That may have been my issue with it. I stopped reading somewhere within the first chapter because I couldn't bring myself to care. Maybe I'll give the book another shot with this in mind.

Reminds me of the show Parks & Rec. I tried two episodes during the first season, disliked them, and moved on. A couple years later, I came across the recommendation to try again, but skip the first season. I gave it a shot and truly enjoyed most of the rest of the show.