housecatstewart's Reviews (114)

Paul Murray is talented and intelligent and I give him credit for that. He knows about some things. The characters were vivid, the atmosphere was real. Those are the things I liked.

BUT ANYWAY, there was genuinely no reason for this book to be so unbelievably arduous. He could have cut a third of the flashbacks and it would’ve been a stronger book. Imelda’s main section was unbearable, and there was so much repetition! We are told the same things over and over again, the same points, that do not to be reiterated twenty times. The climate change motif? Sure, that was working for me. How hot and beloved Frank is but Rose doesn’t like him? A couple of times would’ve sufficed.

As a side note that isn’t necessarily Paul Murray’s fault, this is the third book I’ve read recently that has a character go to college and become instantly depressed/disillusioned with everything. I don’t get it. At this point, I’m begging for a character who goes to college and it opens their heart and world.

I wanted to love this book but I don’t honestly know if I even liked it. 3 stars for quality of prose and depth of human insight. I think this ultimately just wasn’t for me.