Expected much more from this. Also, the dialogue felt really flat and not authentic to how the characters are developed. ( )

This book is the narrator’s personal reflection of his days in a winter when he covets a married woman named Laura. The narrator, Charles, also relates of coping with his stepfather and his mother who is mentally ill. Additionally, Charles seems to have many people, including his best friend Sam, who depend on him for shelter and food.

From my viewpoint, the book seemed to be rather depressing just like the dark winter days described in the book. I found it to be a difficult and tedious read. It would be a captivating novel I would recommend for those who enjoy reading a narrator’s internal monologue.
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what an excellent piece of fiction. though it's possible that it resonated more with me than it would for others because it explores a difficult relationship with the protagonist's unstable mother (always interesting to me). also the things that pete (the crazy mother's boyfriend) says were so unintentionally hilarious that i laughed out loud on the bus more than once. ( )

A group of friends get together and discuss their life, their missed goals and opportunities and the things that have gone on in their lives.

There is family problems with attempted suicide, stays in the hospital and alcoholic relatives.

A solemn story with characters that never made me very interested although the writing was well done. ( )

Even though I can acknowledge that Beattie is a good writer, I didn’t feel a particular connection with this story or her characters. What frustrated me most about these particular characters is that, although they are all deeply unsatisfied and unhappy, they don’t make any effort to change. Instead, they just repeat the patterns of their unhappiness. I guess that is the point, but it doesn’t make for a very uplifting read. ( )