According to the other reviews I've read, Michael Cunningham made references to several well-known authors and works that mostly went over my head. I noticed some parallels with Philip Roth, Nick Hornby, and Kate Atkinson, but I am unfamiliar with Thomas Mann's Death in Venice and the works of James Joyce. 

This book is written in the present tense, which I almost always find compelling, especially when it is paired, as this one was, with internal monologue, deliberation, and intense characterization. Peter Harris and his wife have been married for over twenty years. Their daughter has recently dropped out of college to work as a bartender. They spend most of their social time interacting with people who are more acquaintances than friends, and Peter's brother-in-law is coming to visit. Mizzy (The Mistake) was born when Rebecca, Peter's wife, was in her senior year of high school. Always a charmer and a wanderer, Mizzy's upcoming visit is both promising and concerning; Peter and Rebecca are skeptical about his drug use and his motivation to do something productive. 

As the novel progresses, Peter's relationship with Mizzy develops from resentment to intrigue to attraction to something bordering on obsession. The uncertainty at each decision point is palpable, and the tension builds between each of the characters. 

Cunningham's writing is beautiful and literary, with plenty of references to literature and art to build the cultural experience. I was drawn into this story, compelled by the characters, entranced by the writing. However, it lost half a star because I already feel like this is not a story that will stay with me.