This book was unique. I've read books with no plot that are considered "character studies" and I've enjoyed them. This felt like a lot of character studies woven together which combines to almost give a character study of the town and the time itself. The way characters are introduced in one perspective and then later described way differently in their own perspective was really cool. There is a plot to this book, but I feel that if you focus on the plot too much you will find the story lacking. I was a little disappointed with the ending and felt it was needlessly dragged out, but overall I liked it.