The Hole

August 27, 2001
First published in England in 1993, and written when Burt was 18 years old, this slight but compelling psychological tale is set at an unnamed British private school. On a day when most of the students are off on a field trip, devious Martyn, the architect of a series of ever-escalating practical jokes, sets in motion his biggest prank of all, one that he envisions as an experiment in real life. An abandoned cellar lies in a rarely used area of the school. Martyn lures five students into this empty hole and locks them in with the promise that he will release them in three days. When they come out, it will be a prank none of the school officials will ever forget. While waiting for their release, the five teenagers talk about all aspects of their lives, including personal hopes and fears. As the third day comes and goes, they realize no one is coming to release them. Isolation and abandonment sink in, and the students begin resorting to desperate measures. The story is conveyed in two voices; a third-person narrator describing the ordeal and the first-person account of Liz, a survivor writing as part of her ongoing therapy. While not a classic like
The Lord of the Flies, this novel is a quick and intriguing book with a truly satisfying ending. (Oct.)Forecast:If the film version of
The Hole ever makes it to these shores—it opened in London in April 2001 and stars Thora Birch—this could be a seller, but till then, readers may balk at the relatively high price of this extra-slim fiction.

August 1, 2001
Burt's first novel (followed by two others) was published in Great Britain several years ago, and a movie version is currently in release there. This novel of psychological suspense begins with a premise similar to Donna Tartt's 1992 novel, The Secret History, but its characters are less ambitious and more gullible. Five teenagers agree to take part in what their school's mythic prankster, Martyn, calls an experiment in real life. Their plan is to disappear for three days, hiding underground in the hole, the basement of an abandoned building on campus, now accessible only by a rope ladder. When their three days pass and Martyn (and his rope ladder) fails to appear, the suspense really begins. Narrated by one of the participants in a fractured, episodic style, it leaves the reader wondering what really happened. The twist at the end feels a little contrived, but the book works overall. This slim volume, definitely a one-sitting read, is perfect for escapist reading lists. Recommended for all public libraries.Patrick J. Wall, University City P.L., MO

July 1, 2001
It was supposed to be "an experiment with real life." With Martyn as their link to the outside world, five teens--Liz, Mike, Geoff, Alex, and Frankie--agree to spend three days in "the hole," an unused area of their English prep school, accessible only by a rope ladder. They all think it's a grand joke to play on parents and teachers, one of clever Martyn's best ideas. And it's fun at first: the talk is cheerful and full of bravado--about inept adults and Martyn's tricks on unsuspecting grown-ups. But soon it's evident that something is amiss, and it isn't long before the teens realize that Martyn's "experiment" is a bit unusual: he's never coming back to let them out. It's obvious from the outset that someone escapes to tell the tale (and it's not Martyn), but don't expect a clear-cut ending. An epilogue provides some clues (and also makes some sense of the awkward mix of dialogue, flashbacks, and stream of consciousness); just prepare for a few twisted surprises.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)