Basically this book goes: depressing, depressing, depressing, depressing, HORRIFYING, depressing, depressing, somewhat redeeming, sad, happy ending. If you can get through Shep's life when he loses his dream to escape the rat race, watches his wife battle cancer, his best friend's daughter suffer loudly and sarcastically through a hereditary illness, having to put his father in nursing home, then you might make it to the ending. It was a struggle for me for a while.