** spoiler alert ** I found this to be an odd book, but that's mainly from the character Sophie and her obsession over her dead baby, which she carries around with her to the point of decomposition. I guess I just don't understand the hoopla and comparison of the author with greats like Ian MacEwan. Leigh's writing style reminded me of MacEwan's but that was about it. The book was very creepy to me in places. I sensed a weird tension between some of the family members that left me uncomfortable.