When I saw that it was an Oprah pick and I heard her rave about it, I thought "What the heck". (Yes, I really did think that).
So I bought the book and dug in, but not for long. I didn't like it. I couldn't keep track of who anyone was (my deficiency, I'm sure, and not Mr. Franzen's). I thought it was unnecessarily crude and I couldn't figure out why ANYone would choose this as a book club "pick".
BUT... I trudged on... searching for the nugget that I was obviously missing.
As I trudged along, I ran into one morally bankrupt character after another... except for Walter - at least for a while. I didn't find most of the characters very interesting. They were more like cardboard cutouts with no real dimension; in most cases, based on some stereotype or another. And by the way, is it necessary to portray all Christians as judgmental and hypocritical? Really?? (Not that we ran into many of those in this saga of unlikeable wackos)
I didn't quit, though. Not me. I kept holding on for the nugget.
Finally... after long hours (that I will never get back....)
:::: drum roll ::::
I finished the book.
Guess what? No nugget. Not really.
Well.. that may be harsh. After I plowed through about 80% of the book, I finally got more involved with the story (in spite of the characters) - loved some of the writing - started to wonder what would become of Patty and Walter - and I liked the ending.
Mid-way through the book I would have barely given it one "Good Read", but by the end, I was feeling a little more generous.
I ended up with a rating of 3 "Good Reads".
Did you read it? What did you think of it?
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