A gamut of emotions as I read this book - mostly confused, sometimes annoyed - but I have to admit I liked it by the time I reached the end. I liked what Egan was going for, how the future of her people hinged on her idea of "time these days." "Time" - the goon, "these days" - technology, the internet, social networks, etc. However, for how much I like connected stories and remarking on coincidences and coincidental meetings, Egan's stories and vignettes still felt a little - disjointed and meandering. Not until her later chapters did her theme seem to present itself, and I felt a few of the middle chapters (while good) were not necessary or broke the flow. Upon reaching the end and realizing that many of these chapters were actually all stand-alone stories published in various magazines or books previously - disappointed me a bit, as well.

There were things I really enjoyed in Egan's writing: some of the imagery (a paragraph about a man "folding up his desire" for his wife over the years comes to mind), the character of Sasha, the testing of the reader's memory to connect the puzzle pieces as you read. But there was an equal amount to complain about - especially the way she detailed certain thoughts/situations matter-of-factly, "this happened and then this happened and then this happened." It seemed uncreative among the rest of the novel.

And so: a good book, an interesting read, but not amazing.