What is the author's tone in Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos?

The tone of the novel changes, but is often hopeful even if the themes in the novel are not. Gantos uses humor extremely effectively in the novel, making it an often lighthearted account of Gantos' own follies. That being said, there are several sections of the novel that are very downcast in tone, as Gantos loses hope and faith in himself and in the world around him. There are other sections of the novel that are frightening in tone, as Gantos explains some of the horrific circumstances he encounters while in prison.