Anyway, this story follows Liam Pennywell, whose life just didn't turn out the way he expected. This fact surprises him which is odd because he is pretty passive. I thought that I wouldn't like him - that I would just want to shake him, but he was compelling in an odd way. His relationships with his children and ex-wife are complicated and he does stumble. No major life revelations or Hollywood ending. Just a deep look into someone who, although multi-layered, you'd probably just walk by on the street.
Recommend: Hard to say - I like to have her hardbacks in my collection, but I suppose borrowing it would work for everyone else.
Anne Tyler is one of those authors that I think I'll like but so often it doesn't work out that way. Her books are intelligent and the characters well developed, but.... this one was just too depressing. Liam is such a "sad sack" he ended up irritating me instead of interesting me ... oh well.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, it is always good for me to read books that are not shoot 'em up murder mysteries ... ones that have a little more leisurely pace and are, perhaps, a little more like real life.