In Some Other World, Maybe

It would seem that I am one of the very few who is not enamored by this book. The premise drew me in because it is about a group of people my age, and for the premise alone I have awarded not one, but two, stars. Otherwise, I could not find much to enjoy about the writing style, the characters, or the plot.

For example, the author uses the second person point of view for a specific character, which, instead of being effective, seemed like a forced reminder that we were switching characters again. Ho hum. Telling a story from multiple points of view can be quite effective, but in this book it merely seems like an exercise for a creative writing class.

Also, it may be helpful for non-Chicagoans to know that Leona's is not the only eating establishment in Evanston; other similar references felt like an attempt to make those sections of the story feel Chicago-y, but reminded me of the annoying place dropping in “The Time Traveler's Wife.” Perhaps, if one is not familiar with the area, it is less annoying.

Frankly, the characters were boring. I had hoped to find at least some commonalities with one of the voices, as I did when recently watching “Hits So Hard” about the drummer from the band, Hole (and I am not a drummer or a lesbian, nor have I done heroin). Perhaps, that's because the author is trying too hard. Or at least that's what I took away from reading the book. I can say that it is a quick read, but cannot recommend it for any other reason.