I read the first 100 pages and reached my breaking point. The character development is weak and predictible. I couldn't care less about this repressed man and his leaky ship. The central story was unspirited and overworked. After an hour of toil and pain I put Spartina down (for good!) and reached for the only thing that could revive my spirits, a York Peppermint Paddy and a glass of Beam