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I'm about 10 pages into it and I've read these 10 pages more than once. I'm already losing interest. It's jumping around a little too much for me, but the writing is very lovely and lyrical. So lyrical, it's like a lullabye putting me to sleep.... Can anyone offer some enouragement so I may be inspired to read on? I liked his short story in Granta's Best Young Novelists last year.

I tried this one a few years back and couldn't get into it either. My enjoyment of books is so dependent on my mood and where I am in my life. I knew several people who loved it, but I wasn't ready for it then, I guess. Put it down, read something else, and try it later is my suggestion. Not very encouraging, but there it is.

Thanks Melissa. I think you are right and I agree about where you are in life can affect your reading. I am going to read another 5-10 pages tonight and if that doesn't do it for me, then it's on to Olive Kitteridge.

Ok, so I'm about 50 pages in (it's slow going) and I figured out why this book doesn't really work for me. It's because it's too internal. The narrative is 3rd person omniscient with multiple points of view, but the characters are more or less alone in the first part. We see their actions, we know their thoughts. However, when there is no interaction, no dialogue (unless it takes place in a flashback), and only one person in the scene, I tend to feel it doesn't work too well. I need some sort of outside conflict or deeper internal conflict. It's starting to pick up now that the characters found each other and are interacting. But just thought I'd share this with you all. I think I'm going to finish it, but who knows. I'm sure there are other books I've read like this that I have enjoyed, but so far I'm struggling.

I gave it 3 of 5 stars because I am in a generous mood this morning. I wish GR had half stars because I would have given it 2.5 stars.

It's not an awful book. I wouldn't tell people "not" to read it, but it was a little slow and tedious for my taste.

There were a few things I really loved like the subtle connections between the living and the dead, the descriptions of Antarctica, and the way the author hones in on loneliness. The writing is superb, but as I said earlier I need a little more ineraction in a story. I'm sure this is hard to do when everyone in the story has died from a virus except for one woman left alone on earth. There were a few parts that rambled on and I admit I skimmed rather than thoroughly read.

The more I read on, the more I grew to appreciate it's simplicity, but let's just say I'm glad I'm done.