The cover blurb reads, "... as if Cormac McCarthy decided to rewrite Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'" Well, maybe when Cormac McCarthy was in Junior High, and if Harper Lee's book was a '50s screenplay rather than one of the major works of the 20th century. I enjoyed the book well enough, but only in the same way I'd enjoy a direct-to-video drama. From the pretentious Thomas Wolfe quote from which the title is derived (that has absolutely no connection to the narrative), to the formulaic shoot-'em-up ending, this book is a mere imitation of the hype it received. There was a lack of character development. For instance, what was it in Julia's upbringing/inner world/psychological deficiencies that compelled her to involve herself romantically with Chambliss? This is a key component to understanding the story, and the reader is offered almost nothing to account for her bizarre choice. I would also have appreciated a deeper exploration of why Ben made such a conscious decision to be such a different husband and father than his dad. Some loose ends were left dangling as well. Early in the novel, Julie scolds Jess for being too inquisitive about his father's interactions with some other men. Why? Was Ben involved some nefarious and secretive dealings? All in all, a disappointment.