Got about a third of the way in. Too many characters too thinly portrayed. Similar to her other books (which I liked more) but maybe I've just had enough. Funny in places but maybe just too weird for me.

Quit at page 200.

It's an okay book, pretty gripping and moreish and occasionally something to think about. I just got a bit fed up, a bit like eating fastfood; it's delicious and satisfying and filling up to the point where it's suddenly disgusting. ( )

Psychedelic misfits. I really had a hard time understanding these characters. Maybe it is because I am from a different generation. Could not understand people who seem to have nothing to do but squat in empty homes for causes that I couldn't understand. It seemed to me that the individuals certainly seemed to have enough money for doing things, just not paying rent.
The writing was intense, with much verbiage of a political tone. I just think I am not all that politically knowledgeable, so it didn't fit in my little world. ( )

Joy's Review: A young woman deals with the loss of her father and a complete lack of purpose by winding up in a communal living situation. It took me a while to find the rhythm of this book, but once I connected with the style, I enjoyed it very much. Funny and sarcastic, Zink pokes fun at all of us who think we know what we want, but really don't. I found it very entertaining. But I warn you: most of our book club hated this book! ( )

I really, really liked this book, but find it hard to review. I was telling some friends what it was about, and they thought it would be very dark and off-putting....but it isn't.

Penny is a young woman caring for her dying father (Norm) who is a shaman. Her mother, Amalia, was adopted by Norm, but several years later, marries him. Penny has two half brothers...what happened to their mother is a mystery...who are slightly older than her mother. After Norm dies, Penny agrees to reclaim a family-owned home now occupied by squatters. Those squatters are quasi-anarchists/revolutionaries. Their common interest is smokers' rights. Penny falls in love with one of them, as do her sociopath oldest brother and her widowed mother. It's all very unconventional, but makes sense in the context of the characters' lives and isn't dark or sunny...it's both/neither...as they say, "it is what it is" and we adapt to our surroundings.

The story is about coming of age, understanding that the past isn't as definitive as we'd like....people have different perspectives and understandings of what happened and why. It's a really good read and I''ll be reading more of Ms. Zink's works. ( )