This is a novel that demonstrates, both through the intent and the form of the story, the craft of writing. At a certain point while reading this, I was somewhat turned off by the deliberateness of Irving's writing -- it made me think too much of "workshop" writing, the kind that is produced in academic remove. But as Irving continued to unravel the strings of his characters' lives, I got drawn in despite myself. By the end, I loved the characters -- especially Ketchum -- as much as Irving did.