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<book id="7073">
  <title><![CDATA[A Son of the Circus]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[0345915623]]></isbn>
  <isbn13><![CDATA[9780345915627]]></isbn13>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1188185975m/7073.jpg</image_url>
    <work>
  <best_book_id type="integer">7073</best_book_id>
  <books_count type="integer">28</books_count>
  <default_description>A Hindi film star and an American missionary are twins separated at birth; a dwarf &amp;#8212; a former circus clown &amp;#8212; mistakes the missionary for the movie star. And stalking one of them is a serial killer...</default_description>
  <id type="integer">1323492</id>
  <media_type>book</media_type>
  <original_language_id type="integer" nil="true"></original_language_id>
  <original_publication_day type="integer" nil="true"></original_publication_day>
  <original_publication_month type="integer" nil="true"></original_publication_month>
  <original_publication_year type="integer">1994</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>A Son of the Circus</original_title>
  <rating_dist>total:3538|5:615|4:1111|3:1209|2:421|1:182|</rating_dist>
  <ratings_count type="integer">3538</ratings_count>
  <ratings_sum type="integer">12170</ratings_sum>
  <reviews_count type="integer">4454</reviews_count>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">187</text_reviews_count>
</work>

  <average_rating><![CDATA[3.44]]></average_rating>
  <ratings_count><![CDATA[3067]]></ratings_count>
  <text_reviews_count><![CDATA[157]]></text_reviews_count>
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7073.A_Son_of_the_Circus]]></url>
  <authors>
        <author id="3075">
      <name><![CDATA[John Irving]]></name>
      <role><![CDATA[]]></role>
      <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3075.John_Irving]]></url>
      <average_rating><![CDATA[3.86]]></average_rating>
      <ratings_count><![CDATA[126895]]></ratings_count>
      <text_reviews_count><![CDATA[8652]]></text_reviews_count>
    </author>
      </authors>
    <reviews start="1" end="20" total="4453">
    <review id="8900291">
    <user id="199326">
    <name><![CDATA[Gail]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Smiths Station, AL]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/199326-gail]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Nov 09 15:19:00 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Feb 22 19:01:45 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[My favorite Irving book. I have a love/hate relationship with Irving's work. &quot;Son&quot; is a madhouse of a novel, even for Irving. The plot(s) are dizzyingly complicated; the characters as bizarre as always, but somehow believable. I loved the feeling for India in the book; and the humor--oh my...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8900291">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8900291]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="4110164">
    <user id="215009">
    <name><![CDATA[Ann]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/215009-ann]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Aug 05 11:42:02 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Aug 11 09:07:28 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Critics may complain about the repetitive images of John Irving's books, but I love how he weaves the symbolism and influences of his life into his work.  A Son of the Circus includes the common imagery of India, Toronto, central Europe, dwarfism, circuses, etc. from his other works. (More on that t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4110164">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4110164]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="40174752">
    <user id="1570879">
    <name><![CDATA[Jennifer]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Saint Louis, MO]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1570879-jennifer]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 15 15:52:05 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 15 16:47:39 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[My favorite of Irving's.  I went through a huge John Irving phase in college and grad school, and read everything the man ever wrote.  I was thinking about Irving the other day wishing he would hurry up and write something else.  When I read Son of the Circus, I loved it!  It's a bit confusing at fi...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40174752">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40174752]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="9395263">
    <user id="610692">
    <name><![CDATA[King  Dinösaur]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Olympia, WA]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/610692-king-din-saur]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="circus-carnival" />
        <shelf name="fiction" />
        <shelf name="read-more-than-once" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Nov 21 09:28:44 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Nov 21 09:30:42 -0800 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[John Irving writes dense, complex, plot-driven books and this is his <em>greatest</em>.  There is so much going on in this amazing work, I can't even describe it.  Set in India with plenty of exotic flavor to go along with the interesting characters and dizzying plot.]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9395263]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="47410296">
    <user id="2068709">
    <name><![CDATA[Elsa]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[San Francisco, CA]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2068709-elsa-troy-slovik]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="novel" />
        <shelf name="other-country" />
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Feb 24 14:41:42 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 24 14:46:42 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Caught in between two cultures? Yes, I know something about that. And I loved being taken to India. I read it during my first trip to India in 2000. I felt caught into one of those &quot;life mirroring art mirroring life&quot; moments. Two thumbs up.]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47410296]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="17245883">
    <user id="811952">
    <name><![CDATA[Roy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Maplewood, NJ]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/811952-roy]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Mar 07 11:29:38 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Mar 07 11:33:50 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[2.5 stars.  My least favorite John Irving book and the only one I can say that I did not especially like, not that it isn't written with his usual level of skill and attention to detail.  But I found the plot and the characters far less addictive than that of the typical John Irving book.  I probabl...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17245883">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17245883]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="44452614">
    <user id="412841">
    <name><![CDATA[Alys]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[San Jose, CA]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/412841-alys]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jan 26 17:19:23 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jan 26 17:23:23 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm a John Irving fan and this book did not disappoint.  He weaves together characters from different decades and different countries, complex and rich in detail.  The book is both disturbing in its subject matter as most of his books are but compelling in a way that I could hardly put it down.  A g...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44452614">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44452614]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="53639419">
    <user id="1037891">
    <name><![CDATA[Tali]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Honiara, Solomon Islands]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1037891-tali]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>0</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 22 15:05:26 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Apr 22 15:07:57 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I read this book by accident and discovered how rich a a story can be. ]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53639419]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="45909124">
    <user id="949176">
    <name><![CDATA[Lisa]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Seattle, WA]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/949176-lisa-strube]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Feb 09 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Feb 10 01:16:10 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 10 01:34:30 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've always been a John Irving fan, but this one took me by surprise. It has a very slow start - I found myself struggling to get into it, thinking, &quot;Why on earth would I care about an Indian circus and an Orthopedist's quest for dwarf blood?&quot; (And yeah - it's <em>exactly</em> as weird as it sounds...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45909124">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45909124]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="52530572">
    <user id="2217061">
    <name><![CDATA[Ana]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2217061-ana]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="listening" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Apr 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Apr 13 13:20:03 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Apr 18 17:06:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[My decision to listen to this audiobook happened on the spur of the moment. It had to do with a really great sale at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://Audible.com">Audible.com</a> that was going to end in a few hours, and the fact that I am part Parsi. I didn't have any familiarity with Irving, only a vague, mild, positive feeling based on the fact ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52530572">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52530572]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="69610203">
    <user id="1879951">
    <name><![CDATA[Joan]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1879951-joan]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Aug 31 16:20:01 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 31 16:24:33 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I had this book on the bookshelf for years and had started it once or twice, but until I read Water for Elephants a few weeks ago, I couldn't warm up to a story that takes place in India about a circus and features strange characters such as dwarfs. I'm glad I finally got around to reading this! Whi...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69610203">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69610203]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="30181797">
    <user id="1397240">
    <name><![CDATA[Michael]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1397240-michael-petracca]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 10:21:37 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Aug 14 17:57:22 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jan 01 10:21:37 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[So far so good ... I've read some reviews that say it digresses too much in its 600+ pages, but I love getting lost in the world of a book, so sometimes that's a good thing for me ... we'll see!]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/30181797]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="61991091">
    <user id="2484050">
    <name><![CDATA[Tiana]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Mississauga, ON, Canada]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2484050-tiana]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Aug 07 00:00:00 -0700 1988</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 02 23:07:39 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Aug 07 13:02:44 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book took a little time to get into because like many of John Irving's books, it is very dense and you have to read it very careful or you might miss something. It took longer to read than I do most books because of its very intricate 680 pages in tiny font.<br/><br/>Anyways, as all Irving's ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61991091">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61991091]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="55850709">
    <user id="1397472">
    <name><![CDATA[Manda]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1397472-manda]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue May 12 15:48:49 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue May 12 16:03:36 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Irving can make even the ordinary fascinating (as in &quot;Cider House Rules&quot;) but in this case he chooses to take a trip to the bizarre. This novel reads like a Bollywood movie come to life: transsexuals, movie stars, monks, circus contortionists, dwarves who drive limos, long-lost twins, murd...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55850709">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55850709]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="32988003">
    <user id="565777">
    <name><![CDATA[Christina Stind]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Kolding, Denmark]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/565777-christina-stind]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="2009" />
        <shelf name="books-i-own" />
        <shelf name="fiction" />
        <shelf name="random-picks" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 16 04:29:37 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Aug 05 02:02:37 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Who else but John Irving can write a novel where one of the major plot twist is about a man converting to Christianity because he gets bitten in the toe one night while sleeping?<br/>I can't think of anybody else - but Irving does it and he does it well!<br/>Dr. Farrokh Daruwalla lives in Canada -...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32988003">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32988003]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="24802873">
    <user id="379432">
    <name><![CDATA[A]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Kansas City, MO]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/379432-a]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="2009" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[fans of John Irving]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Zladiq]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Mar 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jun 18 08:58:33 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Mar 22 21:51:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[While this didn't end up being one of my favorite Irving novels, I had to marvel at the way the thing was structured.  It takes effort to really get into the story and figure out what the hell's going on.  Once I did, I found myself impressed by how he create this intricate nesting doll of stories t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/24802873">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/24802873]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="40657242">
    <user id="1754689">
    <name><![CDATA[Jennifer]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Paris Burbs, Seine et Marne, France]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1754689-jennifer]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>0</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="abandoned" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jan 21 05:22:12 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 22 01:49:21 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jan 21 05:22:12 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I hate to abandon a book.  And while I'm not abandoning this one for the obvious travesty: sucky writing, I'm still doing it because after over 100 pages, I'm not even sure what the story is yet.  Is it about dwarves?  Screenwriters?  Orthopaedic surgeons?  WHAT?!<br/><br/>Perhaps this book wander...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40657242">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40657242]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="71714461">
    <user id="756201">
    <name><![CDATA[Liz]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Keene, NH]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/756201-liz]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Sep 18 16:27:01 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Sep 18 16:37:31 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[When I first started this book I had doubts that I would finish it, over 700 pages and it was difficult getting into it but I decided given John Irving's reputation, the book had to be good.  It took several chapters and then I was hooked as the lives of the many characters became entwined in a fasc...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71714461">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71714461]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="65769082">
    <user id="1244222">
    <name><![CDATA[Dana]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Atlanta, GA]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1244222-dana]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Aug 01 10:36:02 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Aug 01 10:37:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I usually love John Irving, but this one I was surprised I finished - I probably should have put it down at some point, as I just couldn't find a character I cared enough about to really be interested in finding out what happened to them.  ]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65769082]]></url>
</review>
    <review id="66734985">
    <user id="152108">
    <name><![CDATA[Cason]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Hillsborough, NC]]></location>        
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/152108-cason]]></url>
  </user>
      <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <sell_flag>false</sell_flag>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Aug 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Aug 09 07:56:54 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 24 09:28:55 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I loved the characters in this book, as I often do with John Irving's characters, and the story was definitely creative and kept my interest. I do forget about Irving's penchant for graphic descriptions that are sometimes hard to read.  He does like to dig in to those subjects which make his books o...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66734985">more...</a>]]></body>
    <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66734985]]></url>
</review>
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