"there was no point in the book where I actively felt a desire to know what would happen next"

I agree - at the same time, after reading a couple of his other books, I feel this is the only kind of fiction that I can simply go to a book store and read for 15 min without feeling the need to finish the book (although I do finish it eventually). His style is quite haiku like in the sense that the beginning or end take a back seat. I should mention here that I am no haiku aficionado - so the reference might sound amateurish to someone who knows.