GOSH! And is there anything worse than ending a book with this feeling. Especially when time is scarce in our era? I'm glad you let me know. I'm shelving it big right away and moving on.
I have read 3 Don de Lillo's (an influence on Auster) and while they were much better tha SH, they still didn't take me where an Auster books takes me either. And in anticipation of the remark: I am not trying to find another Auster. I'm quite happy to find something radically different. I just want something as good.