I suspect that fans of Albert Camus and Stephen King would give more stars to this book. If you prefer protagonists who combat evil and overcome hardships, avoid this book. The book is set in California during the Depression. The book convincingly portrays the agony of the dust bowl victims who headed for California in the hope of starting a new life. Among the travelors is a man named Cooper. Cooper, to avoid a prison term, becomes a paymaster for an orange grower who employs and abuses migrant workers. A nanny employed by the orange grower believes that she has the power to control dead animals and dead people. Cooper, seemingly unable to control any circumstances, is driven by circumstances beyond his control into mental and emotional hell.