What do readers think of Extraordinary Adventures by Daniel Wallace? Write your own review.

Edsel Bronfman is a character you can't help but root for, probably the most naive man I've ever read about. Yet, one can't help but hope he finds his way and the companionship and love he longs for. Is it an easy journey— absolutely not. The fact that he initially has a timetable to find someone to take a trip with, is the impetus that forces him from his comfort zone to tentatively and awkwardly reach out to others. The path isn't easy and the other characters are diverse and well written. I really enjoyed this book because it is so different. This would make a fun book club selection.

I had not read a book by Daniel Wallace before. I HAD seen the movie "Big Fish;" it was quirky, and charming, so thought I'd take a chance.

What I found was definitely quirky. Very little charm, however. Edsel reminded me a lot of Quoyle in "Shipping News" - a lovable loser, whom one worried about page after page after page. I think the bottom line is that I simply felt extremely uncomfortable while reading this book. Edsel's apartment is robbed by his drug-dealer neighbor and he doesn't move out. His mother is crazier than a loon, and a horrible mother, besides, but he is not dissuaded from any interaction with her. It's just one cringe-worthy episode after another. I didn't find it entertaining - it was just unpleasant.

I REALLY wanted to like this book. I wanted to fall in love with the quirkiness of the characters, and join them on their life-affirming adventures. I wanted to leave a positive review on BookBrowse (which I LOVE). Unfortunately the characters just gave me the creeps. I found that I simply didn't want to spend any time with them, not even to find out if Edsel ever gets to Destin, falls in love, or lives happily ever after.

The good, I laughed out loud and actually read a passage to a friend because it was funny. The author has a way of making ordinary observations, funny and touching. If this would have been consistent, my review would be stronger.

Also, in the category of the good is Bronfman's relationship with his mother. The author portrays the struggles of adult children with parents who are slowly deteriorating.

The average. Sometimes, the book felt like it droned on, Bronfman's life is meant to feel like average/boring, but we get it. But there is something about this level of dullness that weighs the book down. There is also a piece of this averageness that seems disingenuous given some of the piercing insights that Bronfman has.

This may be a writing style perspective however I had a difficult time reading this novel. In my opinion there is way too much detail and not enough plot movement. I kept hoping the plot would accelerate but it did not. It was a very unusual story and maybe some readers would appreciate it for that reason. There was some humor that I enjoyed, but not enough to save the book.

Edsel Bronfman is different and I didn't quite believe he could be real for awhile. The result of a one night stand and raised by a single mother who is now slipping into dementia, he finds himself at 34, alone and leading a routine life. One phone call changes that. He wins an all expense paid trip to Florida for a time share presentation. Two catches shape the story. He must have a companion and there is a time limit. Then crazy things begin to happen and Bronfman starts to discover himself. This is a coming of age story it can happen anytime in your life. I found the book slow going for the first half of the book and then I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out.