What do you think?
Rate this book
Too Shattered for Mending
A gripping—and gritty—literary mystery that shines a light on rural poverty.
“Little” McCardell is doing all he can just to keep it together after the disappearance of his grandfather “Big” and the arrest of his older brother, JT. He’s looking out for his younger cousin, hunting and fishing to keep food on the table, and staying in school—barely.
When the cops turn up asking questions about Big, Little doesn’t want to get involved in the investigation. He half cooperates, but his mind is elsewhere, pining after Rowan, the girl JT was dating until he got locked up.
Soon Little finds himself drowning in secrets, beholden to the sheriff, to JT, to Rowan, and to Big’s memory, with no clear way out that doesn’t betray at least one of them. And when Little’s deepest secret is revealed, there’s no telling how it could shatter their lives.
“Little” McCardell is doing all he can just to keep it together after the disappearance of his grandfather “Big” and the arrest of his older brother, JT. He’s looking out for his younger cousin, hunting and fishing to keep food on the table, and staying in school—barely.
When the cops turn up asking questions about Big, Little doesn’t want to get involved in the investigation. He half cooperates, but his mind is elsewhere, pining after Rowan, the girl JT was dating until he got locked up.
Soon Little finds himself drowning in secrets, beholden to the sheriff, to JT, to Rowan, and to Big’s memory, with no clear way out that doesn’t betray at least one of them. And when Little’s deepest secret is revealed, there’s no telling how it could shatter their lives.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 12, 2017
13 people are currently reading
695 people want to read
About the author
Peter Brown Hoffmeister
9 books78 followersAuthor also writes under Pedro Hoffmeister
Pedro Hoffmeister's new novel, American Afterlife, is a thriller with Crooked Lane Books (distributed by Penguin Random House).
Writing under the name Peter Brown Hoffmeister, Hoffmeister's previous novels have earned places on Year-End "Best Of" lists for 2016 and 2017 by The American Library Association, VOYA, and Bank Street, and starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin.
Hoffmeister is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Too Shattered For Mending, This Is The Part Where You Laugh, and Graphic The Valley. He has also written the memoir The End of Boys, the nonfiction text Let Them Be Eaten By Bears, and a new collection of essays titled Confessions Of The Last Man On Earth Without A Cell Phone.
A former troubled teen, Hoffmeister was expelled from three high schools, lived for a short while in a Greyhound bus station, was remanded to a recovery and parole program, and completed a wilderness experience for troubled teens. He now runs the Integrated Outdoor Program and represents Ridgemont Outfitters as an outdoor athlete and climbs for Elevation Bouldering.
He lives with his wife and daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
Pedro Hoffmeister's new novel, American Afterlife, is a thriller with Crooked Lane Books (distributed by Penguin Random House).
Writing under the name Peter Brown Hoffmeister, Hoffmeister's previous novels have earned places on Year-End "Best Of" lists for 2016 and 2017 by The American Library Association, VOYA, and Bank Street, and starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin.
Hoffmeister is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Too Shattered For Mending, This Is The Part Where You Laugh, and Graphic The Valley. He has also written the memoir The End of Boys, the nonfiction text Let Them Be Eaten By Bears, and a new collection of essays titled Confessions Of The Last Man On Earth Without A Cell Phone.
A former troubled teen, Hoffmeister was expelled from three high schools, lived for a short while in a Greyhound bus station, was remanded to a recovery and parole program, and completed a wilderness experience for troubled teens. He now runs the Integrated Outdoor Program and represents Ridgemont Outfitters as an outdoor athlete and climbs for Elevation Bouldering.
He lives with his wife and daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 30, 2017
4 “gritty reality” stars
An ARC has been kindly provided by Random House Children, via NetGalley.com, in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the blurb of this novel, I thought I needed to read it and expected a YA book with a slight dose of reality. What I did not expect was being plunged into the bleak reality of a rural Idaho town filled with people having little to no hope of escaping poverty.
I was taken by surprise by the writing style of Peter Brown Hoffmeister.
The penmanship is very distinctive with very short chapters most written in present tense when Little explains what he is doing “I take the truck and head to …” allowing us to follow him in his day to day live. Some chapters are written in past tense when Little is speaking/writing/thinking to “You”.
“You drank the rest of your mix. Set the can empty—sideways, not upright—on the table and it rolled to the middle until it stopped against one of those ears.”
And you understand pretty soon he is addressing his Grandfather “Big”.
As a result this fictional story gave me the same feeling I get while reading or watching some newspaper report covering the live of some people living in poverty. If I got caught up in Little McCardell’s story I can’t say I was drowned in his feelings or really walked in his shoes as the author’s choice made it very “matter of fact”” or “down to earth” rather than emotional.
Now what can you expect from this book?
√ First expect to be surprised.
This is a mystery and after some time I had an idea about what happened to Big and who did what but I was wrong! I never saw it coming. I can say the same about other plot twists or rather what secrets are weighting on some characters.
√Second expect to be confronted to a glum reality
This isn’t hearts, flowers and unicorns. This little town is home of drunkards, meth addicts and dealers, … Most people dream of leaving this town to have a better life elsewhere. Little’s family is very dysfunctional. No mother and no father. His Grandfather is missing at the time of the story, his brother is temporarily absent as well. His uncle and aunt are drunk all the time. Little is forced to take care of his young cousin Willa, goes to school alone and tries to succeed with great difficulties.
“Sometimes I think about how we’re all spread out along here, in these dead North Idaho towns, old US Forest Service and Potlatch logging sites, and everyone young hoping to leave as soon as possible because there’s a world out there that’s supposed to be better than this, a world that’s moved into the 21st century, a world with cell phone coverage and Internet and better cars, a world with colleges and fancy restaurants and jobs people go to every day wearing silk ties and expensive suits. But I don’t know if I ever want to leave. I like this land where there are more deer than people, where moose walk the highway, where trees are taking back the old cuts.”
√Third expect to admire and have compassion for Little
Little is struggling in school as he has dyslexia. Mathematics are Chinese and he does not have any support system from his family, only a teacher trying to coach him.
“When the teacher stands up and lectures, and explains each problem, I discover that all the equations I wrote down before were wrong. Not a single one correct. I rewrite them, but while I’m doing that, the class gets ahead of me and I’m not sure what the teacher is talking about once I start listening again”
Yet he keeps going to school, trying his best. He works in a cemetery to earn some money, goes hunting when his cousin has no meat anymore. Despite his very difficult life he does not want to drink alcohol or forget his problems in drugs like most do in his town. This is a kid that raised himself and chose to have values. He chose to fight, to better himself and at the same time is conscious of his own difficulties. He does not dream big. He just likes hunting, fishing, hiking in the woods. He wants to stay in his little town and enjoy a simple life.
“When I think of being in school or being in the woods, it’s not much of a decision. I know I should love education or something but the real world is a thing I can understand, a thing I can learn and come to love.”
You could say that Little is an old soul.
√Last expect to rage against fate.
Little had no luck in life. Why are some people born into wealth, in a good environment whereas others are born into poverty? There are millions of Little around the world. There are thousands of millions in the US. Struggling every day of their lives with little to no hope. Little is a good kid. He does his best to care for his cousin, to help Rowan his brother’s girlfriend, to help others in need. That’s why it’s so unfair what is happening to him!
So I would say what Jeff Zentner told about this book : “The missing link between Looking for Alaska and Winter’s Bone, a gripping—and gritty—literary mystery that shines a light on rural poverty.” is very accurate and I could not sum it up better.
Would I recommend it? Yes if you’re into mysteries and don’t shy away from realistic writing. No if you’re only into romance and/or hearts and flowers.
As far as I’m concerned and passed the initial surprise of what I did not expect as a read I’m really glad I could follow Little’s raw and gritty story.
Buy Link -> http://amzn.to/2w6SfN1
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook besties: Best Reading Blogs Ever
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
May 29, 2017
*I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shapes my opinion of the book.*
Trigger Warnings: physical/sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, suicide.
In a small town in rural Idaho, Little McCardell is just trying to get by, with his older brother, JT, in lock-up and his grandfather, Big, nowhere to be found.
When the sheriff’s deputy comes looking for information on Big’s disappearance, Little doesn’t have much to go on—and he’s just trying to get by, dealing with his feelings for his brother’s girlfriend, Rowan, and taking care of his 10-year-old cousin, Willa. But if Little doesn’t come up with something to give the deputy, his secret—and his freedom—is at stake.
gritty depiction of rural poverty
Little’s voice marries the simplistic with the literary. As a hunter and fisher, Little loves being out in nature, and his descriptions of the world around him are incredibly poignant. At the same time, he’s struggling to survive life in abject poverty, and his voice reflects this in that he doesn’t waste any words.
Too Shattered for Mending is incredibly gritty—if you couldn’t tell by the title. Peter Brown Hoffmeister doesn’t beat around the bush or romanticize about Little’s situation: he’s living in a trailer next door to his alcoholic/drug addicted aunt and uncle. He and his cousin Willa have to steal his aunt Derlene’s food stamps, otherwise she’ll trade them (for what, it’s never completely stated). Otherwise, Little survives on fish or deer he can catch out in the wild, or from eggs collected by his dwindling chicken population. As if that’s not enough, Little also struggles in school; he’s dyslexic, but only one of his teachers makes a real effort to help him learn. He’s fighting an uphill battle on all fronts.
Violence is a normal part of life for the characters in this book. Early on, we meet JT’s girl, Rowan, and Little’s long-time crush. In the present narration, Rowan’s on the run from her abusive daddy, and as the story progresses she ends up deeper and deeper into alcohol (and, it’s implied, meth). At one point, she even admits that she was working for Big—whom we come to realize was involved heavily in the meth scene.
Hoffmeister doesn’t romanticize about the damage done by meth in these small towns either. It’s ugly both in what it does to users and in what it drives the people manufacturing/distributing it to as well. However, I liked that all the meth drama was happening in the background of Little’s story; he doesn’t want to get involved, in part because he’s seen what it does to people.
the mystery of what happened to Big
The novel employs one of my favorite narrative styles: it takes us back in time briefly, showing glimpses of Little’s life, most of them involving his grandfather. We learn about Little’s tragic childhood: his mother drove her car over an embankment in an implied suicide, and he’s never known more about his dad than his name, Jesus Gomez.
As the flashbacks and the rest of the story progress, we learn more about Big, how he raised Little and JT, but how he also was incredibly volatile, abusive, and involved in drug business.
The “twist” of the mystery is somewhat easy to guess at, despite it not being confirmed in the end. I won’t give anything away, but the mystery is really only half the story; I found myself wanting to know more of Little’s relationship with his grandfather, rather than dying to know what happened to him in the end.
biracial struggle for identity
Ultimately, this is a story about Little: about who he is apart from Big’s grandson, the not-so-little kid who followed Big around all those years, doing whatever he asked; about who he is apart from JT’s younger brother; about who he is apart from the father he never knew and the mother who wasn’t there either.
The Author’s Note talks about Hoffmeister’s discover that he has Mexican heritage, which his grandmother kept hidden from her own daughter for most of her life. In Too Shattered for Mending, Little decides to learn Spanish on a whim, in part because he wants to feel closer to the dad he never knew. Meanwhile, JT insists that Jesus Gomez doesn’t deserve the title of Dad, and Aunt Derlene makes racist comments about how worthless and lazy the boys’ father was.
Meanwhile, Little struggles to form his own identity apart from his brother, who recently got out of lock-up. While JT focuses on getting a football scholarship and drinking, Little focuses on practical ways to survive. Although JT taught him many things growing up, and Little remains loyal to his brother, he ultimately realizes that he acts on his own, and that’s okay.
the trope of the tragic love interest
Rowan’s character broke my heart. She’s getting beat up by her dad, so she’s basically homeless, crashing wherever she can (and sometimes with Little). I can’t blame her for turning to alcohol/drugs to numb her pain. What made me so sad is that it really seems like there isn’t a way out for her.
While Rowan’s situation was really upsetting to read, it didn’t strike me as unrealistic. However, I was slightly bothered that both girls Little expresses interest in romantically are the Tragic Broken Girls—Rowan because she’s traumatized and addicted, and Zaylie because she’s trapped in a family who doesn’t allow her to fully live.
do I recommend?
As much as I appreciated reading this book, I don’t know that I could recommend it for everyone. It’s incredibly dark and could be really triggering for some people. I do think it’s important to read books about poverty—especially since it’s really underrepresented in Young Adult fiction. I felt that Hoffmeister’s treatment of rural poverty was realistic, in that Little ends the book working to move forward, but it isn’t a rosy ending either.
Overall, I really loved this book, but I will recommend it with caution due to its heavy content.
Trigger Warnings: physical/sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, suicide.
In a small town in rural Idaho, Little McCardell is just trying to get by, with his older brother, JT, in lock-up and his grandfather, Big, nowhere to be found.
When the sheriff’s deputy comes looking for information on Big’s disappearance, Little doesn’t have much to go on—and he’s just trying to get by, dealing with his feelings for his brother’s girlfriend, Rowan, and taking care of his 10-year-old cousin, Willa. But if Little doesn’t come up with something to give the deputy, his secret—and his freedom—is at stake.
gritty depiction of rural poverty
Little’s voice marries the simplistic with the literary. As a hunter and fisher, Little loves being out in nature, and his descriptions of the world around him are incredibly poignant. At the same time, he’s struggling to survive life in abject poverty, and his voice reflects this in that he doesn’t waste any words.
Too Shattered for Mending is incredibly gritty—if you couldn’t tell by the title. Peter Brown Hoffmeister doesn’t beat around the bush or romanticize about Little’s situation: he’s living in a trailer next door to his alcoholic/drug addicted aunt and uncle. He and his cousin Willa have to steal his aunt Derlene’s food stamps, otherwise she’ll trade them (for what, it’s never completely stated). Otherwise, Little survives on fish or deer he can catch out in the wild, or from eggs collected by his dwindling chicken population. As if that’s not enough, Little also struggles in school; he’s dyslexic, but only one of his teachers makes a real effort to help him learn. He’s fighting an uphill battle on all fronts.
Violence is a normal part of life for the characters in this book. Early on, we meet JT’s girl, Rowan, and Little’s long-time crush. In the present narration, Rowan’s on the run from her abusive daddy, and as the story progresses she ends up deeper and deeper into alcohol (and, it’s implied, meth). At one point, she even admits that she was working for Big—whom we come to realize was involved heavily in the meth scene.
Hoffmeister doesn’t romanticize about the damage done by meth in these small towns either. It’s ugly both in what it does to users and in what it drives the people manufacturing/distributing it to as well. However, I liked that all the meth drama was happening in the background of Little’s story; he doesn’t want to get involved, in part because he’s seen what it does to people.
the mystery of what happened to Big
The novel employs one of my favorite narrative styles: it takes us back in time briefly, showing glimpses of Little’s life, most of them involving his grandfather. We learn about Little’s tragic childhood: his mother drove her car over an embankment in an implied suicide, and he’s never known more about his dad than his name, Jesus Gomez.
As the flashbacks and the rest of the story progress, we learn more about Big, how he raised Little and JT, but how he also was incredibly volatile, abusive, and involved in drug business.
The “twist” of the mystery is somewhat easy to guess at, despite it not being confirmed in the end. I won’t give anything away, but the mystery is really only half the story; I found myself wanting to know more of Little’s relationship with his grandfather, rather than dying to know what happened to him in the end.
biracial struggle for identity
Ultimately, this is a story about Little: about who he is apart from Big’s grandson, the not-so-little kid who followed Big around all those years, doing whatever he asked; about who he is apart from JT’s younger brother; about who he is apart from the father he never knew and the mother who wasn’t there either.
The Author’s Note talks about Hoffmeister’s discover that he has Mexican heritage, which his grandmother kept hidden from her own daughter for most of her life. In Too Shattered for Mending, Little decides to learn Spanish on a whim, in part because he wants to feel closer to the dad he never knew. Meanwhile, JT insists that Jesus Gomez doesn’t deserve the title of Dad, and Aunt Derlene makes racist comments about how worthless and lazy the boys’ father was.
Meanwhile, Little struggles to form his own identity apart from his brother, who recently got out of lock-up. While JT focuses on getting a football scholarship and drinking, Little focuses on practical ways to survive. Although JT taught him many things growing up, and Little remains loyal to his brother, he ultimately realizes that he acts on his own, and that’s okay.
the trope of the tragic love interest
Rowan’s character broke my heart. She’s getting beat up by her dad, so she’s basically homeless, crashing wherever she can (and sometimes with Little). I can’t blame her for turning to alcohol/drugs to numb her pain. What made me so sad is that it really seems like there isn’t a way out for her.
While Rowan’s situation was really upsetting to read, it didn’t strike me as unrealistic. However, I was slightly bothered that both girls Little expresses interest in romantically are the Tragic Broken Girls—Rowan because she’s traumatized and addicted, and Zaylie because she’s trapped in a family who doesn’t allow her to fully live.
do I recommend?
As much as I appreciated reading this book, I don’t know that I could recommend it for everyone. It’s incredibly dark and could be really triggering for some people. I do think it’s important to read books about poverty—especially since it’s really underrepresented in Young Adult fiction. I felt that Hoffmeister’s treatment of rural poverty was realistic, in that Little ends the book working to move forward, but it isn’t a rosy ending either.
Overall, I really loved this book, but I will recommend it with caution due to its heavy content.
August 26, 2017
Too Shattered For Mending begins with an intriguing mystery: "Little" McCardell's grandfather, a man with a criminal past, has gone missing. The sheriff thinks Little knows where to find him and pressures the 16-year-old to help bring him in. The sheriff doesn't notice, or doesn't care, that Little is living by himself in a trailer, barely surviving.
So begins this stunning novel set in the vivid landscape of northern Idaho. Hoffmeister clearly has a deep connection to this place and knows of its beauty and struggles. As we follow Little through his life at school and home, we see how this tight knit community both helps and hurts itself. Little is an immensely sympathetic narrator, taking care of others even while his life is falling apart.
Hoffmeister’s writing throughout the novel is wonderfully descriptive and poetic. I felt completely immersed in Pierce, Idaho and invested in the lives of the people who live there. The novel builds in intensity until the final, devastating chapters when the mystery of the grandfather’s disappearance is revealed.
Like Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Conviction, Too Shattered For Mending focuses on the complex emotional lives of teenage boys growing up in rural America. It’s both bleak and beautiful. For those looking for literary YA that is both honest and hopeful, read this book. It’s one of my favorites of 2017.
So begins this stunning novel set in the vivid landscape of northern Idaho. Hoffmeister clearly has a deep connection to this place and knows of its beauty and struggles. As we follow Little through his life at school and home, we see how this tight knit community both helps and hurts itself. Little is an immensely sympathetic narrator, taking care of others even while his life is falling apart.
Hoffmeister’s writing throughout the novel is wonderfully descriptive and poetic. I felt completely immersed in Pierce, Idaho and invested in the lives of the people who live there. The novel builds in intensity until the final, devastating chapters when the mystery of the grandfather’s disappearance is revealed.
Like Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Conviction, Too Shattered For Mending focuses on the complex emotional lives of teenage boys growing up in rural America. It’s both bleak and beautiful. For those looking for literary YA that is both honest and hopeful, read this book. It’s one of my favorites of 2017.
June 14, 2018
Little has a plan.
Not that plans work out so good for lots of folks in the small town of Pierce, Idaho. Not for Little's brother, who's doing 60 days in lockup. Not for his brother's girlfriend, who's crashing wherever she can find a roof and seems to be wasting away before Little's eyes. Not for his cousin, Willa, who has to steal half her family's foodstamps before her parents blow them all trading for liquor. And not for Little's grandpa, Big, who has been MIA for over a month.
If Little doesn't find some information soon to give the local deputy about Big's whereabouts, Little's own plan--a few hundred acres and a future as a guide in the vast Idaho wilderness--are all likely to wind up six-feet-under.
I liked Little. His struggles with school, dyslexia, poverty, and his shattered family are all huge obstacles. Yet Little isn't hard. He sees the different sides of people, cares about them. Cares a LOT. Which compels the reader to open his or her mind to all the sides of all the characters as well. Too Shattered for Mending is written with spare, thoughtful prose. Well worth the read.
Not that plans work out so good for lots of folks in the small town of Pierce, Idaho. Not for Little's brother, who's doing 60 days in lockup. Not for his brother's girlfriend, who's crashing wherever she can find a roof and seems to be wasting away before Little's eyes. Not for his cousin, Willa, who has to steal half her family's foodstamps before her parents blow them all trading for liquor. And not for Little's grandpa, Big, who has been MIA for over a month.
If Little doesn't find some information soon to give the local deputy about Big's whereabouts, Little's own plan--a few hundred acres and a future as a guide in the vast Idaho wilderness--are all likely to wind up six-feet-under.
I liked Little. His struggles with school, dyslexia, poverty, and his shattered family are all huge obstacles. Yet Little isn't hard. He sees the different sides of people, cares about them. Cares a LOT. Which compels the reader to open his or her mind to all the sides of all the characters as well. Too Shattered for Mending is written with spare, thoughtful prose. Well worth the read.
November 7, 2017
Hoffmeister writes a gritty southern gothic novel, and even though it takes place in the small town of Pierce, Idaho, the goings-on there would fit snugly in the south. Technically a young-adult book, but so dark, it seems a much better fit to tag it as adult literature.
Hoffmeister's characters, cousins Little and Willa, are trapped in a home life full of despair; child neglect and abuse, poverty, crime, and drug running are realities in their lives. When their Grandfather, Big, goes missing, things become even more complex, and they try desperately to navigate their way through this strange new existence.
Hoffmeister's characters are so damaged; it makes your heart ache for them. With quiet prose and an unrelenting sense of dread, Too Shattered for Mending is a beautiful, poignant nod to the wounded and un-mendable among us.
Hoffmeister's characters, cousins Little and Willa, are trapped in a home life full of despair; child neglect and abuse, poverty, crime, and drug running are realities in their lives. When their Grandfather, Big, goes missing, things become even more complex, and they try desperately to navigate their way through this strange new existence.
Hoffmeister's characters are so damaged; it makes your heart ache for them. With quiet prose and an unrelenting sense of dread, Too Shattered for Mending is a beautiful, poignant nod to the wounded and un-mendable among us.
April 8, 2019
This was a last minute find at the library that initially didn’t intrigue me as much as it did when I found out it was set in Northern Idaho, close to places I am familiar with. This book is no walk in the park but I could not put it down. It was incredibly written with complex characters and an engaging storyline. Couldn’t recommend it more.
July 18, 2017
Honestly, I struggled to get through this book. I felt as though there was no actual structure to the story and that made it difficult to read. It never wrapped up, just abruptly ended. I am an avid reader and I had a difficult time following this book.
November 6, 2017
Loved the writing style, short chapters, and tone of this novel. Had a hard time putting it down and have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for a while. Sad and a bit dark, with rich threads of hope and loyalty. Excellent.
February 26, 2018
I don't think I've ever read about a setting quite like this. I came in expecting very little and was pleasantly surprised by its depth, plumbing into a low-income rural community in Idaho that is long on natural beauty and short on law enforcement, run in no small part by meth and peppered with blatant racism.
But not the kind you usually see illustrated in YA, where the whole novel is about racial issues and why they're Bad and Hurt People -- it's just a side effect, thrown into everyday conversation in such a jarring way as to make you go, "Wow, Character. That's...kinda awful of you."
Little doesn't really strike you as mature beyond his years off the bat, but in actions he is -- keeping his own house (or trailer, as the case may be), looking out for his preteen cousin to keep her from going hungry or getting knocked around, and worrying about his brother's girlfriend, who is clearly being abused at home and not treated that much better by said brother.
Even though he's not written as some particularly upstanding golden boy -- he skips school, he drinks, his family is generally on the wrong side of the law -- it's also clear he would at least like to not turn out like his family, and I was impressed by his ability to not be especially crude at any point. That's unusual for a male protagonist in YA, especially one written by a man. His ability to keep ending up in bed with girls who mostly just want to be held, which he's happy to do despite secretly hoping for more, is an especially great character trait.
Ultimately, the subject matter might not be entirely my cup of tea, but from this book alone Hoffmeister strikes me as the type of author who knows how to write for male readers -- especially those who may be reluctant readers -- really well.
But not the kind you usually see illustrated in YA, where the whole novel is about racial issues and why they're Bad and Hurt People -- it's just a side effect, thrown into everyday conversation in such a jarring way as to make you go, "Wow, Character. That's...kinda awful of you."
Little doesn't really strike you as mature beyond his years off the bat, but in actions he is -- keeping his own house (or trailer, as the case may be), looking out for his preteen cousin to keep her from going hungry or getting knocked around, and worrying about his brother's girlfriend, who is clearly being abused at home and not treated that much better by said brother.
Even though he's not written as some particularly upstanding golden boy -- he skips school, he drinks, his family is generally on the wrong side of the law -- it's also clear he would at least like to not turn out like his family, and I was impressed by his ability to not be especially crude at any point. That's unusual for a male protagonist in YA, especially one written by a man. His ability to keep ending up in bed with girls who mostly just want to be held, which he's happy to do despite secretly hoping for more, is an especially great character trait.
Ultimately, the subject matter might not be entirely my cup of tea, but from this book alone Hoffmeister strikes me as the type of author who knows how to write for male readers -- especially those who may be reluctant readers -- really well.
July 6, 2019
I loved the writing style. I literally couldn't put this one down and read it in a couple sittings. The story is raw. This town, so much pain. The ending doesnt leave much hope, yet all I can do is hope that something changes the path for Little and his cousin Willa. Something will break their small town cycle.
May 16, 2018
This was a really tough book to read in terms of content, yet the title says it all.
I enjoyed the story telling and as messed up as the characters are, they are very likable.
I'd recommend this book to students who like realistic fiction.
I enjoyed the story telling and as messed up as the characters are, they are very likable.
I'd recommend this book to students who like realistic fiction.
December 18, 2019
Young adult -- story of hope and redemption. Struggles are real and it's cliche but you never really know what is going on in someone else's life. Going to suggest this book to many of my teen readers to encourage talks of empathy and compassion.
November 12, 2017
This review contains spoilers or what might be considered spoilers.
I really really liked this book. I couldn't really get into Hoffmeister's "This Is The Part Where You Laugh" and didn't read enough to goodreads it, this hooked me right away. Reminds me a lot of Winters Bone (if you saw the movie it was pretty true to the book), there are not too many books that address this type of community of which there are many in our 3rd world country (face it we live in one). I guess I am glad that this ended on a positive note otherwise it might have been way to much doom and gloom but the reality is doom and gloom for most impoverished communities. Especially those in the grips of meth. I really loved how Little set up Rowan's father, it obviously couldn't have happened to a better man.
I really really liked this book. I couldn't really get into Hoffmeister's "This Is The Part Where You Laugh" and didn't read enough to goodreads it, this hooked me right away. Reminds me a lot of Winters Bone (if you saw the movie it was pretty true to the book), there are not too many books that address this type of community of which there are many in our 3rd world country (face it we live in one). I guess I am glad that this ended on a positive note otherwise it might have been way to much doom and gloom but the reality is doom and gloom for most impoverished communities. Especially those in the grips of meth. I really loved how Little set up Rowan's father, it obviously couldn't have happened to a better man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2025
I found this book on my daughter's bookshelf. Sometimes I read a book and wonder, "Why haven't I heard of this book before?" This is one of those books.
March 16, 2018
Too Shattered For Mending by Peter Brown Hoffmeister goes through very descriptive and emotional events where you can’t ever put your book down. I personally liked the way the book was set up of different parts of the novel suddenly giving flashbacks of Little’s life of any of his family members and being able to get to know more about him piece by piece in an interesting way. Gavin Mcardell, whom is also known as Little, is doing all he can to keep his life together with handling the disappearance of his grandfather, Big, and soon after his older brother, JT, getting arrested. Little is left struggling to take the responsibility of taking care of his younger cousin, Willa, and being the only person who people could assume would know questions about the disappearance of Big, which Little is mainly struggling with throughout the novel. He is trying to take care of himself at the same time with handling his strong feelings for Rowan, who JT had dated before he went off to jail, having enough food for both him and Willa, and barely being able to stay in school.
Throughout different parts of the book, we can realize how badly Little’s home life situation is. Although he still lives with his Aunt Derlene and Uncle Lucky, they are very careless and irresponsible especially because they are alcohol/drug addicts. Little struggles with surviving, especially with his food situation. Since Little takes care of Willa, he has to manage getting enough food for even two people. Little isn’t able to afford much food, so he goes to hunt quite often, but this is very hard to deal with because there are different seasons of hunting specifically for deer. Despite the risks he knows he’s taking such as hunt licences or killing “does”, which leads to a huge conflict in which I can’t speak of, he does whatever he can to help each other survive with a good amount of meat to eat. I personally liked how Little handled his struggles with the food situation. Little knew that what he was doing to get food could put his freedom and reputation at stake, but he was extremely brave to take these risks. Although these issues do not relate to my home life currently or some others as well, I believe that this situation is very important to readers. In my opinion, the way Little shows off as being brave while taking risks to be able to get food can be very empowering to other readers. This also reminds readers the importance of this issue. There are many people suffering in this world who are struggling to even have 3 full meals a day, which can remind readers that there are simple things you can do in this world, such as donations, to help out the people in poverty today.
Throughout the novel I specifically thought the way Little speaks and deals with his parents situation, which I cannot explain due to spoilers, was very powerful to me. This especially stood out to me when Little attempted to discuss what had happened with JT. “‘You already know this story.’ ‘Well, I guess sometimes I wonder if I’m missing something”’ (Hoffmeister 65). Although JT always said that Little does know, he truly never knew completely why the situation with his father occured. In this situation, I had realized how well Little handled everything emotionally. What happened was always in the back of his mind, and he never really had anyone to talk about thoughts and emotions with. Although this was probably killing him inside, he did not take it out on others. In my past, I’ve dealt with people taking their emotions out on me and me doing it as well to others. Little still went on with his daily life, being respectful to others, and pretended that his life is perfectly fine. Little being this strong was very powerful, inspiring to me, and stood out extremely. This also showed me that it is possible to deal being emotionally hurt and be able to get through life, and there is a way to not take your emotions out on others even if you don’t intend to.
I loved reading about empowering and inspiring situations. Overall, this book made me go through a rollercoaster of emotions. From being sad, to happy, or to inspired, I learned a lot from this book. I recommend it to anyone who likes to read or learn about real-life situations, mystery, and can handle reading sad situations. I especially think this novel fits very well into our world. There are many people in America and other countries who deal with living in poverty just like Little. I feel that many people would like to relate to this book, maybe learn how to deal with the hardships, and a reminder that they’re other ones who are also struggling with the same problem. At the same time, many people do not live in poverty, but with this book being very descriptive, they can learn a lot about a completely different aspect of life.
Throughout different parts of the book, we can realize how badly Little’s home life situation is. Although he still lives with his Aunt Derlene and Uncle Lucky, they are very careless and irresponsible especially because they are alcohol/drug addicts. Little struggles with surviving, especially with his food situation. Since Little takes care of Willa, he has to manage getting enough food for even two people. Little isn’t able to afford much food, so he goes to hunt quite often, but this is very hard to deal with because there are different seasons of hunting specifically for deer. Despite the risks he knows he’s taking such as hunt licences or killing “does”, which leads to a huge conflict in which I can’t speak of, he does whatever he can to help each other survive with a good amount of meat to eat. I personally liked how Little handled his struggles with the food situation. Little knew that what he was doing to get food could put his freedom and reputation at stake, but he was extremely brave to take these risks. Although these issues do not relate to my home life currently or some others as well, I believe that this situation is very important to readers. In my opinion, the way Little shows off as being brave while taking risks to be able to get food can be very empowering to other readers. This also reminds readers the importance of this issue. There are many people suffering in this world who are struggling to even have 3 full meals a day, which can remind readers that there are simple things you can do in this world, such as donations, to help out the people in poverty today.
Throughout the novel I specifically thought the way Little speaks and deals with his parents situation, which I cannot explain due to spoilers, was very powerful to me. This especially stood out to me when Little attempted to discuss what had happened with JT. “‘You already know this story.’ ‘Well, I guess sometimes I wonder if I’m missing something”’ (Hoffmeister 65). Although JT always said that Little does know, he truly never knew completely why the situation with his father occured. In this situation, I had realized how well Little handled everything emotionally. What happened was always in the back of his mind, and he never really had anyone to talk about thoughts and emotions with. Although this was probably killing him inside, he did not take it out on others. In my past, I’ve dealt with people taking their emotions out on me and me doing it as well to others. Little still went on with his daily life, being respectful to others, and pretended that his life is perfectly fine. Little being this strong was very powerful, inspiring to me, and stood out extremely. This also showed me that it is possible to deal being emotionally hurt and be able to get through life, and there is a way to not take your emotions out on others even if you don’t intend to.
I loved reading about empowering and inspiring situations. Overall, this book made me go through a rollercoaster of emotions. From being sad, to happy, or to inspired, I learned a lot from this book. I recommend it to anyone who likes to read or learn about real-life situations, mystery, and can handle reading sad situations. I especially think this novel fits very well into our world. There are many people in America and other countries who deal with living in poverty just like Little. I feel that many people would like to relate to this book, maybe learn how to deal with the hardships, and a reminder that they’re other ones who are also struggling with the same problem. At the same time, many people do not live in poverty, but with this book being very descriptive, they can learn a lot about a completely different aspect of life.
November 9, 2017
I just finished this book and I have to say that I loved it except the ending. I did not like how the story ended. There was to much left open for my liking.
In this story we meet Little and his brother JT. They live on there own in a trailer beside their uncles house. We meet Little first as he is taking care of his younger cousin and waiting for his older brother to come home. Little loves his care free life until his grandfather goes missing and the deputy wants to know what has happened to him. Little asks around and gets no solid clues as to where his grandfather may have gone.
This is the beginning of the story and the story gets better as you read it. There is a reality to this story as you learn about poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and physical abuse. The story grips you from beginning to the end and when you reach the end you want more of the story.
In this story we meet Little and his brother JT. They live on there own in a trailer beside their uncles house. We meet Little first as he is taking care of his younger cousin and waiting for his older brother to come home. Little loves his care free life until his grandfather goes missing and the deputy wants to know what has happened to him. Little asks around and gets no solid clues as to where his grandfather may have gone.
This is the beginning of the story and the story gets better as you read it. There is a reality to this story as you learn about poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and physical abuse. The story grips you from beginning to the end and when you reach the end you want more of the story.
June 30, 2017
I wanted to love this. I wanted it to be The Book for me. It wasn't. That makes me really sad, sadder than I was for Little and his desperately bleak life. Jesus this book is unrelenting and in the end it doesn't wrap up, it just ends. Long book and yet it doesn't have an ending.
November 1, 2017
Grades: 9-12
Literary Merit: Very Good
Characterization: Excellent
“Little” McCardell has never known his father, his mother is dead, his older brother JT is in jail, and his grandfather “Big” is missing. The local sheriff believes that Big was mixed up in something illegal, which Little knows is probably true, and he questions Little and threatens to make his life difficult if he can’t dig up information about Big’s whereabouts. Little’s life mostly revolves around taking care of his cousin Willa, who lives next door to him with her alcoholic parents, and making a half-hearted attempt at high school, which is a constant struggle for him. He makes a cursory effort to question some of Big’s associates, but then JT’s release from jail and the reappearance of his ex-girlfriend Rowan complicate Little’s life even further.
Set in rural Idaho, Too Shattered for Mending, is a grim look at a slice of life not often examined in YA literature. Though it isn’t front and center, the opioid epidemic provides the backdrop for the story as it seems to be related to Big’s disappearance. Domestic violence, child neglect, and sexual abuse are all present though they don’t occur on the page nor are they described explicitly. Hoffmeister succeeds in creating realistic characters that cannot be defined as simply good or evil. JT, whose violence towards a loved one gets him thrown in jail, clearly loves his brothers and is willing to make sacrifices for him. Even Aunt Derlene, who mostly adheres to the stereotypical qualities of poor white trash, has her moment of humanity. For most of these characters, there is no hope for a better life, but Little might be able to find some happiness if only he can survive his family. Recommended for teens who have an interest in the dark underbelly of modern life.
Literary Merit: Very Good
Characterization: Excellent
“Little” McCardell has never known his father, his mother is dead, his older brother JT is in jail, and his grandfather “Big” is missing. The local sheriff believes that Big was mixed up in something illegal, which Little knows is probably true, and he questions Little and threatens to make his life difficult if he can’t dig up information about Big’s whereabouts. Little’s life mostly revolves around taking care of his cousin Willa, who lives next door to him with her alcoholic parents, and making a half-hearted attempt at high school, which is a constant struggle for him. He makes a cursory effort to question some of Big’s associates, but then JT’s release from jail and the reappearance of his ex-girlfriend Rowan complicate Little’s life even further.
Set in rural Idaho, Too Shattered for Mending, is a grim look at a slice of life not often examined in YA literature. Though it isn’t front and center, the opioid epidemic provides the backdrop for the story as it seems to be related to Big’s disappearance. Domestic violence, child neglect, and sexual abuse are all present though they don’t occur on the page nor are they described explicitly. Hoffmeister succeeds in creating realistic characters that cannot be defined as simply good or evil. JT, whose violence towards a loved one gets him thrown in jail, clearly loves his brothers and is willing to make sacrifices for him. Even Aunt Derlene, who mostly adheres to the stereotypical qualities of poor white trash, has her moment of humanity. For most of these characters, there is no hope for a better life, but Little might be able to find some happiness if only he can survive his family. Recommended for teens who have an interest in the dark underbelly of modern life.
May 15, 2018
Too Shattered for Mending by Peter Brown Hoffmeister, 384 pages. Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random), 2017.
Language: R (133 swears, 60 ‘f’)
Mature Content: R (Murder, Rape, Abuse, Drug Use, Suicide, Illegal Activity, and Parental Neglect) Violence: R
HS- OPTIONAL.
Little’s Grandfather has disappeared, and the cops are deeply suspicious that he knows his whereabouts. He is struggling enough as it is taking care of his little cousin and trying to be a new adult since his brother was arrested, so he tries to avoid the cops as best he can, but when a particularly aggressive sheriff finds out a harmful secret of Little’s he is blackmailed into helping with the investigation of the only adult figure he has ever known.
Too Shattered For Mending is an unflinching story that deals artfully with heavy topics like poverty and abusive familial ties. It shows the messy complexities of the relationships humans have with their parents and their siblings, and how the ties we have with the people who love us can make an individual grow healthier or sicker. The writing is poetic but has a realistic male voice, and the storyline is harrowing. The characters are not always likeable but they are always well drawn and sympathetic. The graphic content however, makes this book unsuitable for anyone under sixteen and could be extremely triggering for anyone who has suffered abuse.
Reviewer: Jewel
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Language: R (133 swears, 60 ‘f’)
Mature Content: R (Murder, Rape, Abuse, Drug Use, Suicide, Illegal Activity, and Parental Neglect) Violence: R
HS- OPTIONAL.
Little’s Grandfather has disappeared, and the cops are deeply suspicious that he knows his whereabouts. He is struggling enough as it is taking care of his little cousin and trying to be a new adult since his brother was arrested, so he tries to avoid the cops as best he can, but when a particularly aggressive sheriff finds out a harmful secret of Little’s he is blackmailed into helping with the investigation of the only adult figure he has ever known.
Too Shattered For Mending is an unflinching story that deals artfully with heavy topics like poverty and abusive familial ties. It shows the messy complexities of the relationships humans have with their parents and their siblings, and how the ties we have with the people who love us can make an individual grow healthier or sicker. The writing is poetic but has a realistic male voice, and the storyline is harrowing. The characters are not always likeable but they are always well drawn and sympathetic. The graphic content however, makes this book unsuitable for anyone under sixteen and could be extremely triggering for anyone who has suffered abuse.
Reviewer: Jewel
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
December 19, 2018
If you liked the movie, "Winter's Bone", you'll like this book. And I liked both very much. This story is fiction but the town is real. It's another small town in America that has fallen on hard times, which means a loss of population and employment and an increase in meth labs and crackheads. The main character, "Little" McCardell is searching for his grandfather, "Big" who disappeared some time back and is suspected dead, due to a shady drug deal gone bad. Little is 6'5" tall, 16 years old and has serious problems with both dyslexia and figuring out Math problems but he tries so hard to keep up. His grandfather used to be his idol and his mentor before he got into drugs and turned mean and unreliable. He's got a big brother, JT who's a football star, but he's in jail for beating up his girlfriend and Little is also in love with the girlfriend. Little is also trying desperately to take care of his young cousin Willa who lives next door and is subject to the neglect and abuse of her druggy alcoholic parents. Despite all the sadness, there is humor, courage, and inspiration to be found here.
September 16, 2017
Too Shattered for Mending
by Peter Brown Hoffmeister
Random House Children's
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Teens & YA
Pub Date 12 Sep 2017
I am reviewing a copy of Too Shattered for Mending Through Random House Children's and Netgalley:
"Little McCardell is trying to keep it together after the dissapearance of his Grandfather. Little is far from Little at 6'5 and still growing. He also struggles in School due to having Dyslexia. After his Grandfathers dissapearance and the arrest of his older brother J.T "Little" finds himself looking out for his younger cousin, hunting and fishing to provide food.
The cops show up asking questions about Big, questions Little does not want to answer because he doesn't want to get involved in the investigation, but he half cooperates because his mind is half on the Girl he has been pinning after Rowan.
When Little's brother J.T is released the brothers get drunk together.
The book goes on to talk about how in the fifth grade Little still could not read.
I give Too Shattered For Mending four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
August 1, 2025
This book challenges all readers at every turn, but especially adults who think too often that there are bad things that happen, but that it is someone else's job to handle them. However, despite these challenges, this novel also reaffirms or teaches readers about the capacity of the human spirit to flourish against impossible odds; a lesson that cannot be taught too often. With a character that will open reader's eyes to a life that should not be able to be imagined as true, and a plot that reveals more about human nature in its stark complexity, Too Shattered For Mending should be considered a must-read for all ages.
-Michelle Anya Anjirbag
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
-Michelle Anya Anjirbag
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
January 18, 2018
Peter Brown Hoffmeister did such a great job weaving all the threads of this novel together. Lately I've been imagining novels as made up of different threads. Each thread needs to show up multiple times and build on itself, and also, all the threads need to come together to create something cohesive and beautiful. I'm in late-stage, big-picture editing mode working on my book, trying to weave all my threads together. (It is very hard.) So I think I was in a really good place to appreciate how well done this book is.
I love Little's voice, and I love him as a character. Even though his life is so different from mine, every time he made a choice, it was easy to see why he did what he did.
I love Little's voice, and I love him as a character. Even though his life is so different from mine, every time he made a choice, it was easy to see why he did what he did.
June 13, 2020
I stayed up until 5am because I couldn’t put this book down. At times, I wanted to because the lives of the characters feel so hopeless and desperate. Then a hint of something much darker is glimpsed and I had to keep reading.
This is one of my favorite type of writing styles. Short chapters written in present tense, first person, while flipping to moments in the past that reveal just enough to intrigue you, but not answer questions outright. Right to the end I feel the author did a good job of just telling enough.
This is one of my favorite type of writing styles. Short chapters written in present tense, first person, while flipping to moments in the past that reveal just enough to intrigue you, but not answer questions outright. Right to the end I feel the author did a good job of just telling enough.
September 26, 2017
This is the kind of book that you just can't put down. I find myself thinking about the characters throughout my day. I feel like I can relate with this small town. A place where everybody knows everything about everyone else. I don't think you would have to be from a small town to find a piece of this book that you can relate with in some way. It is my favorite part of my day, when I finally lay down to read this book.
January 21, 2018
This book was so different in its style, but it became so amazing for not going with a chapter by chapter format. The use of flashbacks to help me understand and see the depth of characters is well done. The story and life of Little was so tragic, but in my imagination, I truly hope he is doing good with his business of being a guide. Also, I hope he still has Zayla by his side, she is way too cool. Absolutely LOVED this book.
October 11, 2019
This is a good book and it is a more than gritty book. Poverty, kids raising themselves, suicide, drugs and much more are part of the story. It is a tough, tough story. The story is about a 16 year old boy in very rural Idaho trying to navigate his complex and somewhat dangerous life. I am still thinking about the characters and their dangerous path. And I know this story shines light on realities many of our youth experience. I am glad I read it.
August 5, 2021
This would have been magnificent had it been told in straightforward first or third person past tense.
Instead, the author leaps around, present tense, past tense, first person, second person, making it confusing and disjointed.
Too bad, because this could have been a gripping, painful tale poverty, relationships, honesty, and survival. Great characters. Realistic portraits of people trying to make it against odds.
Could have been great.
Instead, the author leaps around, present tense, past tense, first person, second person, making it confusing and disjointed.
Too bad, because this could have been a gripping, painful tale poverty, relationships, honesty, and survival. Great characters. Realistic portraits of people trying to make it against odds.
Could have been great.
January 4, 2022
Too Shattered for Mending may be my new favorite example of what it means to include both the beauty and ugly of real life. Hoffmeister did an excellent job at fleshing out his characters into flawed but captivating people. I adored Little and how he interacted with those in his town—especially the intimate moments holding a girl in bed, that was just lovely. The rural imagery was spot-on. This is an emotional piece of writing, something that I could not put down.
December 6, 2017
I seldom give a book five stars but this book was awesome. It is the story of a high school students gritty existence in Idaho. It reminded me very much of Winter's Bone with the meth connection and I really felt for the main character in that he had to hustle up food for himself and his young cousin. Can't recommend this one enough.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews