Title: Convoluted, overhyped mess.
Product review: Though Julie Smith does give an invaluable lesson in the minutae of New Orleans social structure, perhaps she should have written a guide book rather than this mess.Skip Langdon, as our intrepid protagonist is almost likable. One is intrigued by her stature, her outsider status both professionally and personally and her personal history. However, Smith's creation seems to make so many mistakes and have such poor judgement that at times her low esteem seems justified. Her constant jealousies are distracting and in the end prove to be extraneous.The multiple points of view add nothing to the plot nor the mood, and when the POV is not Skip's the story's momentum comes to a standstill. The story is full of sidelines and subplots which are then dropped and never brought to conclusion.The final nail in the coffin for me was the two dimensional, not to mention offensively stereotypical depiction of homosexuals.I'm trully surprised this book won any awards let alone the Edgar.
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