This book was incredibly moving. The style of writing was thought provoking and it was also fun to read about the late 60s and early 70s through the main character and see the differences in life then, especially in the operating room. The characters really moved me...Gene was so hard to like, yet I also loved him. I think it's because he truly represented the human nature so well. You can have amazingly good parts of you, but also really low flaws. So in a way, Gene reminded me of me. And maybe that hit too close to home. But Gene's growth was so great to watch unfold. I was devastated about his poor dog Apollo though (in that regard, I can't relate - my animals are EVERYTHING to me!) Even though I kept expecting him and Patty to return to each other, I wasn't upset by the ending at all. The author did a great job sewing up every little plot line and character so well, and it was such a great book to read and relate to.