Pat Conroy's South of Broad

Because I belong to a book club, I sometimes read books that I might not otherwise choose. This novel is one. I'd never read a Pat Conroy book before, though I remember enjoying the film, The Prince of Tides.

Reviews of Conroy's latest novel, South of Broad, have been mixed. Indeed, my own view of it is mixed. At first, I was turned off by Conroy's over-the-top, anything-but-concise description of scenery, people, just about anything. I don't frankly care if the tide is coming in or out, if the sky is blue or gray. I would, however, have liked to understand better how this unlikely group of characters became such close friends. Conroy never adequately explains that to my satisfaction. Further, I found the main character too good to be true (when he bathes and cleans up the ailing, elderly man, for instance) and too eloquent and witty for a teenager.

All that said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it much faster than I do most novels. In short, it entertained me. Conroy can tell a good story; there's no doubt about that. Like the many writers, he just needs to tighten up his writing a tad. And that's just for starters.