OK, so this is supposed to show an uncaring attitude. In The Burgess Boys, we find multiple incidences of Americans referring to Somalis by the misnomer 'Somalians'. Racism is an important topic, and when discussed in a really thoughtful way, it can be powerful. The other topic of the book was what I assume was supposed to be a clever commentary on racism. The characters in the family were lackluster and boring, just like the plot, which plodded along sleepily and frequently got lost.

It was partly a story of family dynamics and the 'ties that bind', but I found it very hard to care about the family. In addition to the fact that the writing style was very cold and detached, the topic seemed derived and predictable. Since the author of this book won a Pulitzer, I had higher expectations. It was so OK that I will forget about it after I am done writing this. This novel was one of the most really really really OK books I have ever read. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout's newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art. With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with readers long after they turn the final page. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help.

But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan-the Burgess sibling who stayed behind-urgently calls them home. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride.

Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could.

The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout