I like the author – truly. The Others is a treat of a story to enjoy. Listen to that.
This story, however, was like a nest of mosquitoes in my brain. The problem is the characters, and since this is a character-driven story, that is indeed a big problem.
Most stories show a progression for their character. Accomplishing a goal, or mission – overcoming some obstacle, learning new skills – you get the idea. These characters? No. The greater irritation that drove me to abandon this story all together, was the female lead and her soul crushing repetition of “My baby, my baby!” Over and over ad nausea. Every nuance of any conversation, idea, or experience had to be examined, torn apart, then run up against her swelling belly. Ya, you’re pregnant. Move on! 2nd on the irritation list was both characters complete idiocy. I know they were supposed to represent more of the everyday person, but with the stupid mistakes, horrible assumptions, and damage they inflicted on themselves, there is no way in hell either one would last more than 2 days.
Yes, I see others have given this high marks, but The Stupid these characters represent is just too strong to ignore.