Currently reading
Really great... for another reader
This is a book of character and language, of family and small towns, and if those are the sorts of things you like to read about, this is something you may want to look into. However, if you want a strong and engaging plot or a bit of action, you're likely going to find some difficulty with this one.
But don't mistake me - this is a truly beautiful book to read in its rough, rustic way. The characters here are seen shaded in my own small-town upbringing - that sense of everyone being in everyone's business, of family being like unto a god itself, of the way people can become demons of angels on the strength of perspective and tales.
The setting in the great depression is desperate but also full of making do. the people are all complex, but show particular sides of themselves to their assembled family.
Ultimately, this book got a 3.5 stars from me because for me, beautiful language can't overcome the fact that I just got kinda bored and had some difficulty keeping track of who was who, who hated who, and why. The repetitive nature of the dialogue was realistic and also not something I'm a fan of.