Norman C

When I received this book I read the back cover summary and immediately asked myself why I had chosen it. It wasn't my usual genre at all. As I started reading that feeling grew. You quickly see the lead character is anything but normal. And shortly, I decided that her chances of being "found" were, it seemed to me, pretty remote. Apart from this commitment I'm not sure i would have continued.

As the book progressed that alternately faded and was reinforced. Libby becomes more appealing, and more strange. I liked her but at the same time wondered if anyone could actually be so irregular. What world did she really live in? Was this a slapstick comedy. It felt like a roller coaster. Not so much the ups and downs but the unexpected jerks and changes in direction. I see, we are headed here; oops, no we aren't.

Before long I realized that was the nature of the book. As I relaxed, accepting it for what it was, I began to enjoy it more. Truthfully, though, there seemed no chance Libby would ever be found, what ever that meant. Her habit of moving seamlessly in and out of fantasy seemed a long ways from normal.

That pattern persisted in the lead characters, though not all did the fantasy flip. Still, they were irregular. Slowly that changed, somewhat. As she developed the characters they gradually became three-dimensional, from flat pictures to living sculptures. More real, though the story line continued its quirky shifts. And then little snippets of wisdom begin to pop up from various of the characters. Never developed; just said. It arrested my attention each time. I wanted to think more about them but the story just moved on, as if none but the speaker really got it.

One of the interesting parts for me was how, about halfway through, it seemed certain that the story was winding to a conclusion. Then I looked at how many pages remained and I wondered how there could be so much story left. Another sudden twist and we were off on a whole new adventure. Same theme but with many new irregular characters and plot twists. The author's strategy never changed, even to the very end.

This author has an astonishing imagination. And once you get a sense of how she writes you realize you are in for a fascinating ride. Confusing but not disappointing. I recommend it.