Really well executed, and a prose improvement from the last outing. Neither are in a style that is my usual reading fare, but this is beautifully layered and hits some seriously difficult material more honestly than almost anything else I've read.

For a wetdryvac that doesn't connect to humans very well, the approach to character motivation and interaction made a hell of a lot more sense than I usually find, and while hitting some seriously painful material, did so in a manner where character interactions didn't feel contrived. Well observed social cause and effect, even - and particularly, I suppose - within abuse structures.

Things that kept me reading beyond that: The comfortable home-ness described in many ways throughout. The ungodly insertions of pop-culture, puns, black humor, and silliness that neither undercut nor was undercut by the regularly brutal material.

Highly recommended IF one has a strong stomach. Recommending anyway even without the strong stomach - a great ride - but one might need a bag every now and then. ( )