Tedious and pretentious. The marketing of this novel was brilliant. People are afraid if they say they found it a huge bore they will be judged lacking erudition.

The plot concept is intriguing but its execution lacks tension and momentum. The characters are flat and bland. Dialogue is insipid and lethargic. This book is a mess. People tend to stand in awe of the classics, of Harvard, and Oprah, etc., and I suppose that is why we have such a difficult time saying in this instance that the emperor has no clothes.