I love GGK and all his work. This duology left me confused and frustrated the first time I read it. Half a book for a denouement was irritating. But, upon subsequent readings, I have come to enjoy the book and understand the reasoning for the longer resolution of the novel.

The weavings and interweavings of lives are presented stylishly and with the understanding of how lives intersect. I love the characters here. The entire theme of legacy throughout the two novels provokes images of what that means and how we do that, even if it seems difficult.

My only detractor is the continual use of pronouns to hide initial meanings. It is done constantly throughout the book (usually with she meaning Alixana, Gisel, Shirin, or Styliane interchangeably). This demeans the women and makes them utterly interchangeable, which is so counter to the novel itself and the beautiful characterization of all four women. (Five if you include Kasia).