Housebreaking

Name: Housebreaking
Brand: Penguin Random House
Availability: InStock
Author: Colleen Hubbard
ISBN: 9780593551714

Author: Colleen Hubbard

Narrator: Stephanie Sheh

Unabridged: 9 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 04/19/2022

Categories: Fiction, Women, Literary Fiction, Coming Of Age

Synopsis

Following a long-standing feud and looking to settle the score, a woman decides to dismantle her home—alone and by hand—and move it across a frozen pond during a harsh New England winter in this mesmerizing debut.

Home is certainly not where Del’s heart is. After a local scandal led to her parents’ divorce and the rest of her family turned their backs on her, Del left her small town and cut off contact.

Now, with both of her parents gone, a chance has arrived for Del to retaliate.

Her uncle wants the one thing Del inherited: the family home.

Instead of handing the place over, and with no other resources at her disposal, Del decides she will tear the place apart herself—piece by piece.

But Del will soon discover, the task stirs up more than just old memories as relatives—each in their own state of unraveling—come knocking on her door.

This spare, strange, magical book is a story not only about the powerlessness and hurt that run through a family but also about the moments when brokenness can offer us the rare chance to start again.

About The Author

A native of New England, Colleen Hubbard now lives in the U.K. with her family. She wrote her debut novel, Housebreaking, while on maternity leave from her job with the NHS. She graduated from the University of East Anglia's MA program in creative writing, where she earned the Head of School Prize with a distinction.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nilufer on May 23, 2022

Interesting fact about this book you read a random dysfunctional family story about a random character and you truly enjoyed every second of it! 24 years old girl Del who spends an aimless life, working at random, shout-lived jobs, living with deceased father’s old friend as roommate, smoking pot,......more

Goodreads review by Michael on April 29, 2022

Del is a 24-year old whose parents have both passed away. She’s not really happy with life, and just goes about day by day. One day, her cousin tracks her down and asks to meet up. It turns out that he and his brothers work for his dad (Del’s uncle), and they want to buy her out of the family home s......more

Goodreads review by emma on February 22, 2022

This isn't my cup of tea except for the fact that I'm very into books about unhappy people making friends. And no, don't use that to read into me psychologically. This is a one way transactional relationship, in which I put out a ton of content and overshare constantly and somehow manage to remain my......more

Goodreads review by Colleen on December 22, 2021

This is my own book, so in the interest of fairness I averaged reviews collected across my family. “Genius-level stuff, I’ll send you a check for $5,” - my great aunt (estimation: 10 stars); “Your second grade teacher said you’d be lucky to graduate high school so I guess this is notable. Am I in th......more

Goodreads review by Lacie on November 03, 2021

Del doesn’t have much going for her, only a series of dead-end jobs and a recent spot in the unemployment line. She doesn’t even have a place to call her own while staying at her dad’s friend’s apartment after losing her parents. A call from her relative, regarding her mother’s house may give Del th......more

Quotes

“An unforgettable portrait of a young woman at war with the world and herself. Protagonist Del can be hard to like, but she remains easy to love. This is a brilliant and exciting debut.”
—Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

“A wry and unexpectedly tender story of finding the family we need when we least expect it. Perfect for fans of Olive Kitteridge and The Good House.”
—Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters

“Hubbard skillfully captures Del’s desperation while slowly unraveling the story of her late parents’ lives. This is a moving take on how a hard-knock existence can be transformed by friendship and determination.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Deliciously witty and deeply poignant. Sharp, surprising and memorable, this is a book I know I’ll keep mulling over for a long, long time.”
—Emma Hooper, bestselling author of Etta and Otto and Russell and James

“Darkly funny and brimming with pathos...For fans of Elizabeth Strout, Ottessa Moshfegh...This is a humorous and life-affirming trip through the fraught, weird heart of America, exploring the granular details that make and break a life.”
—Sharlene Teo, award-winning author of Ponti

“A keenly observed and achingly real story of grief and loss and the extraordinary lengths one woman goes to make sense of her past and discover who she might become.”
—Dana Reinhardt, author of Tomorrow There Will Be Sun