"Schwartz knew that people loved to suffer, as long as the suffering made sense. Everybody suffered. The key was to choose the form of your suffering. Most people couldn't do this alone; they needed a coach. A good coach made you suffer in a way that suited you. A bad coach made everyone suffer in the same way, and so was more like a torturer."
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I don't particularly have an interest in baseball, but this didn't expect me to. There was enough jargon to feel grounded in the narrative without overwhelming or boring non-fanatics.

The exploration of Henry's breakdown was beautifully complex. Particularly, Schwartz's struggle with if he did or didn't wish for this break. Pella was a deeply unlikeable and unsympathetic character to me- her complaints about her own suffering to Schwartz, sleeping with Henry, and the way she expected to be catered to and babied made her so unlikeable. Maybe that was Harbach's intention.

I found the affair between Owen and Affenlight to be a gross misuse of power. Especially Harbach framed Affenlight as a victim when he was very much the pursuer and supposed to be the responsible party. I didn't love that whole arc as it reduced Owen- a remarkable individual- to a sex object.

I loved that everyone was still grappling with their issues at the end in a very human way. They were imperfect but evolving and hopeful.