I just thought the writing style was really sporadic and hard to follow, and at the same time I wasn't really interested in the story itself, so reading it was semi-torturous. Like Tom Sawyer, I really couldn't relate with the story. The goings-on of the carnival were so far out there that much of the plot was unrelatable.
But there were some good themes and thoughts--friendship, connecting with others (Will's relationship with his dad certainly improved over the course of the book), and being happy with your current situation in life. These are all important things, and I think we all need to be reminded of the last one. Kudos to Bradbury for weaving in some important messages :)
I'm REALLY excited about The Lightning Thief because I've heard wonderful things about it, and I can't wait to get started on Inkheart, either. I love this class.
