Kostova's writing is difficult to enjoy, exceeding 600 impenetrable pages. Rather than turn a phrase, she belabors them. While I enjoy this genre of fiction (I have read and immensely enjoyed all of Anne Rice's works), I forced myself to finish this book, expecting it to improve. But it did not. It is a laborious read, that put me to sleep every night. Not since I read Ulysses as a college freshman have I worked so hard to finish a novel. Sadly, its reading was not worth my effort.