Judy Bloom meets John Steinbeck?

Okay -- so I finished The God of Animals, and I'm interested in what you (Arwen, because I think you are probably the only one besides me who read it) liked/disliked about it.

To me..... it was kind of an odd dichotomy -- an "end of the innocence" story in a rural setting..... a place where there was still a posse and cowboys mingled with "catfish" because it was profitable. A commentary on the affluent -- where the lives of both people and animals are just hobbies..... disposable -- and where things are rarely what they seem.

Thoughts?

Jews With Swords

Of late I have found it difficult to type or read blogs. Too busy with kids, largely indifferent to the suffering of others, entranced by Ms. Palin's keen grasp of social policy - the usual reasons.

It has been equally difficult to make the time to read anything more complex than classified ads. How does anyone locate the narrative thread in the busy tapestry of parenting, employment, and periodic unconsciousness? (And creaky metaphors? Hmm?)

In any event, I have just completed the above-pictured novel. It reads episodically, appears to be well-written, and lacks delf-seriousness. It does not have an "O" on it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Chabon's work (as do I) and who suffers from a truncated attention span (yep).

Tootles!