We follow three different stories through several different characters and their problems all coming together within a day on Christmas Eve.
This book tries to be cool and witty, and in ways, it does succeed. It has interesting metaphors and the writing seems to almost be song like. All the characters feel like real people or have had experiences and feelings that I can relate to, such as the death of a loved one due to cancer, being bullied, feeling lost, and feeling like a failure. There were even times I'd say to myself sarcastically while reading, "Yeah, that'd happen. Just my luck working away there."
On the other hand, this book tries to be too cool and witty, especially with the writing. There's too much purple prose to see the beauty of the words, and I was often confused as to what was happening at any given time. It's a stream of consciousness as we paddle from one thought to the next at breakneck speed. I can't stand most of the characters. Madeleine especially, who is openly a bully and rude. Yes, I understand that she is 9 years old and her father is self absorbed in sadness, but I certainly wasn't like her when I was little and I didn't know anyone who was.
The reader is suppose to come to this understanding that while nothing is fixed, the characters themselves have found their happy ending from within. But through all the needless perspectives of side characters and rambling prose, I couldn't really get into it and I can't think of anyone who would enjoy this book.
In the end, I like the realism of how the events unfold and come to a close, as well as the realism of the characters, but the writing is really what lost me.