I read this once during my school years - more than 10 years ago now - and I recall being captivated by the story, though a lot of the scientific terminology, especially about the categorisation of the species, went over my head. Having studied water cultures since then, I get a lot more on this second read through.
And somehow I'm a lot more bored.
I remember my copy from back then was in Bulgarian, a book of about 400 pages with dark green covers, that I used to tout about everywhere with me until I was done reading it.
This go around, I'm listening to it in audiobook form, and quite aside from the fact that the narrator's tone makes me want to pay him to stop reading books altogether, the story can't seem to hold my attention at all. It's rambling on and on. Everyone sounds conceited, talking down to people like they're the only one who has any brains and uses them. Maybe I should try again in e-book format. Or dig up my paper copy, if it still exists.
So far, 2 stars.