Quicksand

Twijfel tussen , *** en **. De hoofdpersoon is met enige regelmaat niet te pruimen, en het boek voelt dan veel te langdradig. Then again, het gesprek met God, en de plotwending die daarna kwam maakte het uiteindelijk toch wel bevredigend.

I received an ARC of this book through a First Reads giveaway.

I can't say that I enjoyed reading this book, it was so disjointed and meandering that it felt like a chore to get through. The comedy-drama balance felt off at times, especially towards the end, but the humor's undercurrent of darkness makes the tonal shifts work better than they would have otherwise.

I will admit that Quicksand has a solid sense of humor and wit. Unfortunately, Toltz seems to be a bit in love with his own wit, writing lengthy monologues that often feel more like the author's own stream-of-consciousness than anything necessary for the character. There's some good material in this book, but it isn't worth wading through the messy shit.