Caution: If you know any bumbling idiots that feel superior over all others and weasel their way out of responsibility due to their conniving nature and laziness, this book may hit too close to home. The book club I'm in was torn about this book. Out of seven of us, three hated it and could not finish it, three liked it, and one loved it.

I enjoy satire and hyperbole. They are two of my favorite literary devices and, how do I say this, Toole exaggerates the exaggeration, making the characters (particularly Ignacius) completely off the wall. I also enjoyed the overall movement of the book. It was constructed like a web with all the characters and the plot intertwined or cascading dominoes where each action led to another, an intricately woven story. This is perhaps why it received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981. While Toole's failure to publish the novel eventually contributed to his suicide, his mother's perseverance eventually landed the manuscript into the hands of novelist Walker Percy. I mirror his sentiments as I read the book: "In this case I read on. And on. First with the sinking feeling that it was not bad enough to quit, then with a prickle of interest, then a growing excitement, and finally an incredulity; surely it was not possible that it was so good."

I think as long as you can laugh at Ignacius and the other flawed characters, then you will enjoy the book. If you have a hard time laughing at absurdity, then you will likely become frustrated and hate the book.

Check out this excellent review for more information surrounding the book.