There is something in this book that bears looking at, the questions of "what is natural?" and "how does one know oneself?" seem to be important to the narrative, and doubtless the narrative provides interesting ways of considering these questions. However, there is little to draw the reader (or, at least, me) through the text. The description of the town--its history, its setting--is first rich, then, with repetition, boring.

I didn't want to give up on this book, because every now and then there would be a page or two of engaging action or description, but then it would be subsumed by repeating the description or action from different perspectives that put me to sleep.

This book is more like a poem parading as a novel then an engaging story. With more persistence, more patience, it might reveal much more, but for a casual reading, there is little to encourage completion of the novel. ( )