I am obsessed with this book and I have finally pinpointed why - it is the ultimate story. All books are stories, but there are some books where the story is SO GOOD. It takes a while - part one is full of so many people and places, you start to wonder if it's really necessary - it is. Then you get to part two and it all starts coming together, until in part three you are on the edge of your seat, putting off all obligations to read this book.

McBride's writing is some of the best around and the way his characters interact is simply perfect. The human emotion shines through so much that you feel it - their sorrow, their joy, their impatience. All I can say is, if you feel like giving up on this book in the beginning, don't. It pays off tremendously in the end.