Oh how cool, that must've been amazing! You'll have to report back on your thoughts on the book!

Haha I meant to have a space between struggle and bus, whoops. It's not a real thing, it's slang for an imaginary bus representing perpetual struggle. Like, if you're having a really crummy day and nonsense just keeps getting thrown at you, you're driving the struggle bus.

I loved it, but I definitely get how it can feel like a struggle bus, especially the heavier sections. The second chapter is probably the weakest and I wish it had either been cut entirely or he had been able to flesh it out more.

I read it for the first time because I saw a stage production of it 7-8 years ago (5.5 hours long, funded by a monk who won Powerball, weirdly enough) so that admittedly helped me get through the book. Totally agree on it not feeling completely finished, but I'm not even sure how one would truly finish a story like that, tbh. The open-endedness kinda reflects on how the situation never really went away. I was really enamored by the first and fifth chapters, so I think it's worth sticking with unless you're hating every second. Chapter four is a struggle for a different reason, but also so satisfying watching/reading everything/everyone come together and make sense, like tying the perfect knot in your shoelaces.