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I started reading this book years ago and couldn't make it through, not because it isn't well written or worth reading but because of how much pain it contains. It all felt so real and relatable the first time that I found myself dreading picking it up. I'm not sure what made me come back to it now after so many years, but I'm so glad I finally did. Franzen has a habit of waiting until the last few pages to provide resolutions for his characters, which means until that point is reached, readers are submerged in hundreds of pages of suffering, misery, loneliness, and the less enjoyable parts of being human. I've read other reviews speak about the characters as completely unlikable, and while I can understand this sentiment, I don't agree with it. For me, I felt the most connected to the characters when they were spiraling downward, could see that they were self-sabotaging, and felt powerless to get themselves out of their often self-created predicaments. Franzen's prose is as sharp as ever, as is his eye for detail. At times it feels like Franzen is laughing with you at how ridiculous his characters can be and at other times it feels like he is the compassionate observer sitting next to the characters and holding their hands as they describe how much pain they are in and how desperately they want to connect. While I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, I think it has a lot to offer if you can tough it out to the end and let yourself be moved.