sometimes reminded me a bit of flowers for algernon in the way is teetered on just being misery for misery’s sake, but carson mccullers exhibits a kind of restraint that prevents this work from ever falling directly into that trap. the circumstances are miserable, but realistic enough that i never felt like i was being tricked into feeling something. the chapters from mick’s point of view were especially good, and as a result other chapters felt a bit flat in comparison. mick felt so alive and her thought processes were so accurate to her character and age it made me wonder whether she wasn’t almost entirely based on mccullers as a child. overall, really loved reading this. i don’t understand the criticism that it “doesn’t have a plot” or “nothing happens” etc etc. that’s modernist literature for you! and the sooner you start to embrace that the more you will grow to love books regardless of what happens in them!!