Karen U. (editorgrrl) reviewed on 6/6/2006 + 255 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

It finally happened -- I found a book I cannot finish. I even mananged to get through "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," but I just couldn't do it this time. The characters are so underdeveloped I completely lost track of who was who. When Sara's dad said he was leaving but "Sylvia will come by and visit you," I thought "Sylvia who?" and had to reread the book. The only other mention of her had been 29 pages earlier: "[The package] was from Sylvia, his girlfriend. When she was in our house, she wafted around all pepperminty. She made me earrings. Crystal triangles, she said, carried love from the sun. I couldn't stand her."

I gave it almost another 40 pages before giving up -- Sylvia never made an appearance but two interchangeable street kids were introduced. I immediately picked up "The Colorado Kid" because Stephen King's characters are always so lifelike.

(It must just be me, because the critics loved this book.)

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