I didn’t care so much for Russell Banks’ “Lost Memory of Skin,” and I probably wouldn’t have checked out had I read the synopsis first. It was the subject matter that bothered me, not the writing. The writing was straight-foward and fine. So I hesitated briefly before I gave it only two stars, but then I remembered that these reviews are entirely subjective, and I didn’t enjoy the book all that much because the subject matter is squicky no matter how well Banks writes about it. It did, however, make me think about the importance of showing your children sincere, focused love and attention, lest they grow up to be dysfunctional outcasts.

Here is someone else’s review of the book.