Mostly Dead Things

I follow Arnett on Twitter and think she's hilarious. Many reviews call Mostly Dead Things funny, and while there are definite funny moments, in general I found this to be a sad book. It's about the aftermath of the suicide of an emotionally stunted patriarch, so go figure.

All of the book meandered, but especially the first half. I understand that it mirrored the meandering of its characters, but it still felt like I was waiting a long time for anything to happen. It was almost as if I spent the majority of the book waiting for it to begin.

Some characters were complex, but few if any well-developed. They felt static until they experienced abrupt changes of mind. The timing and manner in which characters changed could have been better justified, especially given that every other chapter is a flashback.

What impressed me most about Mostly Dead Things is its setting. It's so clear that Arnett really knows Florida. She makes a state so often reduced to a punchline its own kind of atmospheric. She surrounds you with weather, wildlife, community, pace of life. It feels like you're there, even if you don't want to be. I want to visit just so I can go to Publix.

I'm not sure whether I'd read more bound Arnett, but I'll definitely keep up with her on Twitter.