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What Members Thought
People loved this book and I have no idea why. For me, it was depressing and grim. The concept -- the exploration via short story of intersecting, ordinary lives tied together geographically, is an interesting and promising premise. But the people depicted are all so damaged and their lives are so small that whatever small beauty that is uncovered seems painfully ephemeral and insufficient.
There are people who view life as a painful march from drudgery to misery. I am not one of these people. Pe ...more
There are people who view life as a painful march from drudgery to misery. I am not one of these people. Pe ...more
The 270 pages of this novel breathe life into many characters that are so complex, flawed, frustrating yet relatable, the book actually feels longer than it is. But in a good way... it seems like it would take a much bigger word count to create characters that seem truly real. I also appreciated the form of the novel, short stories knitted together by the common influence or appearance of Olive. Poignant and full of the best and worst of human nature.
Jun 11, 2011
Grace
marked it as to-read
Oct 16, 2011
Julie
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May 06, 2013
Nicole Oswald
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Dec 02, 2015
MB
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Oct 29, 2019
Kelly
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Nov 26, 2019
Shelby
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Apr 17, 2020
Jenny
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Sep 16, 2020
Toni
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