Post Lisen Review: Describing this book is really difficult. It is very well written, the prose is engaging, the events described in it are incredible yet it is certainly not for everyone. It blurs lines between facts and fiction, it shifts from different narrators and points of view and sums up one single story but at times doesn't feel completely coherent. Yet that it doesn't feel completely coherent is actually more of a strength than a weakness in this case. The book can be very sexually explicit and violent in completely surprising ways but it maintains an impeccable literary quality.

The book takes place in three parts. The first part deals with a meeting between two men that leads to a very memorable incident of violence that resonates throughout. I felt like this was the strongest part of the book and the easiest to listen to.

The second part was much more difficult to take. It dealt with a relationship between a brother and sister that was, let's just say, not exactly normal by societal standards. I found myself cringing at the section but not upset at the author for putting it in. It was just something where you suddenly see the protagonist in an entirely, disturbingly to my mind, different way. Part of me was revolted by him but at the same time I wanted to know what would happen. I really found this part to be the hardest to listen to.

The third part deals with what happens after the main character dies and specifically deals with the man involved in the violent incident from the first part. While this part was less disturbing than the second part it was a little less engaging. Still the writing was excellent.

All in all I hope to find more of Paul Auster on the library shelves and since this is his fifteenth novel there is a good chance I will.

Pre-Listen Guess: I have no idea what to expect from this. If it's not a romance or a horribly bad mystery it'll be worth at least two stars though.