This book was recommended to me by my sister. I was in the need of something new and different and picked it up. A third of the way through the book I called my sister and asked her why she felt I needed to read something so dark and dismal. She said keep reading. I did. Maybe the story mellowed or I became desensitized, I'm still not sure.I became a magnet to the book. It is a fantastical, realistic, sleazy, horrific and loving story about our society. (Which hasn't changed much.) But it touched my heart for the love of humans and animals despite the cruelty. I loved it.