I enjoyed the book immensely. It left me with lots of questions about the end of one's existence. I found myself living in Juan Diego. Irving is not the most disciplined author, but I'm not the most disciplined reader. I read and he takes me on a journey exploring all the twists, turns, and dead ends of life. I still have a couple books of his to read, but I am already looking forward to a second reading of my favorites, including "Avenue of Mysteries"