Charmingly Euphemistic

I am listening to the audiobook, and enjoying it a lot.  I was really nervous about the reader at first.  He is a little bit on the pedestrian side, and he read the opening poem like I would have read it.  But his voice for D is very good, and he is bringing out the humor in the story.

For me, listening to a book is a different experience from reading it.  Since I can't skim, any flaws in the writing are highlighted.  Any place where the pacing drags really drags, and any embarrassing bits or awkward phrasing are worse when I have to listen to every word. On the other hand, I catch new things in the story, no matter how many times I have read it before - especially humor and throwaway bits that end up being important later.  

I have always seen the flaws in Zero at the Bone - it has pacing problems and awkward phrasing and embarrassing bits - and loved it anyway.  The character arcs and the way the characters grow in ways that make them work together is lovely, and the story (glossing over the slow bits) is really gripping. Jack becomes braver and tougher and D becomes more human, in a way that feel believable to me. I really root for them.

I am about a quarter of the way through, and just past one of my favorite parts.  Jack has to venture out on his own and 

In order to meet this challenge, he has to push himself.  He was already very smart and hard working and caring, but also a bit passive.  His ex-wife chased and caught him and then shooed him away once she found someone to truly love, and it was all very friendly and easy.  He has slept with a few men, but I guess none of them has chased him yet, because mostly he stays home and watches TV.  

This is way out of his comfort zone and he rises to the challenge beautifully.