I found this book quite refreshing, it was the small things. I love the added flavor of all the brands he mentions, the walks around the city, the true rural country side stories (I know the racket there is every time someone slaughters a pig), the bullshit you had to deal with during socialism and other million small thing that you just don't get in American novels.

The first half of the book was brilliant. Author used the wast distance of space to ask a lot of important questions about ourselves, such as our: humanity, loneliness, madness, what makes a life worth living, social contracts, changing societal norms, freedom, inherited guilt and national identity... Oh and there might or might not be a First contact situation going on.

Unfortunately the second half of the book briefly turns into a sci-fi, spy thriller that just yanked me out of the story and it still makes me unsure of my rating for this book (the rating has changed a few times and will change a few times more).