Home Field: A Novel

HOME FIELD is a tender, nuanced and original novel which rewards the reader in surprising ways. Since the back cover announces that one of the main characters (the Mom and beloved Wife, Nicole) commits suicide and this fact is also revealed fairly early in the novel, some readers might be think--oh no! a doom and gloom story! But in the hands of writer Hannah Gersen the reader is made privy to a family story that will resonate as truthful,revealing, sometimes humorous, often wry without ever sinking to sappiness or despair. I personally love novels which can open a window onto the characters' world to the extent I feel I am an insider, not just a remote reader. Gersen's writing has the ability to do that. This is a novel well worth reading both for pleasure and for insight.

Something about the main character just didn’t ring true for me. He was a football coach whose thought process felt off kilter. I would have found him more believable as a female character. And then, too, there was just a sheer lack of grounded values in this book. The children especially seemed as if they were destined to struggle and seek meaning for the rest of their lives, without anything real to sustain them. Still, it was well written and entertaining for the most part. And certainly an emotional roller coaster.

I could not put it down. Initially I was curious to find evidence of the young girl who told stories to our daughter on the school bus in Western Maryland. Hannah really captured the culture of our community. Although the novel is a work of fiction, the use of names and places in our community gave the story a strong framework on which she built a moving story. The people in the story are unique, real and multi-dimensional. Hannah's ability to get inside the heads of such a diverse group of people is a gift. Finally, her exploration of depression was personally very meaningful. Thank you, Hannah, for sharing with the rest of us your skillful story weaving. Your reading list is where I am going next.

This story of a family trying to find normalcy after a tragic loss has a lot to recommend it - good writing, realistic characters, and a great sense of locale - but it is very slow, and there are bits of narrative that really go nowhere ( the teenage daughter had a one-night encounter, never mentioned again. What was the point ?) And if you like a neat ending it's not included here. I think the author has potential.

I loved this book. It is a book about the dimensions of grief, it is a book at fatherhood, about marriage, and about finding yourself in the complexities of life. I look forward to the next novel by Gersen. As a high school teacher, it reminds me of the many dimensions of personhood of all people regardless of age. I love the way she is able to explore the growth of each member of the family honoring each character's unique personality and also the way life pushes us on to grow into being more human. I can't say enough.

This is NOT a book you can't put down. Not enough character development. Moves slowly. Not the worst I've ever read, but certainly not the best.

This is a wonderfully written, fast moving story about how depression effects the whole family. The characters of different ages have emotional struggles and you feel as if you are right there with them.

When I started reading it, I wasn't real sure. I toyed with not finishing it. I stuck with it and the end had me bawling like a baby.