Hogg: A Novel

its horrific but good, but also horrible

This is definitely one of the most disgusting, shocking, and overwhelming books I've ever read. There were times when I literally had to put the book down and take some breaths to ease my nausea. Some summaries mischaracterize the 11 year old narrator's complicity in all that happens in this novel, which is perhaps one of the most perplexing aspects of the novel itself. But I must admit that when I finally got past all of the horrors of the story and made it to the end, I was rewarded with a surprisingly poignant message about race, childhood trauma, and self-worth. I would NOT recommend this to just anyone. It takes nerves of steel to get through this one. I am not exaggerating when I say that this book will make you gag. I give it a 10/10 because you will never read another book like this, and because the author employs some extreme storytelling techniques that surprisingly come together and pay off in the end.