After turning the last page of this book, I was a bit dumbfounded -- not by the ending, but by the hype surrounding it. The writing is not particularly compelling, although that may be a function of translation. The characters are believable yet only somewhat likable, as most of them remain at an emotional distance from the reader and from each other. The plot drags on for most of the book, and plods along to an ultimately unsatisfying resolution. Had I not already purchased the second book in the series, I would not continue.