A Hell Called Ohio

After being introduced to our protagonist, I wasn’t sure I would be able to scrape together interest in the pov of a moody young man, but author Hamilton provides enough texture and sense of place (plus numerous bon mots) to make up for any empathy gap. Especially nostalgic for misplaced Midwesterners.

if 2020 has strengthened your practice at looking inward, this book is perfect for you. this is a deep, gritty, introspective look at the life of a loner whose moral compass is rooted in the simple pride of doing the right thing even if he doesn't necessarily go out of his way to do it. it is slow moving, but with the patience this requires the reader can feel the extent of the void in warrell swawnson's life. the descriptions are sparse but honest. you can smell the sweat of the man working next to warrell, you can hear the grind of the factory, see the dim lighting in the townie bar where he lunches. and the interactions with others are credible, especially with the women warrell frustrates (and why).the author could have tidied up a bit on some passages to move us along more efficiently, but the slow boil is part and parcel to the existential crisis central to the novel. that's why when something does happen, you feel it. or when warrell does connect with someone it means all the more.like its main character, "a hell called ohio," may be misunderstood even though it delivers on the promise of its title. this is a book for readers who like to read for the reading. in the short period the novel covers, warrell does not experience some earth-shattering arc that changes his life. he is who he is and that is the beauty. when the work required is impossible to accomplish, he shows up early to make quota without punching in. when the river is rising, threatening to wipe out the factory, he leads his team in the effort to protect the factory. it's not for the glory he does it. he's a good man who served his country and faithfully visits his grandmother's grave and this goodness extends to how he approaches his work. what can be "learned" from him is how to stick true to yourself while the walls are closing in and pressuring you to change your posture (and when to give, even if just a little, which he does).the pleasure of warrell is his honesty. there is a certain nostalgia for this type of silent and true man's man. i might not want to date him, but i'd want him to be my dad or brother. seeing the world through his eyes is the joy that brings the reader to reflect inward. those seeking plot-driven ticking time bombs should look elsewhere.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The prose is simple yet expressive, and I also enjoy stories about working class people told by working class people. I find far too much of American lit dominated by moneyed East Coaster writing about the smell of cinnamon in their vacation cabin in Maine. This has none such nonsense. There is nothing superfluous or purple about any of the style, and it was cool to just live with this guy for a few months of his life and see how everything went down.If you're looking for a book where a lot happens in the narrative, this isn't for you. In fact, at times the goings, along with taciturn protagonist, seem a bit flat. It's often bland in a midwest kind of way, though I suspect that was also kind of the point. We follow Warrell as he goes to work as a machinist, drinks beer with his buddy, goes on a lot of walks with his dog, and navigates the minefield that is love in your 20's.I would have liked to learned more about this backstory: he mentions the military a few times, but we never know just what he did. At one point in the story he drives up to his parents' house in Michigan and then loses the nerve to actually walk in the door. What's going on there?Also, despite its setting in industrial Ohio, I thought the writer could have done more to conjure a sense of place---more sights, smells, and tangible descriptions. Again, things went a bit flat here and I felt an opportunity was missed.This is a debut novel, but the writer demonstrates very good instincts and never once ventures into territory where I'm rolling my eyes and wondering why I even bought the book. Its steely-eyed simplicity is its selling point, and I'd like to read more of this author's stories about working class life, because I reckon he has a lot of good ones to tell.

Some random thoughts. Loved the title. Quite a few errors in punctuation, spelling, etc. Says “self-published,” not enough money to pay a good proofreader. An education about factory work; appreciated learning about what went on in a machinist’s life there. Author showed restraint; could have made Warrell a real jerk. (Drugs, house trailer, snotty kids, welfare, e.g., stereotype in other words.) Have known some Warrells—book was a solid depiction—left reader feeling kind of sad for guys born in wrong century, unable or unwilling to “click” in 20th century.

Easy to read and multiple messages here about how to find your own self-worth. I found main character had insightful thoughts for an immature male but the book has no plot.

A Hell Called Ohio is about a blue-collar guy working a factory job in a mid-west town. Hamilton tells the story of an honest man approaching his life honestly. He writes about his life, his loves, his dog in a non-boring straight up kind of way. Nothing felt embellished or made up, even though I’m sure some of it was. As I read it, it felt real, true. I loved the way he went into detail about the house, the library, the women, and the factory without over doing anything. Hamilton tells a good story with meaning, without wasting your time. It's refreshing to read a novel written by someone who has lived life. I’m looking forward to his next book.

Interesting original story told from the male point of view. Needed much better editing, lots of typos etc. Like many modern novels (and soap operas!) the sex is always the greatest of all time. Didn’t square with the stark reality of the rest of the book.

The book is very well written! It was a real page turner. I couldn't put it down half the time!

Gritty and realistic depiction of factory work. Some great insights make this book more than just your average read. Well worth the time.