A Very Long Engagement

Several months ago, over in Jacqui's Room, I put out a call for book recommendations. I had high standards: “Looking for an intelligent book with humor, depth, and a gripping, complex plot. Must not open with landscapes. Also, graphic violence, kidnapping of small children, and jokes that hurt people's feelings need not apply. Satisfying, yet surprising ending essential.”

Corey Schwartz recommended this and won my reader's heart. A Very Long Engagement delivers all of the above, plus a mystery and a love story. I ate up the first half so greedily that, upon realizing I had missed a ton of clues, I was torn between wanting to go back to puzzle it out and racing ahead to find out what happened. So go read it, but read it slowly.