I kept waffling back and forth between a 4 and a 5 on this one, as it really did start to come on strong towards the end. But, the lackluster characterization in the beginning simply does not allow a 5.This is a much better book then the Silk Factory though. And Aw really has the chance to become one of the pre-eminent writers going today if he continues to improve in such ways in the future. I eagerly await his next book and highly recommend this one.