As I started the book, I didn't think I was going to much care for it, but I was eventually turned around. Or rather, I was left in a conflicted state. I failed to enjoy most of the main story with Cham and Dodola - the rapes and the sexualization of at least some of them made me very uncomfortable. I also wasn't that excited about the supporting cast - they seemed one-dimensional.
Where the story shone, I thought, was in linking Cham and Dodola's story to the spiritual/religious tales, and even moreso in the presentation of those tales. I'd've been much happier reading a book of parables that Thompson had written and illustrated (especially illustrated - for all of my complaints about the subject matter portrayed, I can't fault the artwork - there's just an incredible amount of care and time poured into the detailed panels). I found myself eagerly awaiting the return to these elements, and their strength is enough to pull the story into 4* range.