i think what i liked about it in the first place was the atmosphere of the novel. the setting, and the grittiness of the novel. of course, i also found the main character to be misogynistic as well, but what won me over was the realism of the novel. it's been well over six years since i read it, so i want to re-read it again to see if it still holds up. and i'll feel a little less pressure knowing i won't have to read it and dissect it to death.