Our book club suffered through a couple duds the last few months, but this one has lifted my spirits. Enders creates a world where things are not "black and white." Characters who I thought were type-casted surprised and softened me. At first I didn't think I could relate to an alcoholic mother who leaves her baby behind, but a few pages in and I realized how the same we all really are. Great first novel, leads to easy and involved conversation, and was a good length (240 pgs?) for (most of) the members to finish in a month.