Yet it's hard to tell if he is sending up the sentimentality or indulging in it. Unlike [Francine] Prose or [Philip] Roth's books [Blue Angel and American Pastoral respectively], Colapinto's never quite transcends being genre fiction, by which I mean, not only does the work thrill more than convince, it also feels as if the Big Question at its heart is unclear. Genre fiction is fine, but when the writer deals in such volatile subject matter, you hope the writer's got a damn good reason for it."[1]