Meh.
It's an Anne Tyler story, with a zany chaotic family and an introvert drawn out by a random event. But it lacks the depth and detail in the characters that make her earlier books special. Try Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant or The Accidental Tourist instead.

This was the first Anne Tyler book I've read. It took me a few chapters to decide if I wanted to continue reading it but because it's on the shorter side and was moving along quickly, I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. It had a 'A Man Called Ove' vibe to it. I loved how Micah grew through the story, reminding us that we're never really finished growing. We always have something to learn from someone else.

Red-head is just OK. The good news is it's really short. Not until Chapter 6 did it start to seem like a funny Anne Tyler novel. The main character, Micah, is interesting enough, and mildly amusing with his strict habits and ordinary life. Micah has 5 or 6 sisters, *all* of whom are waitresses. Seems like a good ploy for interesting relationships and character-building, but the sisters are relegated to an excuse for Micha's reluctance to spend much time with his family. Ah the long-suffering male protagonist. This is quite a minor irritating point, but I noticed excessive use of the word "shucking" (of blazers, of coats). When you notice the writing like that, you're not having much enjoyment reading. If you haven't read any Anne Tyler novels, pick up some of her older ones.

Very, very much an Ann Tyler book, and although it was published in 2020 if the occupation of the main character was changed to maybe TV repairman, substituted land-lines for cell phones, and left out the computer references the story could be taking place in the 80's during Ann Tyler's hey-day. She retains her ability to illustrate personalities and the complexities of family lives through conversations and socializations, which is very enjoyable, but at the same time the story-line here is a little thin.

Very funny joke on pages 152-3 of the hardback copy

Meh. I would write a longer review but there really wasn't much to this book. The main character is a "Tech Hermit" which is incidentally the name of his business. This book read so fast I finished it in a day. There really was no development of the characters and the book is slightly depressing because the main character is basically starting to realize he is getting older (the college girlfriend he once had has a kid who is in college now himself) and he is so finicky, he can't seem to really get into a serious relationship. I wouldn't recommend this book (especially now when we need to look outside of ourselves a bit and appreciate other people) and it will be something I will probably forget about in a couple of days.

I really have always like Anne Tyler, but this was pretty thin.

Better than her other more recent books.

I agree - not my favorite Anne Tyler. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is the best in my reading world. I found the resolutions way too fast and was happy that the ending left readers open to possibilities and not a happy ever after conclusion. I do think the way she looks at people from the inside and the outside is wonderful - you can picture them and their MO. Here's a great line from the novel "Women kept the world running, really. (There was a definite difference between "running the world" and "Keeping it running." Yes, indeed.

Booker Prize 2020 Long List