You can't officially buy the debut novel of liar memoirist James Frey until tomorrow, but the New York Times has its review up today. The verdict: pretty damn good. Says critic Janet Maslin, in a gimmicky review that mimics Frey's hard-boiled, comma-deficient style: "He got a second act. He got another chance. Look what he did with it. He stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park."

Other reviews are all over the map:

"As it turns out, if you're thinking of not buying it because of Frey's past misdeeds, you might want to look for some other way of getting back at him, because it's a pretty good read."—Time

"Bright Shiny Morning is a train wreck of a novel, but it's un-put-downable, a real page-turner—in what may come to be known as the Frey tradition. "—Publisher's Weekly

"A modern masterpiece of American fiction, which should have DeLillo, McCarthy, and other American fiction heavyweights pondering on the sudden arrival of a stranger in their midst."—Leading UK book retailer Waterstones

Then there's Newsweek: "There is enough material here for four or five potboilers, but Frey, spellbound by the idea of an epic mosaic, can't stop himself. Readers may decide otherwise."