Wow, I finally finished! Some of it is that I have a newborn but the other half or I would say quarter was that is was just a harder read for me. The story line was somewhat interesting but not that entertaining. Also there were many, many, many footnotes or whatever they're called when they're in the back of the book. I read every one. Didn't need to. Really, some would just explain a region in India where a city was located. Still didn't know where it was. Anyway, there were some good passages, an endearing relationship with a lama and his chela (disciple) - yes this was one of the many hundred footnotes - and the story of this boy's development as an agent of the state. I don't need to read all brain candy but I sludged through this one.