i know there are many glowing reviews of this book, but mine will not be one of them. i agree ms. robinson certainly knows how to turn a phrase and can go on and on with her symbolic, lyrical descriptions. i had to force myself to slow down when i read 'housekeeping,' which i thought was a good sign. at first. any book that makes you slow down and pay attention deserves high marks. but i also had to force myself to finish it. there is too much flowery description and not much else. it is a very slow, stagnant, depressing story. by the last few chapters i was skimming like mad, because i had been depleted of patience to follow a story that HAD no story.