Published by Simon & Schuster Format: ARC, eBook
John Irving is such a gifted and talented writer. He has the knack for writing characters that are well, interesting, and odd. They are quirky and original and somehow Irving transports us into their lives and their relationships with others.
Adam’s mother, Rachel Brewster a.k.a. Little Ray is a slalom skier who never makes it on the podium. She instead becomes pregnant with Adam and returns to her home in New England to become a ski instructor. Adam grows up in an interesting family. Adam is left with his grandmother, Nana, while his mother teaches skiing. His grandmother loves Moby Dick and even named his mother after a character in the book.
As Adam grows, we see his relationships with girlfriends, his family, his cousin Nora, Elliot Barlow (what a wonderful character) and others in his life. Again, there are quirky characters, odd characters, and interesting characters. Some have impacted his life more than others. Many are dealing with their own lives and issues. Then there are the ghosts….
Adam goes looking for answers. He does not know who his biological father is, so he goes looking at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen where he was conceived. Will he find what he is looking for?
This is a BIG book. It’s long in length – I felt it – and covers a man’s life. It took me quite a bit of time to read this book. Like other reviewers, I believe some more editing was in need. I don’t mind reading long books, but when you feel the length, it begins to feel like work. Having said that, I enjoyed this book and continue to marvel at Irving’s beautiful writing. He tackles several subjects in this book through his cast of characters.
I read several books while reading this book. I enjoyed reading a little bit of this book at a time. This book will take some time to read, even though lengthy, I’m glad I read it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.