Instruct: Classify a given Amazon review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Self-Indulgent!

I have to agree with the editorial reviews who say this is definitely not John Irving's best work. I have read all of his novels, and I suppose when you have the reputation that he rightfully has, it's hard for one's own editors and publishers to criticize you. However, at least 200 pages could have been cut from this. Self-indulgent is the best description I could give it. At the end I was left feeling like I just didn't "get it". Irving's prior works usually contain characters most describe as eccentric. This book leads me to believe he's forgotten that the audience has to care about the characters, and that while the author may feel that you can't describe things fully enough, there is something to be said for "less is more"!