Date I stopped reading this book. December 24.

I read all the glowing reviews here and I wanted to like this book. And now I am wondering if I am the only one who can see that the emperor is not wearing any clothes. Or is it me?

At first, I found myself reading through a longish meta-prologue. It was fun while it lasted - a few minutes maybe. Then I began skipping - reading diagonally through the pages. I wanted to get to the real story. But after the prologue there was some weird snippet of dialogue excerpts. I kept skipping. Then at last I saw the words "Part One" and I rejoiced, I had finally reached the story portion of the book. Alas, there was a movie script thingy there. Also not the story. Although by this time I had begun to suspect that all these myriad pieces I had been looking at - more that rather than reading - were already part of the story and it was already being told. And that's how it goes on, and on. Pieces and snippets of text. Partials.

This book reminds me of cubist paintings, or of atonal music. Nothing quite fits, yet only in seeing it all together does the art emerge.

I felt I had to like this book and I feel bad for putting it aside. It has a lovely cover and I can't quite believe that I am not equal to this task. But it's Christmas and I need some easy reading, and this is anything but.

I do recognize that this is probably really good. The execution seems very well done. Maybe I'll get through this another time. But this time I am not having fun.