[A] gem of a book ... The characters of Gulman’s youth... come alive with such exactitude that they leap from the pages and inspire emotional reactions.
Winsome ... Throughout, Gulman alternates his recollections with brief present-tense updates about the status of his adult depression. These can feel aimless and inconsequential beside the more vivid childhood sections, but they give the narrative shape and help Gulman pull off a moving conclusion.
Some readers may wish to have learned more about his ordeal. However, he tells his story well, and his knack for creating a well-crafted phrase is very much in evidence.
