Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Random House Books for Young Readers (2008), Edition: 1St Edition, Hardcover, 304 pages
Description
When timid Milton and his older, scofflaw sister Marlo die in a marshmallow bear explosion at Grizzly Mall, they are sent to Heck, an otherworldly reform school from which they are determined to escape.
User reviews
LibraryThing member librariankristin
Milton and Marlo Foster die when a bully puts a stick of dynamite in the butt of a marshmallow bear at the mall. They awake in Heck where principal Bea "Elsa" Bubb delights in tormenting them. Milton and Marlo make varied attempts to escape, and usually encounter bodily waste along the way. While
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the bodily function humor is un-subtle, the references to classic literature make this title entertaining for those with more cerebral sense of humor as well. This is a hilarious first installment of a series that will follow Milton and Marlo through the circles of Heck. Show Less
LibraryThing member melissaconway
What PUN!
“Having a sister was weird. It was like having a heart-shaped bruise.” So says just-turned-eleven year-old Milton Fauster about his “thirteen going on thirty-year-old” sister Marlo, a bad seed who drags her hapless little bro down with her into Heck after an unfortunate
“Heck is where the souls of the darned toil for all eternity—or until they turn eighteen, whichever comes first,” says Principal Bea “Elsa” Bubb. In Heck, Demons wield pitchsporks, the cafeterium serves over-cooked Brussels Sprouts, and even toddlers have been judged and assigned to a KinderScare facility. Richard Nixon teaches Ethics and Lizzie Borden Home Economics.
In this, his first novel, author Dale E. Basye was apparently determined to pack as many puns as possible into the narrative, with a plethora of descriptive phrases so adjective and adverb-intense I sometimes lost the gist of the sentence and had to re-read to get the full effect. For instance, it could just be me, but try to read the following straight through just once with full comprehension: “A terrible grating metal squeak sliced through the cavern as an ornate iron decorated gate with sugared spikes, candied skulls, and barbed licorice labored open roughly forty feet behind the stage.” I don’t know about you, but I had to go back and wrap my mind around that gate.
And yeesh, the double-entendres and triple-entendres just wouldn’t stop coming. Take this almost overbearingly puntastic sentence, “Warped hula-hoops, two-wheeled tricycles, deflated basketballs, not-so-Hot Wheels, well-mannered Bratz, ex-Xboxes, and an astounding collection of Russian poetry lay scattered across the dingy grey carpet.”
In adult literature, clichés are frowned upon, but here in Juvenile Fictionland, the more warped but still-recognizable the clichés, the better. And this book is “juvenile” fiction in the true spirit of the word, as author Basye doesn’t hesitate to cross the gross line into disgusting territory. From the sulfur water that’s “like drinking a fart,” to phrases like “…mind over fecal matter,” and, (dear Lord, yes,) a VILE description of our hero narrowly avoiding getting shat upon by none other than Principal Bubb herself as he is attempting to escape Heck through the sewer system.
I have to comment on some editing issues that fully distracted me (being as how I’m a writer who learned the rules the hard way: by committing each and every sin Pat Holt so succinctly lays out in his “Ten Mistakes” article here). Basye is fond of heavy use of his characters’ names instead of going with a personal pronoun where applicable. So, Marlo did this, Marlo did that, and Marlo did the other thing; where I would have been comfortable reading how Marlo did this, she did that and she did the other thing. And there was a lot of head-hopping going on; where instead of sticking to one person’s point of view, the author slipped between characters’ thoughts within the same chapter. This is a sin strictly forbidden to first-time novelists, but Basye’s editor seems to have forgiven it, maybe because the writing is bursting with those relentless (and sometimes quite clever) puns, and some people do love to groan.
Heck is a foul, vulgar place, despite the humor Basye uses to describe it, and maybe some of his young readers will come away from the mild underlying moral of the story (Be Good or Else), with a renewed appreciation for…well…the possibility of eternal consequences. I sincerely doubt the real Heck is as much pun.
(Review originally posted to Booksquawk)
“Having a sister was weird. It was like having a heart-shaped bruise.” So says just-turned-eleven year-old Milton Fauster about his “thirteen going on thirty-year-old” sister Marlo, a bad seed who drags her hapless little bro down with her into Heck after an unfortunate
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marshmallow-bear explosion.“Heck is where the souls of the darned toil for all eternity—or until they turn eighteen, whichever comes first,” says Principal Bea “Elsa” Bubb. In Heck, Demons wield pitchsporks, the cafeterium serves over-cooked Brussels Sprouts, and even toddlers have been judged and assigned to a KinderScare facility. Richard Nixon teaches Ethics and Lizzie Borden Home Economics.
In this, his first novel, author Dale E. Basye was apparently determined to pack as many puns as possible into the narrative, with a plethora of descriptive phrases so adjective and adverb-intense I sometimes lost the gist of the sentence and had to re-read to get the full effect. For instance, it could just be me, but try to read the following straight through just once with full comprehension: “A terrible grating metal squeak sliced through the cavern as an ornate iron decorated gate with sugared spikes, candied skulls, and barbed licorice labored open roughly forty feet behind the stage.” I don’t know about you, but I had to go back and wrap my mind around that gate.
And yeesh, the double-entendres and triple-entendres just wouldn’t stop coming. Take this almost overbearingly puntastic sentence, “Warped hula-hoops, two-wheeled tricycles, deflated basketballs, not-so-Hot Wheels, well-mannered Bratz, ex-Xboxes, and an astounding collection of Russian poetry lay scattered across the dingy grey carpet.”
In adult literature, clichés are frowned upon, but here in Juvenile Fictionland, the more warped but still-recognizable the clichés, the better. And this book is “juvenile” fiction in the true spirit of the word, as author Basye doesn’t hesitate to cross the gross line into disgusting territory. From the sulfur water that’s “like drinking a fart,” to phrases like “…mind over fecal matter,” and, (dear Lord, yes,) a VILE description of our hero narrowly avoiding getting shat upon by none other than Principal Bubb herself as he is attempting to escape Heck through the sewer system.
I have to comment on some editing issues that fully distracted me (being as how I’m a writer who learned the rules the hard way: by committing each and every sin Pat Holt so succinctly lays out in his “Ten Mistakes” article here). Basye is fond of heavy use of his characters’ names instead of going with a personal pronoun where applicable. So, Marlo did this, Marlo did that, and Marlo did the other thing; where I would have been comfortable reading how Marlo did this, she did that and she did the other thing. And there was a lot of head-hopping going on; where instead of sticking to one person’s point of view, the author slipped between characters’ thoughts within the same chapter. This is a sin strictly forbidden to first-time novelists, but Basye’s editor seems to have forgiven it, maybe because the writing is bursting with those relentless (and sometimes quite clever) puns, and some people do love to groan.
Heck is a foul, vulgar place, despite the humor Basye uses to describe it, and maybe some of his young readers will come away from the mild underlying moral of the story (Be Good or Else), with a renewed appreciation for…well…the possibility of eternal consequences. I sincerely doubt the real Heck is as much pun.
(Review originally posted to Booksquawk)
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LibraryThing member killerX
I have no idea how appealing this is to a 9-13 year old, but as an adult it's awesome :)
LibraryThing member SebastianHagelstein
This book is funny, crazy, and interesting for several different reasons. The names of some of the characters - especially the teachers - are clever because they're famous names.
The story also uses elements and characters from mythology. Heck, the place, has crazy creatures and settings. I'm
The story also uses elements and characters from mythology. Heck, the place, has crazy creatures and settings. I'm
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looking forward to reading the entire series. Show Less
LibraryThing member ECHSLibrary
This started out great. A bratty older sister and her well-behaved younger brother die in a marshmallow bear explosion at the mall and get sent to heck. A great premise, interesting characters, but it lost its way by the end.
LibraryThing member ironicqueery
I was hoping for a really snarky, satirical, wry, and witty children's book about Heck and the place where bad kids went. However, Dale Basye doesn't quite deliver the story that the cover and title suggested.
The story isn't bad, mind you. But with such a bold new children's book, one might hope
The ending is pretty surprising though. Since the story unwinds pretty typically, I expected the same from the ending. But the ending is pretty emotional. Maybe that is just to pave the way and interest for his next book, already advertised in this one.
The story isn't bad, mind you. But with such a bold new children's book, one might hope
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for a bold new story. However, it's a fairly average story. It might be a bit much for a young adult, but definitely too little for an adult. The ending is pretty surprising though. Since the story unwinds pretty typically, I expected the same from the ending. But the ending is pretty emotional. Maybe that is just to pave the way and interest for his next book, already advertised in this one.
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LibraryThing member wombatdeamor
I am a fan of fantasy books that feature Hell. It seems like an interesting place to tell a story. So when I saw this book, and I saw the main character's name was Milton, i expected a really smart, funny story. And I read the first chapter, which had the two kids die in a bizarre way and I
But then, what followed was a serious waste of time. The characters spend most of their time in the sewer system of heck, voluntarily, trying to escape in some ridiculous way. The suffering that Milton and her brother are supposed to be suffering seems rather one sided. Oh no. You don't belong. You're not popular because now you're the teacher's pet. But the other girls don't seem to be suffering. so the whole place is designed to torment two people? Oh, and Lizzy Borden is one of the teachers, as is Richard Nixon. One, these are fairly old references for a YA novel that came out in 2008. Two, Lizzie Borden was acquitted, thank you. So instead of coming off as smart, it came off like that drunk freshman at the bar who rambles to anyone who'll listen about a lot of stuff he really doesn't know about. By the time the book was finished, I felt dirty and dumber. I don't know who this book was directed at, but it certainly wasn't me. I wish i could give this negative stars.
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laughed. But then, what followed was a serious waste of time. The characters spend most of their time in the sewer system of heck, voluntarily, trying to escape in some ridiculous way. The suffering that Milton and her brother are supposed to be suffering seems rather one sided. Oh no. You don't belong. You're not popular because now you're the teacher's pet. But the other girls don't seem to be suffering. so the whole place is designed to torment two people? Oh, and Lizzy Borden is one of the teachers, as is Richard Nixon. One, these are fairly old references for a YA novel that came out in 2008. Two, Lizzie Borden was acquitted, thank you. So instead of coming off as smart, it came off like that drunk freshman at the bar who rambles to anyone who'll listen about a lot of stuff he really doesn't know about. By the time the book was finished, I felt dirty and dumber. I don't know who this book was directed at, but it certainly wasn't me. I wish i could give this negative stars.
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LibraryThing member hewayzha
Different kind of plot, it was interesting to think about another place one (especially if you are a kid) one might go when you die. The characters are very interesting, even the pheripheral ones.
The descriptions are gross and really yucky! I imagine that readers in grades 4 through 6 will find
And just think a sequel, coming out in July 2009. I will probably read it because I need to know what happens to Milton, Marlo and Virgil.
The descriptions are gross and really yucky! I imagine that readers in grades 4 through 6 will find
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this quite enjoyable. Thank goodness I survived childhood because if I had not, I cannot even imagine being able to stay sane in a place like this. Spoiled food in the cafetorium (I have a terrible gag reflex!) Showers that run with mud instead of water. Woven hair pajamas (scratch, scratch) and filth everywhere.And just think a sequel, coming out in July 2009. I will probably read it because I need to know what happens to Milton, Marlo and Virgil.
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LibraryThing member reading-machine
This disturbingly hilarious tale is about two siblings, Milton and Marlo Fauster, who have both been sent to Heck, where the souls of the 'darned' toil for all eternity, or until they turn eighteen, whichever comes first.
This is a (censored) look into the afterlife...in the underworld for kids.
An
This is a (censored) look into the afterlife...in the underworld for kids.
An
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amazing book! Read it today! Show Less
LibraryThing member lawral
This is a hilarious take on the afterlife, with a lot of gross-out humor (they crawl through sewers that service both "the surface," where the living poop, and all the toilets in Heck). I think that middle grade readers, or even some younger readers who really like potty humor, will enjoy the story
My main problem with Heck is that I don't think the average middle grade reader, the reader this book was written for, will get a lot of the jokes that I thought were really really funny. Nixon teaches the boys ethics class. Lizzie Borden teaches girls' anatomy/biology. The headmistress is named Bea "Elsa" Bubb and actually says, "You mess with a demon, you get the horns," when she thinks she's discovered the escape plans (213). I read a lot of things and watched a lot of stuff that contained jokes and/or innuendos that flew right over my head when I was a kid, and I still enjoyed them. But so much of this book depends on jokes that not every 9yr old will have the background knowledge to understand, that I wonder how it is actually received by its intended audience.
I, not remotely the intended audience, thought it was really funny. I won't be rushing out to buy the second book in hardback, but I'll probably give it a look when it shows up in paperback. There are nine circles of Heck mentioned (Limbo, Rapacia, Blimpo, Fibble, Snivel, Precocia, Lipptor, Sadia, and Dupli-city). Since the second book is Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck I can only infer that the boarding school the first book was set in was Limbo, and there will be nine books total if Basye gets his following and his way. It'll be interesting to see how many of his readers make it through all nine before they outgrow the humor and/or if they'll stick with it because they start to get the cultural references and jokes.
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and the adventure as Milton, Marlo, and their friend Virgil try to break out of Heck. There is a lot that is outrageous through the whole thing such as preschoolers addicted to phonics, demons dressed up as other demons (who happen to look like the thumb-thumbs from Spy Kids in my head), and an accidental trip to adult purgatory: a never ending traffic jam. But there is also a lot that is normal like horrendous cafeteria food, an overbearing gym teacher, and a big bad (human) bully, reminding Milton, Marlo, Virgil, and the reader that all of this is happening to regular kids.My main problem with Heck is that I don't think the average middle grade reader, the reader this book was written for, will get a lot of the jokes that I thought were really really funny. Nixon teaches the boys ethics class. Lizzie Borden teaches girls' anatomy/biology. The headmistress is named Bea "Elsa" Bubb and actually says, "You mess with a demon, you get the horns," when she thinks she's discovered the escape plans (213). I read a lot of things and watched a lot of stuff that contained jokes and/or innuendos that flew right over my head when I was a kid, and I still enjoyed them. But so much of this book depends on jokes that not every 9yr old will have the background knowledge to understand, that I wonder how it is actually received by its intended audience.
I, not remotely the intended audience, thought it was really funny. I won't be rushing out to buy the second book in hardback, but I'll probably give it a look when it shows up in paperback. There are nine circles of Heck mentioned (Limbo, Rapacia, Blimpo, Fibble, Snivel, Precocia, Lipptor, Sadia, and Dupli-city). Since the second book is Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck I can only infer that the boarding school the first book was set in was Limbo, and there will be nine books total if Basye gets his following and his way. It'll be interesting to see how many of his readers make it through all nine before they outgrow the humor and/or if they'll stick with it because they start to get the cultural references and jokes.
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LibraryThing member eenerd
Really funny YA book about what happens after "bad kids" bite the bullett. Kids face silly (but not silly to them) punishments, and attend a school run by demons and other...creatures. Great imagination and creativity; I listened to the audiobook read by Bronson Pinchot and he is absolutely
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fantastic in bringing the characters to life, er, death. Show Less
LibraryThing member Barbara_Ell
Bad kids don't go to H-E-double hockey sticks, they go to Heck. But what exactly is Heck? A brother who isn't supposed to be there and a sister who is supposed to be there, figure out how to make the destination a bit tolerable. Finding friends and sorting out this dead thing makes this a "coming
This is a good book for grades 4-8. It is also the start of a series, since there are 9 circles of Heck.
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of death" tale.This is a good book for grades 4-8. It is also the start of a series, since there are 9 circles of Heck.
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LibraryThing member madamejeanie
This book sounded a lot better than it turned out to be, IMO. It
reminded me of the old Michael Keaton movie "Beetlejuice" a great deal
for some reason. Now that I think of it, I didn't find that movie
particularly funny, either. This is written for "young adults"
according to the bookstore, and I
might think it's "cool." But it had a distinctly depressing feeling to
it and the ending just wasn't appropriate at all, to my way of
thinking. Unless there is going to be a sequel, which is entirely
possible. Still, I really wouldn't recommend this book for most kids.
Some of the humor will sail completely over the heads of most people
born after 1980, and the rest of it was of the gross variety. I'm
giving it a 2.
reminded me of the old Michael Keaton movie "Beetlejuice" a great deal
for some reason. Now that I think of it, I didn't find that movie
particularly funny, either. This is written for "young adults"
according to the bookstore, and I
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guess I can see where elementary kids might think it's "cool." But it had a distinctly depressing feeling to
it and the ending just wasn't appropriate at all, to my way of
thinking. Unless there is going to be a sequel, which is entirely
possible. Still, I really wouldn't recommend this book for most kids.
Some of the humor will sail completely over the heads of most people
born after 1980, and the rest of it was of the gross variety. I'm
giving it a 2.
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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
There aren't many (any?) books for kids that take place in hell...I mean, heck. The humor is rather sophisticated for the average young reader (only adults can appreciate that Nixon is in heck teaching a class on ethics); on the other hand there are plenty of grossout scenes involving bodily fluids
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and waste. I'd suggest this for gifted readers with sharp senses of humor. Show Less
LibraryThing member kaitnolan
Brilliantly hilarious. Left me wanting more!
LibraryThing member lilrongal
This book is extremely clever. I got a lot of good giggles out of the certain references, and I'm sorry, but poop is always funny. This book pushes the limits just enough, but it's also educational. I love the character growth, and the fact that the kids are learning things about themselves during
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this crazy journey. I was happy with the ending, and I am eager for the next installment! :) Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Cute: 3.5
Milton was a very well behaved child, his sister Marlo however, was as poorly behaved as she can possibly be.
Was: Past Tense: They are killed in a freak accident involving a giant marshmallow bear, a stick of dynamite, and Milton's nemesis, Damien.
The children find themselves in HECK,
Demons, Lizzie Borden, Blackbeard, & Maria Von Trapp........make this an interesting & entertaining light read.
Milton was a very well behaved child, his sister Marlo however, was as poorly behaved as she can possibly be.
Was: Past Tense: They are killed in a freak accident involving a giant marshmallow bear, a stick of dynamite, and Milton's nemesis, Damien.
The children find themselves in HECK,
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where bad children go to their afterlife.... But there has been a mistake and this is Not where Milton is supposed to be, but with the goof-up in the paperwork......... Although Milton does not know this, he still has no intention of staying in Heck.Demons, Lizzie Borden, Blackbeard, & Maria Von Trapp........make this an interesting & entertaining light read.
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LibraryThing member carlahaunted
Glad I went to Heck!
This book, thanks to Bronson Pinchot's skillful narration, and to the sly cultural references sprinkled throughout, was one of the best audiobook listens I've ever experienced. I commute to see my clients, and this book was more than welcome company at work. Cannot wait to
This book, thanks to Bronson Pinchot's skillful narration, and to the sly cultural references sprinkled throughout, was one of the best audiobook listens I've ever experienced. I commute to see my clients, and this book was more than welcome company at work. Cannot wait to
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listen to its sequel! Show Less
LibraryThing member reader1009
Children's fiction; humor. This book was aimed at the tween audience but largely missed the mark. Basye tried too hard to be clever, making a pun or semi-witty remark every other sentence or so--the references to historical villains such as Nixon and Lizzie Borden will also be lost on the younger
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audience; unfortunately, it's not clever enough to entertain the older audiences either. I very quickly got tired of it and eventually quit reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member mstrust
Eleven year-old Milton and his older Goth sister, Marlo, are killed by a falling decoration at the mall. Next thing they know, they're in Heck, a hellish place for bad children that is run by Bea "Elsa" Bubb, the Principal of Darkness. Marlo was indeed a bad kid, she loved shoplifting and being a
A really funny and original story, and I believe it became a series. I'll mention that the way from Heck to freedom involves crawling through the sewage pipes of the underworld, and it's graphic and gross, but the age group this is aimed at is 9-12 years of age, of which I am not. I still enjoyed it.
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problem, but Milton was a good kid who shouldn't be in Heck. To make things worse, the bully who led to Milton and Marlo's death is also in Heck, and he's so mean that he's quickly promoted to being in charge. Milton and Marlo are determined to get out of Heck, and to take another good kid, big Virgil, with them.A really funny and original story, and I believe it became a series. I'll mention that the way from Heck to freedom involves crawling through the sewage pipes of the underworld, and it's graphic and gross, but the age group this is aimed at is 9-12 years of age, of which I am not. I still enjoyed it.
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Subjects
Awards
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2011)
Physical description
304 p.; 5.8 inches
ISBN
0375840753 / 9780375840753