Petterson is the master of prose when it comes to memory, time, and description of feeling. His plots and characters are not the most riveting or about likeable people. The protagonist in this story is a real loser and I cringed when he routinely took a healthy unwanted dog to be euthanized. With a title cursing time this book just beckoned to be read. These are slow reads as the action or lack of it doesn't compel you to turn the page. However, you do feel satiated from just short reads as Petterson's prose is so fulfilling.