Mislaid: A Novel by Nell Zink

Mislaid: A Novel by Nell Zink
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I won this book through Goodreads First Reads.

I really wanted to like this book but in the end I found myself not really caring what would happen. Peggy is really the most unlikable lead character I’ve come across in a while. The book starts off basically with Peggy declaring she’s a lesbian then starting college only to sleep with a male teacher and end up pregnant. Lee marries her to do the honorable thing which to me is the least honorable thing to do when he does nothing but cheat on her for the 10 years they do spend together.

Peggy finally has enough and leaves the joke of a marriage behind but she also leaves behind her son and only takes her young daughter with her. Instead of getting a divorce and making something of herself she ends up getting false identities for herself and her daughter and hiding. Then of course the only logical step from there instead of doing something as obvious as getting a job or going back to school is to end up in business with a drug dealer.

There are a few funny moments throughout the book but I spent too much time just shaking my head at the choices and actions of all the characters to rate this any higher than maybe a 2.5.