I was really excited to get this book after reading the great reviews. However...it just dragged on and on. I simply could not connect with the characters. I just didn't care about them. The author has a beautiful style of writing, but lacks the ability to fully develop the characters in this book.The plot was thin and could have been written by anyone. Perhaps if I was an avid fan of opera I might have enjoyed it more. Many parts were just a bit over the top of reality. I could believe a translator who fluently spoke five languages, but when Gen speaks in eight or more, that strikes me as a bit far-fetched.I finally made it to the end, only to be disappointed again. That type of ending would have happened realistically within the first week or two. But 4 1/2 months later??It was a very disappointing book from a very talented author.