This book takes a little while to get going, with a very slowly paced first third. Maddie, Ellis & Hank are all pretty unlikable characters in the beginning, giving off a bit of a Gatsby feel to their lazy and frivolous lifestyle. But...if you stick through this, things start to really get rolling and the story starts to really grow some legs and depth. Maddie does escape her distinction as a spoiled high society socialite and demonstrates some fantastic character growth.

The setting (both time & place) is well-constructed. Sara Gruen's writing is beautiful and flowery without being overly sappy. The time period is captured very well through events, attitudes, and actions throughout.

The final third of the book moves quite briskly and ends with a bang. There are some ambiguities in the plot that build mystery and leave things even more interesting. It's well turned out and though it had some problems, it was well worth the investment to read.