Title: a rich atmosphere isn't enough
Product review: While the premise of this book is wonderfully original, and while the atmosphere is dark, rich and realistically crafted (yes, I accepted intelligent dogs in Prussian dress), I found the narrative weak and the characters dull. Nor could I find an underlying chemistry to support various relationships -- the deep friendship, for instance, between Cleo and Ludwig.For me, this was far from, as one reviewer said, "[a] dazzling, unforgettable meditation on what it means to be human." Thematically, I saw nothing new, nothing "unforgettable." The reviewer, I think, confuses appearance for substance: the atmosphere may have been impressive -- but impressive clothes do not the person make.The novel emerges, I think, as an original idea that at best, was mundanely crafted.
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