The protagonist of the book, Joe, returns to his home town after a 17 year absence, to face his demons - both old ones and those he's created after writing a revealing "fictional" account of his adolescence there. It's a novel that tries to be profound, and also funny, and also smart, and fails on all these accounts. There feels like there's potential at the beginning, but it's never quite met. Might be my impossibly high standards for lit fiction, but overall, quite a disappointing read. Perhaps will find a fan in someone less given to my type of analysis.

Released via the Canberra Bookcrossers' Christmas booking as a secret Santa!

Been sitting on my to read shelf--but I don't think it's going to happen!