I just finished this and am wondering what other readers' thoughts are. Not sure what reviews are printed on the covers of the official release, as I got an advanced readers' copy from a librarian friend. The copy that I had made a big fuss out of printing the review "One of the 5 best novels I have ever read" all over it. It's not one of the 5 best novels I've ever read, and I think that review made me expect more. However, I did like it.

It reminded me of a lot of other books -- some John Irving, a dash of Middlesex, a bit of Interpretation of Murder (having Freud as a character) --which was sort of distracting. I thought it odd that Esterhazy was such a major part of the story, yet you barely got to meet him. Loved the female characters, and found myself really drawn to the parts at St. Greg's and Harvard, etc. Wish we would have learned more about Wheeler's rock star life, too. I guess I liked what he gave us, but I found myself wanting more. I enjoyed reading it and would have been happy to read a longer novel that gave more background on the characters and more of them interacting in their real-time lives (more Dilly and his mom, more Dilly and Flora during the war, more Wheeler and Eleanor when Wheeler was a young man, etc.)

I agree exactly with your comments. I expected more. I had to quit reading it (long story), but you summed it up. I'm not too worried about trying to finish it. Thanks!