It took me a long time to even begin to care about the characters in this book. And once I did start caring it was only because I wanted terrible things to happen to all of these terrible people. But I can't say that they are unrealistically horrible. Smith nails trite, selfish, self righteous people who don't even try to be decent. Its all without comment tho. I didn't need judgment, but I did need thoughtfulness or introspection. Something. Otherwise it is just the book equivalent of sitting in the school lunchroom hating on everyone.