I can't quite understand the one bad review, as this is absolutely one of the best books I've read lately...and I've read plenty of good books. The characters are well-defined, the plot is different from anything I've ever read before, and it is so beautifully written that it is very hard to put down. There are stories within the primary story, as well, rather like Scheherezade. This book will keep you riveted for hours. Well worth the price and the time taken to read it!

The characters were very well defined and the plot was conceived with enough twists and turns to keep me reading until the very end. I really wanted to like this book, but I disliked most of the characters so much that I could hardly wait for it to be over with. I realize they were supposed to be good ol' boy, salt-of-the-earth type people, but they just seemed self-righteous and full of themselves to me. Only one character was completely likable, and he was the antagonist's son. So, although I wish I could give it 5 stars as she is a good writer, I'm giving her only 3.

This book is excellent for those who wish to create for their children an alternative form of learning about the world than the options available through traditional means. It takes a lighthearted and sometimes humorous view of how to implement this new form of learning.

The only disclaimer I would provide would be that this is aimed more towards people with children in middle school or high school. As a senior adult student, I was searching for alternative ways to provide further education for myself; in that regard, this book was not practicable for someone my age. That does not mean, however, that it is not the right one for many others.