This was a strange one. For me, strange does not necessarily mean bad, but there were parts of this book that were bad. Not badly written, just... bad feeling. This is a synaesthetic experience of a read - it's sticky and uncomfortable and hot and salty and itchy, sand-in-the-bathing-suit-bottoms...
Because this book has high literary aspirations and a Coach House pedigree, my initial thought was that I "just didn't get it" but it is, in fact, a profound and meaningful story. On further reflection, I remember that I'm reasonably intelligent and decide that this book is really sophomoric crap...