A rare perfect book. Lessons, an engaging story that unfolds with surprises yet resolves to satisfaction. I have read some real garbage this year, so this was a real treat.

How this didn’t win the Newbery the year it came out is beyond me.

Possibly the most depressing book ever written and I have been reading it off and on for six months.

I am now done and to tell the truth I’d gotten attached to the most pathetic lot in British literature.

Maybe not Arabella, she sucked.

I found this to be tedious. I typically love books that work hard to establish a voice and place and there was simply too much of that in this.

The second act of this is one of the best tell-offs I've ever read. Love to see this performed one day.

Utterly depressing to think this was published in 1993 and almost nothing has improved. I wondered many times reading this how many of the people Sacco interviewed are even still alive.

It's an excellent work of graphic journalism, worth reading. I will say, it's extremely dense and depressing, but the subject matter is anything but light hearted.

Never have I seen the word languid used so often in such a short amount of time.

The silliest, I absolutely loved it.

Great second volume. I like the political intrigue happening between all the various factions. Will definitely keep reading this one.

Nothing like finishing the year with a truly depressing play.

I didn’t love this, as other people have mentioned in reviews, the characterization of nurse Susie has not aged well. She’s written very dumb and nurses are anything but, but maybe the contrast is the point.

However, it’s a complex, engaging play.