early 1960s when the coal mine fires of Pennsylvania were raging. A backdrop of sulfur and smoke sets the scene for the Howleys, a "cursed" Irish family if ever there was one. Eleven year old Brigid, Brother, Ma and Daddy are forced to seek refuge from the fires with Brigid's estranged grandparents who Ma despises and Daddy can't please.
But the Howleys aren't strangers to tragedy or sorrow; they've been ill-fated for generations.
The origin and reasons for the curse unfold gradually after Brigid's discovery of a body in the mine- an incident which costs her her best friend and paves the way for a relentless detective to worm his way into the Howley's lives.
Tying together the loose ends in the aftermath of the discovery will keep you awake nights, and you'll root for Brigid as you haven't rooted for a heroine in a long, long time.
The novel takes place in the early 1960s when the coal mine fires of Pennsylvania were raging. A backdrop of sulfur and smoke sets the scene for the Howleys, a "cursed" Irish family if ever there was one. Eleven year old Brigid, Brother, Ma and Daddy are forced to seek refuge from the fires with Brigid's estranged grandparents who Ma despises and Daddy can't please.
But the Howleys aren't strangers to tragedy or sorrow; they've been ill-fated for generations.
The origin and reasons for the curse unfold gradually after Brigid's discovery of a body in the mine- an incident which costs her her best friend and paves the way for a relentless detective to worm his way into the Howley's lives.
Tying together the loose ends in the aftermath of the discovery will keep you awake nights, and you'll root for Brigid as you haven't rooted for a heroine in a long, long time.
August 3, 2014
The Hollow Ground is a historical novel that takes place in Pennsylvania in the 60’s, in small coal-mining towns that are being ravaged by underground coal mine fires. Brigid Howley is eleven years old and growing up amidst the turbulence of miners who are unable to work and people losing their homes and their lives to these fires.
This is very much a coming of age novel in the traditional sense, with a fascinating historical backdrop. It put me in mind of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, in that it’s really the story of Brigid dealing with her troubled parents and their precarious financial situation.
Brigid is intrigued by the mines despite seeing its destruction all around her. Her grandfather was part of the Molly Maguires, a group that advocated for better working conditions in the mines. The history and setting of this book was fascinating, in that the ground is literally eating up homes and blocks below their feet, or poisoning people in their beds, and all of this actually happened.
I always appreciate a book with a lot of historical detail, but where the story is really about family and relationships. Brigid struggles with having a mother she doesn’t actually like very much and a father who adores her even though lets her family down again and again. Even more interesting is the push and pull between her father and mother. They love each other and hate each other. Somehow Harnett really brought this difficult but realistic relationship to life for me.
This is not a fast moving novel, and it’s not quite the murder mystery it’s presented as -- which I appreciated. The book is described by the publisher as being about a body that Brigid discovers in the mine. Yes, that happens, but it’s not quite the catalyst for the whole story. Really, this is a story about growing up in poverty and turmoil. It’s a story of a troubled family. What happened in the mines is more of a backdrop.
As a debut novel, this was very well done. I could identify with Brigid, who doesn’t ask for much out of life but is still disappointed again and again.
The full version of this review can be found at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com. I received an advance review copy of this book from publisher Thomas Dunne Books in exchange for an honest review. This book was published May 13, 2014.
This is very much a coming of age novel in the traditional sense, with a fascinating historical backdrop. It put me in mind of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, in that it’s really the story of Brigid dealing with her troubled parents and their precarious financial situation.
Brigid is intrigued by the mines despite seeing its destruction all around her. Her grandfather was part of the Molly Maguires, a group that advocated for better working conditions in the mines. The history and setting of this book was fascinating, in that the ground is literally eating up homes and blocks below their feet, or poisoning people in their beds, and all of this actually happened.
I always appreciate a book with a lot of historical detail, but where the story is really about family and relationships. Brigid struggles with having a mother she doesn’t actually like very much and a father who adores her even though lets her family down again and again. Even more interesting is the push and pull between her father and mother. They love each other and hate each other. Somehow Harnett really brought this difficult but realistic relationship to life for me.
This is not a fast moving novel, and it’s not quite the murder mystery it’s presented as -- which I appreciated. The book is described by the publisher as being about a body that Brigid discovers in the mine. Yes, that happens, but it’s not quite the catalyst for the whole story. Really, this is a story about growing up in poverty and turmoil. It’s a story of a troubled family. What happened in the mines is more of a backdrop.
As a debut novel, this was very well done. I could identify with Brigid, who doesn’t ask for much out of life but is still disappointed again and again.
The full version of this review can be found at http://thebookstop.wordpress.com. I received an advance review copy of this book from publisher Thomas Dunne Books in exchange for an honest review. This book was published May 13, 2014.
July 16, 2015
Set amongst the deadly coal mine fires of 1960s Pennsylvania, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut that will "grab you by the brisket and not let go." (Gary Shteyngart)
"We walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say. Basement floors too hot to touch. Steaming green lawns in the dead of winter. Sinkholes, quick and sudden, plunging open at your feet."
The underground mine fires ravaging Pennsylvania coal country have forced Brigid Howley and her family to seek refuge with her estranged grandparents, the formidable Gram and the Black Lung stricken Gramp. Tragedy is no stranger to the Howleys, a proud Irish-American clan who takes strange pleasure in the "curse" laid upon them generations earlier by a priest who ran afoul of the Molly Maguires. The weight of this legacy rests heavily on a new generation, when Brigid, already struggling to keep her family together, makes a grisly discovery in a long-abandoned bootleg mine shaft. In the aftermath, decades' old secrets threaten to prove just as dangerous to the Howleys as the burning, hollow ground beneath their feet. Inspired by real-life events in now-infamous Centralia and the equally devastated town of Carbondale, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut with an atmospheric, voice-driven narrative and an indelible sense of place.
--My thoughts. I didn't know anything about this subject before reading this book, so it had me from the very beginning. I then was so intrigued because there was so many secrets, but the young girl, Brigid, is so matter of fact, as she tells the story. I loved all the characters, they felt like such a weird family but one you can't but love. "If you want to remember, you will." That says a lot, doesn't it. Those words have stuck with me since I have read this book.
You will love this author's amazing book, and I can't wait for more! I received this book from the Goodreads first read in exchange for my honest opinion.
"We walk on fire or air, so Daddy liked to say. Basement floors too hot to touch. Steaming green lawns in the dead of winter. Sinkholes, quick and sudden, plunging open at your feet."
The underground mine fires ravaging Pennsylvania coal country have forced Brigid Howley and her family to seek refuge with her estranged grandparents, the formidable Gram and the Black Lung stricken Gramp. Tragedy is no stranger to the Howleys, a proud Irish-American clan who takes strange pleasure in the "curse" laid upon them generations earlier by a priest who ran afoul of the Molly Maguires. The weight of this legacy rests heavily on a new generation, when Brigid, already struggling to keep her family together, makes a grisly discovery in a long-abandoned bootleg mine shaft. In the aftermath, decades' old secrets threaten to prove just as dangerous to the Howleys as the burning, hollow ground beneath their feet. Inspired by real-life events in now-infamous Centralia and the equally devastated town of Carbondale, The Hollow Ground is an extraordinary debut with an atmospheric, voice-driven narrative and an indelible sense of place.
--My thoughts. I didn't know anything about this subject before reading this book, so it had me from the very beginning. I then was so intrigued because there was so many secrets, but the young girl, Brigid, is so matter of fact, as she tells the story. I loved all the characters, they felt like such a weird family but one you can't but love. "If you want to remember, you will." That says a lot, doesn't it. Those words have stuck with me since I have read this book.
You will love this author's amazing book, and I can't wait for more! I received this book from the Goodreads first read in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 28, 2014
The historical events in "The Hollow Ground" are centered on the burning of towns like Centralia, Pennsylvania, which started in the 1960s due to coal under the ground igniting (the reason why this happened is debated). The fires still burn today and Centralia is all but a ghost town. These events reflect the turmoil going on in the Howley family. As the fires drive people out of their homes, the Howley family is falling apart. The historic detail lends a haunting setting for this story of a family in free fall.
Even with all of the events happening throughout the town as people begin to leave, the characters are really at the center of this story. Harnett paints a stark picture of the proud, but chaotic Howley family. Some of them are determined to stay as their neighbors leave and their home life keeps getting worse. Some are determined to go even if it means that they are only running away from problems that will eventually catch up with them.
These characters are fascinating. I really liked reading about them. Harnett does a really good job of showing all of their inner turmoil. Brigid, the Howley daughter, is at that age where she begins to realize that her family is in trouble. She has to grow up quickly and in a way, she believes that it is up to her to try to keep the peace in her family but how can she when so much seems to be going wrong? Her father seems to only want to run away and hide. Her mother is impulsive and brash and is sure that she deserves more. Brigid is worried about her brother, who has an intellectual disability of some sort that no one seems to want to understand.
If you like character driven stories with a historical element and you don't mind hard subjects, this would be a good pick for you!
Even with all of the events happening throughout the town as people begin to leave, the characters are really at the center of this story. Harnett paints a stark picture of the proud, but chaotic Howley family. Some of them are determined to stay as their neighbors leave and their home life keeps getting worse. Some are determined to go even if it means that they are only running away from problems that will eventually catch up with them.
These characters are fascinating. I really liked reading about them. Harnett does a really good job of showing all of their inner turmoil. Brigid, the Howley daughter, is at that age where she begins to realize that her family is in trouble. She has to grow up quickly and in a way, she believes that it is up to her to try to keep the peace in her family but how can she when so much seems to be going wrong? Her father seems to only want to run away and hide. Her mother is impulsive and brash and is sure that she deserves more. Brigid is worried about her brother, who has an intellectual disability of some sort that no one seems to want to understand.
If you like character driven stories with a historical element and you don't mind hard subjects, this would be a good pick for you!
May 13, 2014
This is a quite strong debut novel set in the coal mining region of Pennsylvania during the 1960s. Brigid Howley’s young life has been defined by the curse set upon her Irish-immigrant family one hundred years ago. With coal fires raging beneath the earth, the government attempts to quell the fires. This makes for a powerful backdrop in this coming-of-age story as Brigid learns more about the family secrets and problems caused by actions in the past. The book rings with authenticity and it is obvious that Harnett has researched the area and the horrors of this disaster based on the fires still burning today in Centralia, Pennsylvania.
Brigid, at first, is a bit hard to get used to as a narrator. She is far from the most charming child-narrator in fiction, but she does grow on the reader and by the end she is quite likable. The plot holds surprises, sadness, horrors and even some moments of humour. But it is the uniqueness of the setting that truly makes this book a distinctive read. The plain writing style does take some getting used to, but by the end, I think I enjoyed it a lot more than I initially expected to. I am curious to see what the author will write next!
Brigid, at first, is a bit hard to get used to as a narrator. She is far from the most charming child-narrator in fiction, but she does grow on the reader and by the end she is quite likable. The plot holds surprises, sadness, horrors and even some moments of humour. But it is the uniqueness of the setting that truly makes this book a distinctive read. The plain writing style does take some getting used to, but by the end, I think I enjoyed it a lot more than I initially expected to. I am curious to see what the author will write next!
September 28, 2015
I won a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
The book is fairly slow moving at first in terms of action, but in it's place the author has put a lot of effort into character development & in being very descriptive of the physical setting of the novel. Eventually the reader discovers that family secrets abound in this novel, as well as a supposed "family curse".
The book explores topics that can lead to much discussion for book clubs or even in the classroom. Book club questions & an educator guide are even included at the back of the book. I don't want to include spoilers in my review so I won't start listing those topics, but they do include a taboo subject.
The book is fairly slow moving at first in terms of action, but in it's place the author has put a lot of effort into character development & in being very descriptive of the physical setting of the novel. Eventually the reader discovers that family secrets abound in this novel, as well as a supposed "family curse".
The book explores topics that can lead to much discussion for book clubs or even in the classroom. Book club questions & an educator guide are even included at the back of the book. I don't want to include spoilers in my review so I won't start listing those topics, but they do include a taboo subject.
June 16, 2015
I chose this book because I am not very familiar with the Pennsylvania coal mine fires - the setting of this story is in the early 1960s, when the fires started. The book doesn’t go into the history as much as I would've liked, but that’s okay, it was enough to compliment a great story. The narrator is Brigid, an 11 years old from an impoverished mining family. There is a family curse, bootlegging history, secrets about a murder, ghosts, and personal histories that make the lives of this family very challenging. Some of the characters are really unlikeable, but it was impossible not to empathize with them as I read further into the story. It’s a dark and tragic story, but it ends on a wonderful note of strength, understanding and forgiveness.
May 8, 2015
This was one of the stories that I'd felt like I'd read before - coming of age tale of a young girl in the 60's. Other than the setting against the coal fires in Pennsylvania in the 60's, the struggles and themes seemed like a lot of the same already published. I would have liked to learn more about the coal fires and the circumstances that surrounded those however the book primarily focuses on the struggles of Brigid as she learns the weaknesses and flaws of her parents, loving them despite those and finding her own place in the world.
August 12, 2014
Not bad for a debut novel. the first half of the book was way too depressing, and the family just too dysfunctional. In the second half the family dynamic started to make sense and the characters--though not always likable--became a bit more real for me.
There is an element of a mystery story here; I wish the novel focused more on the mystery than the family problems. Though at the end I felt it all came together in a satisfying way.
There is an element of a mystery story here; I wish the novel focused more on the mystery than the family problems. Though at the end I felt it all came together in a satisfying way.
October 24, 2014
What a sad, depressing story with wholly unlikable characters. Set among the coal fires in NE Pennsylvania in the 1960s, we follow a young girl coming of age, discovering the her parents flaws and secrets. If nothing else, the reader should be thankful that they are not Brigid. Even with all that, I rated it 3 stars simply because the author painted a very vivid, if disturbing, picture.
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