Crank

Innovative, each page standalone but connected and flowing, in some cases literally with the text arranged in various cascading shapes and columns. I was totally absorbed at first, then felt it dragged after a while before coming together rather quickly at the end (but there are sequels). Several hundred pages chronicling a life swirling down the drain feels like a grind after a while, but this is real life. In fact, the story is based on the author's daughter, which is a bit disturbing to think about, and the author's note at the end, which recounts her long journey in satisfying her writer's itch, does discuss the criticism that she's mining success out of her daughter's travails, but she doesn't portray herself in a glowing light either. Between the story's end and the author note is a mercifully short reader discussion guide with just a couple of questions (I always feel it's a letdown to finish a good story and then immediately run into some canned questions - just let people feel and think on their own!)