This is probably one of the most difficult reviews I've written because I am far outside the cultural and societal context of this book. But for a modern reader, I would say to really treat it like a early 20th-century book and accept that a number of things are challenging to parse. It starts off pretty slow and gets more enjoyable about halfway through, though there are extended monologues that can drag on for a page or more. Definitely worth it for anyone looking for a detailed and historical war satire.