For a National Book Award winner, this was a major disappointment. I had to force myself to finish it. I always try to finish books that I spend money on, but I can honestly say that if I DID put it down for good I would not feel the least bit guilty.From the first word of the first page, this was very hard to follow. The prose was weak and you can't figure out who is telling the story until a little bit later in the book. I must say, the reviews are much better than the actual book. I cannot believe that this won an award. DON'T BOTHER, and if you do, check it out from your library. This is not a book for your collection.