The Group tends to be at it's best during the brief stretches of sardonic, and occasionally snappy, dialog. They're carried off with the same disaffected knowing-ness that permeates the whole book, yet are more alive and engaging than the rest of the writing. A couple parts drag, such as the self-anguishing sections devoted to Priss and Polly (one of which concludes: "...they were all talking about her nursing and pretending that it was exciting, when it was not...". Amen after 30 pages devoted to just that topic.)

Gentle, mocking superiority peppered with cynicism. Semi-epic in length. It's solid candidate (proto) post-ironic material. Except for the upbeat corner it turns at the end.

There is plenty to be said about the context and social commentary within the novel, but I'll leave that for others.

Lastly, it's aged well. First published in the 50's, the writing still has a crisp, direct and modern feel.