I don't know how she does it. She claims to be just a writer of stories, but her books are always suspenseful and surprising. This one is no exception. So many sub-plots, but in her capable hands you don't get lost, and you're always wondering about the many ways they characters might be connected. And then you're wrong. A great read.
We're all gonna die. Here's a quote: "Peatlands, which represent no more than 4 percent of the earth's terrestrial surface, store twice as much carbon as all of the world's forests. They not only filter water that yaks, cattle, sheep and fertilized farmlands pollute, but they also hold back that water in times of flood and store it during extended drought." Every time that peat is removed, tons of carbon gets released into the atmosphere. So don't use peat pots or peat moss. Informative, for sure, but we're all gonna die.
The only reason you can keep reading is Augusten's breezy style, even in the face of the horror that was his childhood. It's gut-wrenching, but so, so captivating.
