Bizarre, and maybe not in a good way? Some incredible bits of prose, but the story just seemed so implausible and preposterous that I didn’t feel like I was in it; instead I just felt pulled along. Was positioned like an exploration of female desire, but I never felt like Hero had a desire? She just seemed to keep stumbling through these events, and then boom, a new lover emerges? Great premise, some awesome quips on refinement and beauty, but overall, the characters didn’t seem to be part of the story