it must've been good
When I finish any book, I'm generally impressed with it. I'm a sucker for twist endings and get easily attached to characters, even when their lacking in depth. For me, the real test of how good a book is is seeing how well I remember it a few months later and whether it provided me with any sort of inspiration or had some sort of impact on the way I see the world.
In the case of Glimpses, it meets the first test, but not the second, for explainable reasons. Glimpses is a great story. It touches on so many parts of life in a such a surreal manner, that you can't help but be pulled into the world that Shiner creates (that is, if you have some basic knowledge of rock music of the 1960's). You are there. You don't know if Ray is going crazy any more than he does.
The second test, however, was failed for me, but I'm certain would pass with flying colors for those of an older generation. The characters are middle-aged, struggling with marriage and careers, and reminiscing about the "good old days." While I could completely understand all the characters and their motives, being only 21 years old myself, I could not completely relate to their situations. While I did have the luck of being raised on the music of the 50's and 60's (via my music buff father), other parts of the novel I'm sure would be more relevant and impacting on those who were coming of age in the 1960's.
