I liked it and I read it super fantastically fast.

In the beginning, I was slightly alarmed about the possibility that I chose for our second book another one that had a completely unsympathetic protagonist, but then Joe went back home and I started to like him and the book much better. I really admired the author for not having a scene where Joe and his father make peace on the death bed. I don't think it was to make a statement about how you should make peace with all your shitty relatives now because you never know when they will die. I think that it was more about the growth of Joe's character. He had so far to come from being a depressed, adolescent asshole, that he couldn't have grown into an adult with some maturity and concern for others without having to do some hard work, like making peace with his father on his own after his father's death. I am pretty sure that getting pushed off a cliff also helped.

Comments

[mtlm]

He saw a whole different side of his father when he found the scrapbook. Brad also explained a little how his dad could be proud of him even though he wasn't kind to him in the book either. Seems like we kind of got to know him, even though he was in a coma the whole time.

He did have a little bit of a moment when his dad opened his eyes and shed a tear. Seems pretty realistic that there were regrets on all sides and some hurdles that were not able to be crossed without something cataclysmic happening.

[Mishka]

I, too, am glad that they didn't do the whole father son thing but did let him have some notion of his father's feelings and some closure.

I thought the AIDS thing was too predictable along with the getting together with the old girlfriend thing.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the read, it was fast and fun and the characters were easy to get in to.

I am terrified to pick a book in the future because I am a reader that just likes to read, even sometimes when it is not great, and I don't know if I want to disappoint you all. At least, it will be a while before we get to my name...haha.

[Blue Moon Girl]

I agree with you about having another book with an unsympathetic character! At first I was thinking, I hate this guy! I can't read this! But then it got so much better.

I was glad that they didn't have Joe's dad magically wake up and go home okay or get to wake up and forgive Joe just before he died. That was really good.

It was a really good book about coming to terms with the crap that you have done to yourself and to other people and forgiving yourself for that.