This was a wonderful book, recommended by a librarian friend. Howard, due to a war injury can not speak, however there is nothing wrong with his intelligence. He is put in the position of caring for a former girlfriend's child and during the process, he finds love, friendship, disappointment and dispair. Very interesting idea of having one's brain function, but be unable to communicate.

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Well, I listened to discussions of this book on the radio, and rushed right out to buy it. A nice book, sure, but for me, no where near up to the hype.

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On a scale of 1 to 10 this book is an ELEVEN. Loved it.

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I loved about 90% of this book...
Then the language got worse, the story lost its intelligence and integrity and the ending got phoned-in. As much as the first and middle kept me completely entranced, the ending made me completely angered and disappointed.

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I liked the premise of the book, and I was hooked at the beginning. Then the swearing got thicker and thicker ... and the vulgarity got stronger ... by the last third of the book it was so bad, and so depressing, that I skimmed through just to see how it ended. I did not find it hopeful or inspiring. I wanted a good finish after a strong beginning, and I felt let down instead.

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I thoroughly enjoyed the book as did most of my book club friends. The characters were authentic and the descriptions of each setting vivid. A great read and one that leaves questions to ponder and characters I will remember.

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good book. will be looking for more.

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Loved this book. Story is about Howie, a Vietnam Vet who comes home unable to communicate with the world. Thru an old girlfriend, Howie takes care of her young son and the relationship between them grows and changes Howie's life in ways he'd never expected. A different look at the Vietnam Vet thru this book.

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Starts out weird. The writing style is not traditional. Had a bit to keep up with what was actually happening, but stick with it. Intense story. Ending was disappointing to me, seemed to not fit with the rest of the story. four stars.

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Great book about a man "Howard" who comes back from the war looking like a monster. It's about his struggles & triumphs, although he looks like a monster, he's still the same person. It's a story about how important the human connection really is. Great book!

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Interesting, especially if you enjoy fiction tha focuses on a characters point of view.

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This is a really great book! Well worth reading.

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I listened to the unabridged audio, and can highly recommend it. Howard is mute, yet you're hearing his thoughts, a far more intense experience than reading them in print. Moreover, the narrator does a great job with the other characters as well, especially Laurel's soft Texas twang.

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Grim and grimmer. I was left hopeless.

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I liked the premise of the book, and I was hooked at the beginning. Then the swearing got thicker and thicker ... and the vulgarity got stronger ... by the last third of the book it was so bad, and so depressing, that I skimmed through just to see how it ended. I did not find it hopeful or inspiring. I wanted a good finish after a strong beginning, and I felt let down instead.

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This was a well written book with clear characters and made me feel involved. I was also impressed with the forward and the interview with the author at the end of the reading.
I have recommended it and shared it with several friends and family.

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