But define "fulfilling the function." When I read Anne Rice's "Blackwood Farm" at the suggestion of a friend, I didn't believe this novel fulfilled its function. I thought it was preposterous, ludicrous, and above all else, poorly written. There was enough to keep me entertained, yes, and I read the whole thing because I wanted to know what happened next. However, I was pretty disgusted with the whole thing by the time I was finished. I didn't gain one thing from it, and it cost me $30 to boot.

And then..... and then there's The Black Flower. I loved this book so much I wrote a song about it. Then I read it three more times. I will probably read it again, although now I am a little bit biased because the author is a personal friend. But I didn't know him the first two times I read the book, or when I read his second novel, The Year of Jubilo. Both are fantastically written and - unless you are completely devoid of any human emotion whatsoever - guaranteed to suck you in. Just read 'em.

I just finished Susan Isaacs' "After All These Years" and enjoyed that very much.