The writing in this book is breathtaking! The metaphors, and the pervasive use of color to evoke emotions, is just dazzling; I can /feel/ this book with all of my senses.
The characters are intriguing. Scarlett and Donatella feel real, and having "Scar" in particular as the imperfect lense through which we see this mystery play out is endearing.
But the plot stumbles a bit in the last 100 pages. It gets a bit campy, a bit disappointing after all the prior enchantments.