A consistently charming protagonist, elegant and enchanting writing, and a well-paced storyline made this novel a total pleasure to read every time I picked it up. The first 1/3 of the book was deceptively simple, and I worried that the plot really wasn't going anywhere. And then somewhere along the line, I got sucked right into this magical world and really felt like a part of it. The Count's life developed at the perfect speed throughout, so that I could relax enough to enjoy each page but I was also engaged throughout. It's a special book that can accomplish that. I'm sad my journey with the Count had to end, but I'm glad I took it.