2.5 stars. Well, after such high praise for [b:The Member of the Wedding|330244|The Member of the Wedding|Carson McCullers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403187223s/330244.jpg|604941], I found myself faced with another McCullers work that was melodramatic and moody. It's hard for me to explain why I just can't get into her work, especially since it seems right up my alley: Southern gothic themes, alienated characters, controversial subject matter, etc. As with every other McCullers work I've read other than Wedding, it felt plodding and sterile, despite the lurid plot.