I kept getting the impression that the author wanted me to know how assiduously researched a book this is. Little facts were thrown in randomly to attest that Burton had done her homework. So kudos to Burton on an exceptionally well researched novel. Beyond that this fell flat for me. The events of the book were extraordinary but the characters were dull as dirt and the reveals concerning Andreas and his sister were not reveals at all -- they were obvious very early on. Also, while I often enjoy a splash of magical realism in my books, here the story of the doll house seemed forced and beside the point. The book was just fine, but no more. It does, however have a gorgeous cover for what it's worth.

Edited to move down from 3 to 2 stars. I had a friend ask about the book, and as I was discussing it I had to admit that this book was not average, it was subpar.