What a lovely, considered, and thoughtful review! (Please start contacting the NYT Book Review now!) Voice IS critical. If the protagonist is utterly unlikable, or has a voice that grates on your soul, the remaining aspects of the novel must be outstanding to overcome the reader's discomfort. I, for one, find that rarely does a novel compensate for spending time with someone I abhor. That's why (in the beforetimes, when actually allowed to browse the stacks) I flip open to a random page. If the writing is compelling, the book is a keeper. If my nose wrinkles, I flip to a second page (second chances are a good thing!) and try again. If the voice, or general writing, remains off-putting, then the novel is a no-go for me. Looking forward to your next review!
What a lovely, considered, and thoughtful review! (Please start contacting the NYT Book Review now!) Voice IS critical. If the protagonist is utterly unlikable, or has a voice that grates on your soul, the remaining aspects of the novel must be outstanding to overcome the reader's discomfort. I, for one, find that rarely does a novel compensate for spending time with someone I abhor. That's why (in the beforetimes, when actually allowed to browse the stacks) I flip open to a random page. If the writing is compelling, the book is a keeper. If my nose wrinkles, I flip to a second page (second chances are a good thing!) and try again. If the voice, or general writing, remains off-putting, then the novel is a no-go for me. Looking forward to your next review!