(2/24/2010)
After hearing of all the glowing word of mouth reviews for this book, I decided to read it. In general, the story and reference to heaven are somewhat entertaining. Unfortunately, after reading it, I almost feel that I have lost some brain cells because of it. I did not plan to provide a critical review. However, there were so many technical glitches that I couldn't help but start to add them up. First of all, the underground room in the corn field is ridiculous. If you have ever dug a hole to plant a tree, you would realize that the volume of soil that would have been removed would have been enormous (3 times the area of the room) and would have not gone unnoticed by the school kids or the farmer. Where did all of the soil go? The author never indicates how this drifter from a vagabond existence came to live in a modest upper middleclass neighborhood with no steady income (dollhouses?). She mentions a dishwasher in the home, but the family washes by hand in 2 later references. She speaks of an illegal "joyride" when the two young sisters share a seatbelt. Seatbelt laws in the early 1970's? She describes "rows and rows of wheat fields" in heaven. If you have ever seen a wheat field, you would know that is not planted in rows!! Lindsey and her boyfriend do not ride the motorcycle (not broken) in the rain in their leather jackets and pants, with visored helmets. For some inexplicable reason, they decide to run home......in the rain........for 8 miles........in their underwear??? These are just a few; there were numerous analogies that left me scratching my head or worse, wincing.