Some reviewers really loved it, some hated it. I wanted to love it, but I didn't. Her phrasing was lauded by many, but I found it cumbersome. Perhaps I'm not as literarily precocious as some, but I dislike having to read a paragraph multiple times to glean its meaning. I can appreciate a well-turned phrase, but if I find myself thinking of ways to have said it more concisely, it distracts from the story, in my opinion. The book is long at 666 pages, but I wouldn't mind that at all if there really were that much to tell. There were some chapters that amounted to nothing more than raving or rambling. I understand their purpose within the story, but I didn't enjoy them at all.
I gave my husband a not-so-short synopsis, and he just laughed at all the things that happened to the heroine, Una. He insisted there was no way that could have happened to one person, but I quite enjoyed the plot twists and the varied situations she survived.
I'm still not sure what to think of the book. I may read another by Naslund and see if I can decide!
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