The Love of My Youth

I don't know, there was lots of intriguing stuff in here but it felt labored, and I kept forgetting it was by an American writer because it seemed so much like recent Julian Barnes or whatever. Sometimes I wish writers who get older would not feel the need to deliver end of life insights, with which this novel is somewhat overburdened. I kind of love Doris Lessing for having figured out how not to get super-heavy about this--maybe because she was so serious in youth and lightened up?

Still, though, really vivid writing and sharp insights and memorable people and many writers can't do that at any point in life.