My first Ann Patchett. Picked up at the library after being assigned some essays from [b: This Is A Story Of A Happy Marriage|17349222|This is the Story of a Happy Marriage|Ann Patchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375215541s/17349222.jpg|18373204] in a writing class and getting curious about her fiction. A few other people in my class also read it and felt like the backstory was unnecessary. I'm not sure I agree; it did drag a bit, but I think it was useful in setting up that these children were raised in a different time, by parents with different priorities. I think the best part of this book was the central concept: boy meets girl, boy is famous author with writer's block, boy pillages girl's life to write biggest hit yet, book is turned into a movie. As much as people joke around about who would play them in a movie of their lives, it was unsettling to imagine it happening like it happened to this family, without their previous knowledge or permission. Overall I quite liked the book. I guess it's not for everyone, based on the reactions of my classmates who also read (or tried to read) it, but I thought it was good.