A good story that is overshadowed by a elusive narrative that is hard to follow and very frustrating at times. You spend a great deal of time and effort trying to figure out who, where, when, etc., when the storyline is a simple one and should be a much more enjoyable and leisurely read. I am not sure if Maxwell always writes this way as it is the only book of his I have ever read, but I would hesitate to buy or read another. I read what a great book this was in the NY Times recently so ultimately disappointing...EAF

This is the best book I have ever read. I don't have the words to describe how beautiful this book captions what it's like for a child to grow up and look back at their childhood. Made me weep.