Novels made up of interrelated short stories are some of my favorites. This one was very satisfying. I also like novels where the setting becomes it's own character, and this one was very satisfying in that regard as well.

There's a note from the author included in the reading guide that explains how very much this novel was influenced by the 9/11 events. I don't know if that's included in all editions of the text, but I think it should be. It's a book about the lives of average New Yorkers on a single day, but not the single day one expects for a book published in 2009.