I struggled with the free verse style of this book, to be honest. Though I knew that's what I was getting going in, I wasn't really impressed with it. I'm not sure how necessary it was. Unique, certainly, but necessary? I'm not sure. 
 The problem for me was that despite the creativity the style offers, it also kept me from being totally immersed in the story. Hopkins skimps on the details in favour of flow and visual style on the page. The challenges the characters face are very real, but I never particularly cared about any of them. Again, this was part of the disconnect I felt because of the style. 
 Anyway. An interesting read, but not one that makes me inclined to want to pick up any of Hopkins' other books.