You guys, I promise not to bore you too much more with my love for Willy Vlautin's books, but The Free finally went on sale on February 4th (my sister's b-day, PS – so much love on one day!), and other people have been gushing about him too, so I thought I'd share.
From the Starred Library Journal Review:
Verdict Despite touching on urgent national issues such as health care and the death of the middle class, Vlautin’s deeply sympathetic novel never feels labored or overtly political, telling its characters’ stories in direct, unvarnished prose that recalls the best of John Steinbeck.
From the Starred Booklist Review:
“There are number of musician-novelists turning out fine work in both fields, but singer-songwriter Vlautin is clearly at the head of this multitalented group…At times, reading the heartbreaking, interlocking stories of these circumstance-ravaged souls can almost seem unbearable, but just when you’re ready to put the book down in despair, Vlautin delivers a moment of not hope exactly but unvarnished, aching humanity that takes your breath away.”