The premise of this book is wildly implausible, but intriguing nonetheless. Once you buy into it, it’s pretty exciting. The middle part is kind of slow, but the last 50 pages or so have you rushing to the end like a freight train.

I couldn’t help being reminded of Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History”, which to my mind is a better book, and one of my favorites. Both books revolve around a group of friends studying classics, and the groups’ “leaders”, Henry and Daniel, are very similar.

Still, French’s book, with it’s doppelganger gimmick, is a very different read.