Be warned - this is a book in which you will very likely HATE every single character. Your hate will be exhausting and the end is so trivial and stupid you will likely say "well, that is X hours I will never get back." Much of the book left me thinking Shriver has a political agenda - enough already. I enjoyed We Need to Talk About Kevin (where I also strongly disliked most of the characters) but this one had the added bonus of including a secondary character about whom you sit for 80% of the book wondering "why is this person part of the book?" I think I'm done with Ms. Shriver.