[sputnik]

i like franzen, he's an über-nerd and was obviously a very serious, self-conscious kid. it's a very honest, almost mundane account of his childhood and adolescence and i think there are things that almost everyone can identify with. it's not as riveting as 'the corrections' but also not as painful, but there is just something about the way he describes families... i can think of few authors that capture so well that moment when you grow up and the relationship with your parents shifts irreversibly.
i admit i still have about 50 pages to read (got sidetracked by another novel) so can't quite give my final verdict yet but so far i'm giving it a tentative 7/10