Having tried reading V. and failing miserably, I was a bit nervous about picking up another Pynchon novel so soon. But hearing that my favorite director Paul Thomas Anderson was going to be releasing his adaptation pretty soon, I figured I might as well try it. Especially considering, from the bits that I had read, it seemed a way easier read than V was. 
 I don't consider myself a great reader by any stretch of the imagination. I read a lot, and I'm getting better at it, I try to push myself, but I still found this book to be pretty tough. The story seems convoluted, but it seemed purposely convoluted--so that perhaps you may feel like you were in a marijuana haze like Doc, the protagonist. But it was also, like I expected, a lot more of a lighthearted and easier read than what you might expect from Pynchon. I honestly feel quite bad about only giving this book 3 stars, because it really made me laugh a whole lot. A few times in public too. I just couldn't help giggling. It's a very funny book. And Doc is a great character who is easy to root for. 
 It seems to me like this was Pynchon having fun and trying to appeal to a more mainstream audience. I think it worked. I predict this book to have a cult following even more so than his other books do, especially after the movie is released. I'm very intrigued by Pynchon. A man who seems so smart and funny definitely deserves more of my time and effort, and I look forward to rereading this one and reading his others as I improve as a reader.