I loved this book, and then passed it on to my son and daughter-in-law, who also enjoyed it. The novel takes place in a small town in the Midwest, one teetering on the verge of obsolescence -- as are many of its characters. The book is comprised of many small events, and it could never be accused of being a thriller. But Enger's writing is consistently illuminating, and the care he takes in crafting his language makes us feel the significance of the people and events that inhabit his fictional world.