Por que odie de este libro:
1. La mayor parte tiene escenas de relleno que no aporta nada a la trama
2. Los personajes son muy básicos y aburridos. No me encariñé con ninguno
3. Mucha discriminación (machismo, racismo, homofobia y gordofobia)

I like John Irving’s writing. Always interesting characters and stories. This does not disappoint. And shorter than most of his, i read much of it on an airplane. I didn’t realize how old this book was, but the events brought me back to that time period as well. Must read more.

John Irving is a pale imitation of Ernest Hemingway. His stories revolve around men and women serve as a sexual outlet. However, Hemingway allowed for the development of strong relationships among the men (or between a man and a fish). Irving's main characters tend to be loners who have no idea how to create deep relationships at all.

Patrick Wallingford, a television reporter, loses his hand to a lion in a highly unbelievable scenario. It's caught on camera and that's all anyone ever remembers about him afterwards. Except for the women with whom he's slept who all hate him. A Green Bay Packer fan, Doris Clausen, sees Wallingford on television and convinces her beloved husband to donate his hand to Wallingford. Yes, this is even less believable than the initial mauling. Her husband accidentally shoots himself after the Packers lose a Superbowl and the hand goes to Wallingford. This is supposed to provide him with an opportunity for growth, but mostly it leads Wallingford's narcissism to morph from one incarnation to another.

This reminded me of my first experience of John Irving, in The World According to Garp: Quirky characters, a plot that could strain credulity if it weren't so fun, and a love story at its heart. I especially liked the commentary on ghoul television and the inside view of the Green Bay Packers. Quick and delightful, but not everyone's cup of joe.