I hated this book at first. I've always said that I have a hard time with novels if I don't like the main character (especially if it's the first person narrator), and the one in this book is absolutely vile. Just a terrible, stupid, inconsiderate, vicious person. But somehow, 1/3 of the way in or so, her cruelty became almost baroque in its senselessness and absurdity, and the book began to grow on me. I found myself enjoying it in spite of myself. It's a dark, bizarre novel, but there's something kind of mesmerizing about it.
The blurb on the back says it's about how a recent college grad reads Treasure Island and decides to model her life after it. This is, strictly speaking, true, but it's a misleading way to see the book. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that it's a kind of retooled Confederacy of Dunces - the emotional impact was extremely similar. It's a wacky book, but an interesting read. Not for the faint of heart, but not a bad way to pass a few hours.
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