Review: Why don't they write like this anymore?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 21, 2012
The real star in this book is the author.  The writing, although somewhat baroque, is fascinating.  This is the product of a real wordsmith.  Considering when this was written and what the subject matter is, it's hard to put down.  The story, however, is a bit primitive.  I read the story before I found out they were making a movie of it.  Unfortunately the movie was a box office bomb.  If the film is true to the book, I can understand that because I don't think many would have read the book first and the real joy is in the writing, not necessarily the story.