I really enjoyed Klosterman's writing and became very involved with the characters, which is definitely the mark of a good writer. The ending, however, really spoiled the book for me; it seemed very abrupt and didn't leave you with any sense of closure. It seemed like the characters deserved better. The rest of the book is an easy read and a great small-town America study, with a good dose of humor.
When I tried to read Sex, Drugs, and Coco-Puffs I didn't make it through 10 pages before I decided I hated the book. So when my book club chose Downtown Owl I was nervous. It turned out that I had nothing to worry about because Downtown Owl is the most fun book that I've read in a while. Quirky and fast but somehow still deep. I loved the way Klosterman had the omnipotent narrator but jumped around to different characters. I'm going to have to give Coco Puffs another try.
A very enjoyable read about small town life in the 80's. With Kosterman's special dark humor of daily life, he shows the very human side to characters of all different types. As someone who has never lived in a small town, the idea of the same group of people knowing each other their entire lives and not being able to do anything about it is an interesting way to tell a story.
