This book is on all sorts of “best of” list including “Dr. Peter Boxall’s 1001 books you must read before you die”. I guess you need alot of titles to make a list that long and most people will die before they finish. I recommend dieing before you read this one. It was completely and totally unengaging and uninspiring. Maybe it is a great example of a certain type of fiction at a certain time that was once important for some technical reason (like the invention of the pan shot in movies) but now seems totally passe. The characters are insipid, boring and totally self involved. The time is so long gone bye european aristocracy that no-one will recognize it. And the ending is short, expected and stupid. I rate as 0 of 5 stars.