Who By Fire

I just finished reading "Who By Fire", by Diana Spechler, for book group.

Spechler writes with an authoritative tone that I appreciate. Her approach is down to earth and accessible, and I like the combination of low diction and smart insights.

However, this book did not convince me. It was full of neat twists and easy wrap-ups, and frankly, the three main characters sounded the same.

More than anything, the characters had far too much self-awareness. Bits, the nympho daughter, for example. She's big on talking about she wants to fuck this one, that one, the other one (and she wants to fuck them all), and how it's a cure-all for the fact that her sister disappeared years ago and she's still hurting about it.

Self-awareness is a great thing for people. For literary characters, sometimes delusion can be easier to swallow.