I received this hardcover book without a sleeve, so I really had no idea what it was about. I just began reading. The writing in the prologue definitely drew me in; I liked Hershon's manner of referring to the future of her characters as they made a decision or contemplated something in the present. That mechanism worked well for me through the book. There were other detailed areas that were dense and rambled a bit long for how much time was passing to the characters. I liked the characters quite a bit - each of them different, flawed, and cultivated in reality. It's odd, but though there weren't many traditionally likable characters, I did like them and liked following along on their own journey and personal motivations. Besides some sections I think could be pared down, it kept my interest to see these characters from before, during, and after a tragedy.