To call the circumstances described in this book as "charming," as several reviewers have done, is patronizing. These characters all have major problems of their own making, they blame everyone and everything but themselves, and they all seem to think that sex or guns will solve whatever problem arises. A woman who buys "catting around" clothes for her adult, married son, then dances nude for her brother-in-law to get back some of the money (needed so that the trailer will not be repossessed for back taxes) is not charming, she's foolish. Another "adult" woman has three children in three years, endures physical abuse, and then turns to prostitution and drugs to support her alcohol habit, is sick and needs help, not a dose of charm. A man who hears snakes in his head and then buys a gun to use against his "sworn enemies" is terrifying, not charming or an example of "black humor," another term used here. This book is like a printed transcript of the Jerry Springer Show.

The blue ribbon for family dysfunction has been awarded:
it is the family of Jim Hutchins from New Hampshire.

The blue ribbon for citizen dysfunction has been awarded: it is to any person living in the small town in New Hampshire associated either by relative or friends, neighbors, store owners or law enforcement officials
to the family of Jim Hutchins.

What compells anyone to read this novel is absurd expectation. The characters are barely hanging onto reality. Some of them beckon sympathy and an appeal that they will pull their stupid heads out of their....well...let us just say they beckon some empathy for their predicaments.

Yet, it is their stupidity that turns the pages of this novel. One can hardly believe their ignorance can continue to progress, and the innocent prayer that some savior will rush out to change the course of impending doom is frankly the only reason I kept up with the book!!

If you want to read more than a train wreck, read this.

Speak of a dysfunctional family. Wow! Meet Jim and Pauline Hutchins and their children, nephews and assorted other relatives. They find trouble where was none before. And when you think nothing else could possibly go wrong, another can of worms open up. The Book of Job is a children's tale by comparison. All this gets to the point where, unfortunately, it becomes very funny. It sounds like a story out of some Kentucky holler and not like prim, staid and silent New England.

I very much admire the author for his incredible gift of imagination. He wrote a wonderful book.