I'm a devoted fan of John Irving's books and have read six other of this earlier novels. There's something about his characters and his worldview that resonates with me, and it's that fact that kept me interested in this novel even when it became less interesting than I hoped. Or maybe that's not quite right. The story remained of interest, but the outcome of the characters' fates began to feel less compelling. The redemption of the main character felt increasingly certain (which may have been difficult to avoid, considering that premonitions and fate play a role in this book), even when he indulged in a bit of backsliding and bad behavior late in the book.

I realize now that enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the last half, and that's owing to two things. One reason is the lack of storytelling propulsion that linked to the lack of jeopardy and uncertainty. The other is the increasing absence of the odder, more intriguing characters. The main character himself always seems much less interesting than his exterior as a one-handed news reporter covering disasters and accidents would suggest, so his alteration does little to diminish his profile. He's a guy who gets along and acquiesces at the outset, and though he shows more will at the end, his choices steer him toward a more placid life. The characters I wished I could see more were the hand surgeon and his family, who felt too settled too soon and could have injected at the end of the story some of the humor they provided at the beginning. In a novel with a protagonist who is prone to being acted upon, the phasing out of these strong secondary characters was particularly evident.