The Truth about Love and Lightning

Disappointing read, especially for me because the author is from my hometown of St. Louis and the novel is set in the nearby Washington, Missouri area. McBride is trying for a magical realism vibe, which is all well and good, but she neglects to flesh out her characters and includes too many different POVs for a short 300 page novel. As a result, Gretchen, Abby and most of all the mysterious man who appears after a storm lack any depth or nuance. The man who might or might not be Gretchen's long-last friend Sam comes off worst of all, speaking with New Age-y wisdom but nothing resembling a real human being.