Status Updates From Returns and Exchanges

Alright. In the last 30% of book, it got me. I still think I favor THE ANIMATORS, ultimately, but this book has won me over. As with Whitaker’s last, there are certain things… I didn’t have the exact same experience, but they hit close to home. Consequently, my investment in the book has increased. I’m reading it ravenously. I’m surprised I didn’t stay up past midnight to finish it.

Huh. Well, it’s not gone in exactly the inevitable tragedy direction I had been anticipating. I’d say I’m enjoying it overall but definitely not hitting me the way THE ANIMATORS did. Still a ways from finishing, but I’m already thinking about my rating. Is this the time to break out one of Goodreads’ new partial stars? A 3.75, mayhaps? Ehh, probably still too early to say.

I wasn’t expecting a jump forward in time. The first of multiple, I wonder? Everyone’s growing up. Maybe “up” isn’t correct. Maybe “growing” gives the wrong impression, too. They’re certainly changing, though. Toughening up. Becoming jaded. I’m not quite sure what emotion to feel in response.

I’m much more into this book now. There’s a lot of tension in when will everything blow up. All the characters are making bad choices. You’re rooting for Fran while also realizing she’s doing wrong. Also: I wonder if Whitaker had any actresses in mind when imagining Fran and Wendy. Or do writers not usually do that—write while imagining their writing as a movie?

At about 20 pages in, I wasn’t sure about this book. It was a lot of names and was about a business transaction and… I couldn’t tell if I was going to like it. It made me reluctant to read it, so I’ve not really read much over the past several days. Today, though, I read further and now I’m more interested. I don’t feel it’s extraordinary yet, but I can imagine getting there. I hope it happens.

DNF