This novel is so unique and original, I can't even explain it without giving it away. I recommend it to anyone who wants good writing and something different. Lately I had been feeling like I was in a rut, reading the same types of books, starting many and finishing few; and those few didn't satisfy for long. After reading this, I feel I've had a soul-nourishing meal of genius and craftsmanship.

At first I was like, oh, he's writing about animals again (like Life of Pi); he must like animals; but why so much about taxidermy? Then you see that this book is really not about animals, that's what throws you, yet everything fits together. The foreshadowing is so sublime that you only see it after. The shadows that creep into the plot are so subtle you don't notice that the sun has gone down until it's completely dark.

The play-within-the-novel device is expertly done, with humor, tragedy and poetic elements. The two characters in the play, Beatrice and Virgil, end up to be the most memorable.