By Susanna Clarke A quick, peaceful read. It's an "island story" - something where the setting is isolated and we focus on a few characters. Not necessarily a problem, but I sometimes think of it as a concession in the face of complexity. The book created an atmosphere that lingers. The story itself was a journey of self-discovery, minimal, and for the better. My only gripe: the superfluous descriptions of places and times. They lent a biblical tone, but in the end could've been removed with no negative impact on the book, except word count, which maybe would've made it too light.