Akiva Hersh

I am not a fan of fiction, so I took a bit of a risk by requesting a fiction novel. I am glad I did because I found this book to be very relatable. The mother in this book is so similar to my mother that it freaked me out a little bit. I suspect that this author might be personally familiar with narcissistic abuse because it's very difficult to find an accurate portrayal of it.

I tried to take my time in reading this book, but it was hard to put it down long enough for me to do that. It took me about a month to read it alongside the 8 other books I am currently reading. It is definitely engaging. Some might find the depictions of child sex abuse and emotional/physical abuse triggering, but I have a very high tolerance for stuff like that, so it did not bother me personally.

I had one problem with this book; I worry that if someone were to stop reading the book without finishing it, they might walk away with the wrong interpretation of the author's core messages. If you do not want to see spoilers, stop reading this review.

There is a moment in the book when the main character questions whether he is a pedophile. I grew a bit concerned about the connection that the author appears to draw between homosexuality and pedophilia. It was clearly not the author's intention to propagate this belief, but if someone were to stop reading the book, they might think that to be the case. With that said, such a connection already exists in the minds of many people, especially during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It's honest. And it would make sense that the incest within the family would exacerbate the main character's internalization of this message.… (mer)

"Boy in the Hole" by Akiva Hersh
4* read

Trigger warnings:

Sexual abuse, child abuse, pedophilia, child molestation, and various mental health issues.

'Boy in the Hole' is a heavy, emotional book. While it is relatively short, it packs a major punch to your heart. It was very obvious that Mr. Hersh has a background in psychology as this book compels the reader to feel a wide range of emotions. From deep sadness to outrage and from joy to physical disgust. There was one point in the book where I had to put the book away and consider not finishing it. It wasn't that the book was bad, it just made me feel personally 'dirty' and I didn't know if I could continue to read it. I did finish the story and was grateful that I did. The most interesting idea to come from this book was the idea of "quantum change". I found this very though provoking and possibly life changing for people with many different mental illnesses. I would not recommend this book to anyone who would not be able to handle any if the above triggers, as these are described brutally throughout the story. If these triggers do not impact you, this book is fantastic. I believe anyone interested in psychology or sociology would benefit from reading 'Boy in the Hole'. Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars… (mer)

Received my personalized, autographed copy 12/11/2019.

This book's characters are very dark and the story deals with many hard things since everyone is dysfunctional to some level. I'm not sophisticated, so am not the best reviewer for this book. For me it was a hard read.

FROM AMAZON: From an anti-other political climate comes a novel that gives voice to outcasts tyrannized by power. Boy in the Hole is the gripping account of Jacob, a boy wrestling to understand himself, his family, and the world in which he lives as he grows up in the Deep South in the '70s.

Emerging from a family of sexual deviancy and alcoholism masked by religion and wealth, Jacob learns to define who he is, but struggles to find the balance between faith and sexuality. To embrace his true identity, he must go on an exodus to face his demons and overcome the pressures to conform. But his parents' toxic beliefs and the messages of self-hate taught by religion and society could prove his undoing.

Will Jacob love himself despite the potential isolation? Or will he conform to the norms and settle for mediocrity...and a life in which he can never truly live?… (mer)