I was quite disappointed with this book as I thought it would be more of a mystery. For instance, on page 7, there is mention of "...a young woman found dead..." but nothing more is made of that by Mr Enger. He created many characters with names which relate to water & fish so that was interesting. I did not find much humor &/or captivating whimsy in it whatsoever. I read a few chapters every day as it is not a book that I HAD to read in one sitting in order to ascertain the thrilling ending, which it is not. I would only recommend it to someone who wants a quiet, non-challenging experience as it requires no mental stimulation. I did find, however, that although Virgil had lost his memory somewhat after his accident, he somehow still managed to recognize the townspeople by name - fascinating.