Book 11: The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

This was one of my latest library sale purchases. My friend Cynthia saw it first; she had read it and said it was weird (at least I think that was her word.) I'm not sure what to make of it myself. I wanted to keep reading; isn't that a sign of success?

Quoyle is a lonely man abused by his family, who fails at everything he tries His only two friends move out of town. His marriage is a farce; his wife Petal is a continual cheater. His parents die by a double suicide, telling Quoyle by a message on his answering machine. He loses his job. Then Petal runs off with a lover after selling their two daughters to a pornographer. The children are rescued unharmed, but Petal and her lover die in a car accident.

Quoyle and his daughters join his aunt and return to the family home on the Newfoundland coast where they meet several colorful characters and make new friends. 

I'm ambivalent about this book. I cared enough about the characters to want to finish their story. On the other hand, the quirkiness factor was off the charts and unbelievable.