Glad we aren't the only ones who've noticed

But the blurbers and reviewers were so enthusiastic -- Mr. Toltz was compared to Mark Twain, John Irving, Martin Amis, Tom Robbins and even Charles Dickens. What more could I want?

A plot, compelling voices, believable characters and an editor with a machete for starters. There were a lot of funny moments and lines, and Mr. Toltz is obviously an exceptionally imaginative and witty guy, but where were his minders? Someone should have sat him down in an interrogation room and offered a plea bargain: Lose 100 pages or go to jail.

--Cynthia Crossen in the WSJ, not talking about JK Rowling but hitting the nail on the head nonetheless