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runkefer's review against another edition
3.0
This book is difficult for me to review. I recently made a vow to myself that I would stop forcing myself to finish books that were not compelling. I broke that vow on this book, and I don't regret it. As other reviewers have said, it is verrrry long (especially as an e-book where your progress is not three-dimensional), there are a lot of characters, and there are some gimmicky narrative devices, AND YET, when I decided this weekend to sit down and finish it, I was pulled in to the comedy and tragedy of it all. The writing is deceptively straightforward and cunningly well-crafted. The main character, especially, is three-dimensional, flawed, and charming. The effort involved in chronicling this whole community of outsiders and how they've adapted to each other in their rejection of most of outside society is mind-boggling. And it works. When all is said and done, after I assented to immersing myself in this reading experience, it worked. Utopias are messy. Prophets and other charismatic leaders are deeply flawed, and also greatly misunderstood. The stuff that gets projected upon anyone who tries to stand up for something is on full display here. I'm glad I finished this book. I had not read any of Chute's work before, and perhaps should have started with THE BEANS OF EGYPT, MAINE, but I would probably go back and read that one at some point.
owloutstanding's review
5.0
Quirky and playful. Insightful. Crafty--of the craft and sly. Wise. Beautiful.
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