By the end of the book I don't think I liked any of the characters. Most were self-absorbed but I guess that was the point of the story. If you have seen the movie the book helps to fill in some gaps.

Little Children is the story of Sarah and Todd, two stay-at-home parents who are looking to fill the lives that have left them unsatisfied. It is the story of Ronnie, the sexual predator who is now out of jail and trying to make a life for himself in his mother's house. It is the story of Larry, the ex-cop who has made it his business to keep the neighbourhood safe from this pedophile.

Once again, I was impressed with Perrotta's writing and his ability to tell a story from multiple perspectives. His characters are innately flawed without being one dimensional, and he manages to portray them as human beings rather than predictable characters with highly orchestrated actions and decisions.

The pace of this novel was slower than The Abstinence Teacher, although perhaps this was an attempt to capture the pace of the neighbourhood where the story took place. The result was a slow-moving yet interesting story which delved into the lives of four people whose worlds inexplicably intersect resulting in a new unexpected level of understanding if not compassion.

I wanted to read this book because of the movie and Kate Winslet's Oscar nomination. She is going to be a terrific Sarah. The characters are amazing and you get easily drawn into their lives. Even the not so nice Ronnie can make you feel sorry for him. It was a quick read but only because I couldn't put the book down.