Nobody's Fool

Nobody's Fool
by Richard Russo

This book nearly killed me. I would have liked nothing better than to lay it down and never pick it up again. However, dear readers, I thought of you and persevered. The pacing was extremely slow. I found that the writing, although not without merit, did not manage to keep me engaged with the story or the characters.

The book is not without its good points. The characters are very realistic and well developed. The setting is believable, and the situations also feel as though they could be true. However, it feels like nothing happens. There are some small snippets of redemptive growth in a few characters. Maybe it is the worldview of the book that bothers me the most. It feels like a book which has forgotten about hope.

I am not sure if I will ever read any other book by this author. The cover of this book informs me that he is a Pulitzer Prize winning author for Empire Falls, so I may, someday, when I have recovered from this book, give that book a try. Until that day, read at your own risk.

Genre: Modern Fiction

Length: over 500 pages, and it feels at least that long

Age Range: Definitely a book for adults due to the multiple sexual references.

Additional Notes: If this is the kind of book you like, you will like this book. It just is not my cup of tea. This is a bitter green tea, with no sugar or cream to lessen the sharpness.