2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas

                                                                                                  

As I was reading this book, it reminded me a bit of Love Actually. Not because of any similarities to the story lines of that movie, but more because of a sprawling cast of interconnected characters whose stories weave together around Christmas-time. Unfortunately, I feel like the massive cast works better on film, where you can put a face with a name. It took me half of the Cat's Pajamas just to keep the characters straight, and how they were all interconnected. Although the story takes place over the course of one day--Christmas Eve eve--several of the characters flash back to earlier times, which just adds to the confusion. For awhile, I wasn't even really sure who the story was supposed to be following. So many characters were introduced that it was hard to feel much of a connection to them. However, toward the end of the book it becomes clear who the main characters are and I became more invested in their stories. I found the ending satisfying, but didn't really feel like the magical realism elements added much to the story.