This book started with a touch of quirky humor but over time changed into a serious love story. I liked how Patrick learns about true love and compassion as he tries to win Doris’ heart. I also found the insight into television news coverage informative.

This was entertaining while I read it, but it isn’t all that great. I know that not every Irving book can be a good as The World According to Garp or A Prayer for Owen Meany (my favorites), but I expected more.

Without giving away the story, I just didn’t buy into the woman’s obsession with the hand or the man’s love for the woman. And, in a very un-Irving way, there were many loose ends—several characters with prominent parts in the beginning of the book disappear without a trace. We’re told that the protagonist changed, and that the “new” Patrick Wallingford is not like the “old” Wallingford, but I couldn’t really see why he changed, and why his changing necessarily meant that characters would disappear.

It was like Irving packed the first half of the book with typical Irving situations and characters, then got bored with the whole thing, so spent the second half resolving it all in the fastest, most simplistic, straightforward way he could.

I finished the book, but this was a huge disappointment for me. Irving, usually hitting them out of the park, weakly pops one up here.