4 out of 5 stars
Even though I have a few complaints about this book, overall, I really enjoyed it. It's a good story, and Moore's characters are a believable mixture of heroic and brave but also weak and flawed, which makes them seem complex and real, and all the more likable. In fact, one of my favorite characters is the peripheral Yolanda, a sassy but sweet teenage unwed mother who Aurthur hires to clean his house.
My complaints have more to do with structure (if that's the right word), because once again, we have an author who thinks it's OK to take liberties with basic grammar and call it poetic license. WTH? Giving your characters a voice is one thing. Distracting and annoying the hell out of your readers is quite another.
Aurthur, the 550-lb. shut in, is an intelligent, sensitive former college professor whose voice comes off a little child-like due in part, I think, to the fact that he (college professor, remember) uses ampersands instead of "and" throughout his entire account. Do you have any idea how annoying that is to read? I'll tell you: Very.
Kel, the other first-person narrator, recounts his entire story without the use of quotation marks. This is not only annoying, it's confusing. Is this a trend among authors? If it is, it needs to stop. Also, possible spoiler alert, but the publisher's summary gives you the impression that these two have stories that will intertwine, but they really don't. Not 'til the very end do they even make contact, so that too left me feeling a little disappointed -- like you would be if someone offered you a nice piece of cake, but then ate the frosting off it first. What's the point of cake without the frosting? It's the vehicle for the payoff...creamy frosting goodness. Ah well, maybe I'm just hungry. And I digress. Really, this is a very good book, and I still recommend it despite my annoyance and craving for cake.
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