Review: A slow captivating story conquers many flaws
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 16, 2011
Yes, there are a great many "editing" issues in this book, including places where it appears that sentences are cut off half way through..as if the writer deleted some words and meant to come back and add new ones, but simply forgot to do so.Yes, there are a few places in the story that strain credulity - more than a few actually.Yet, somehow, strangely, this book leaps past all that.  It is a long book... the author could have cut the book easily in half and still had reasonably sized novels.  Still, putting it all in one was a great choice.  We focus on the development of the main character... and he isn't a great role model nor that exciting, but he does find his way into many situations and there is an over arching puzzle that keeps the reader engaged, just hoping that more pieces are unveiled.  The plot is not hugely original, but it is hugely creatively and delicately done and even at the end one is still somewhat guessing what the future is going to hold and the meaning of all that transpires.  Nothing is predictable....but there is a clear reasonable path from beginning to end.  It's also an adult book about a fairly uninspired kid who doesn't need or want to be a hero and who is happy just to survive and grow up.It was enjoyable...one of the best reads this year.  Not worthy of 5 stars....it's far from being great fiction, but at the price....it would be a crime not to buy and read it completely.