by Ann Patchett
A peculiar and disturbing picture of the ways a childhood that was not ideal, albeit far from awful, can warp everyone’s life. Patchett’s writing is terrific, and Tom Hanks’s reading in the audiobook seems perfect — and Hanks is really well cast here. Still, I found the pacing to be sluggish and, often, neither I nor the characters seemed to have much to look forward to.