I'm having the same issue with this as I had with the first volume in the series, really. I can say it's well-written, on a limited level - the individual sentences are put together very well, and there are moments of imagery that stand out (such as the ape-men in the mines), but that's about it. It's not dreadful, but I'm utterly indifferent to everything in it, and it's an indifference that spreads from the main character. Who is frankly not that bright - how he didn't figure out who Jolenta was I still can't understand, it was blindingly obvious - but stupid characters can be interesting. Severian, to me, is not interesting. He seems like he's made out of plastic. A glossy surface sheen, with absolutely nothing going on under the humourless surface. Reader, he is Dullsville. I'm sorry, but he is, and I can't find one iota of interest for this boring, go-nowhere journey that he seems to be on.

A struggle to finish.