Initially Beach Music seemed to me to be yet another trite, flavorless tale of a dysfunctional family. I'm glad I stayed with it, as there were some interesting turns of events. Jack is an at times unlikable protagonist, which probably adds to the novel's inertia. In the end, Pat Conroy manages to weave a tapestry of knotted mystery which intrigues and opens up the heart and mind for contemplation.

Spoilers beyond here:

I particularly liked the animated over-the-top portrayal and dialogue of John Harding. His antics served as a foil for Jack's hard tempered attitude. I enjoyed the loggerhead turtle angle as well and the underlying analogy to how hard it can be to survive in this world, let alone thrive in it.

I was also touched by Lucy's assessment of both John Harding and Shyla as being creatures who love without limit and find themselves in a world where that abstractly beautiful condition can be treacherous. The analogy of the songbird being torn to threads by crows, however, had me think upon how those songbirds tear beautiful insects and worms to shreds in their own right. Nature is neither cruel nor loving, it just is. (my evolution loving soul coming through there)

And finally, being this was a pre 9-11 novel, I pondered upon how much different this would have been received. Jordan's use of a bomb on an jet airplane almost automatically puts a terrorist spin on his behavior, and I find it hard to imagine not voting "guilty" myself at the Dock Street trial. Violence demands justice, so long as that justice is meted fairly.

My overall impression is that I liked the character development and liked the story, but probably wouldn't put this in the must read bin.