Just finished reading . . .

The Wild Palms by William Faulkner

10 out of 10

I've decided that my scoring system is flawed. There are some authors / books who I am not fit to judge! If I give someone 10 out of 10, then really I am saying 'this book is very good - it might not be perfect, or it might deserve 25/10, but who am I to say?'
I think that Hilary Mantel's Wolfe Hall was such a book. Dicken's Little Dorrit, and numerous others that are great pieces of literature.
Well, this is the fourth William Faulkner I have read. I think 'The Sound and the Fury' - such a difficult read - was the one that floored me the most, but this one beats judgement too. Not a cheerful book, and confusing at times.
How could he have written, in 1939, a book which, if it were written now, would be (post-)modern and challenging in its content and structure?
He tells 2 stories in one book, each told in every alternate chapter. They run parallel, but they don;t connect, except in the reader's head.
A book about hopefulness, hopelessness, looking after others at the expense of self.

What did it have in common with the last book I read - The Pilot's Wife? Maybe they are both about seeking ideal ways of living, and caring for others.