Dec 12, 2020NedSu rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book has a lot going for it. All the baseball references seem to accurate and show a working knowledge of Spring Training. It is told through a wide variety of characters who move tangentially in and out of each others lives, circling the constant- the new baseball complex in Scottsdale. The dialogue is witty and even a little snarky- a la Maria Semple. Because of the multiple characters, we see only a small glimpse of each one, as interesting as they are. That is a problem because the story has no real ending, and we are left wondering what will happen to them after the last page is turned.
The author admits to a background of short story writing, and a years long effort but it seems she has spliced several good stories into an ultimately unsatisfactory read. I have been to several Cactus League seasons, though, and this does seem accurate and evokes the true experience. It is like Spring training, ephemeral yet constant.
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The Cactus League