Kind of a tough book to make it through. While blasting through it went pretty smoothly,but when I had to lay it down a couple days I liked to never get rolling again. Great in its parts, mostly, but never feels like it comes together. Threads dead end at the same spot (and then are all prettily bowed up in an epilogue). 
 See a lot of folks talk about a lack of likable or relatable characters, but I rather liked the kids and at least sympathized with the parents. Gary especially, before he took a rather weird, hard turn between Philly and St. Jude. Almost like two different characters. 
 Moral of the story: Fathers who don't do the job of fathering ruin their own lives and the lives of the family members.