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I was really impressed with this book. It was huge in scope, but it managed to keep the reader plugged into the thoughts and feelings of the characters. There were some intensely dark and depressing moments that illicited an emotional response--something I rarely experience in the best books. Two reasons it got four rather than five stars: first, while the dark moments were some of the most powerful I've read, the good moments were not nearly as strong; for as invested as I was in the book, the victories, big and small, were rather "meh." I think this was due to the fact that the author never really made me think the good guys might lose; from the beginning, there was a sense that the supernatural or miraculous would save the day. Second, and I know in the age of the 300 page novel this will sound trite, the book was a bit long. The author was (mostly) concise, and all information was relevant. The details painted a vivid picture, and the characterization was great. With that said, it was at times laborious, and I was often more focused on how far I had to get to the end rather than what was happening in the book. Neither the length nor the weak moments are enough to rob this epic tale of a strong recommendation; it connected me to expertly fleshed out characters who lived in a realistic world that abruptly swerved into surrealism. The engaging story kept me trudging through the nearly 900 pages, and left me satisfied and feeling like it was worth the work.