An entertaining, fun, and captivating read

Ocean’s book is full of impressively descriptive metaphors and vivid details that bring the ideas, characters, and places of the story to life. The novel paints a reassuring and comfortable picture of life as part of a large Southern family. A number of the scenes contain amusing laugh out loud humor, such as some of the conversations between members of the Stones’ large family. The dialogue, especially when between several different characters in the same scene, is often musical and entertaining in its pacing and structure.

The main downside to the novel is the plot is somewhat weak, heavy on soap opera-like relationship drama and much of the climax turning on rather boring and technical business law. Still, I was drawn into the story, and when I finished the book I would happily have kept reading more about the characters.