A mid-century classic. It was engrossing and something of an historical artifact. Keeping all the characters straight was something of a chore, but not enough to make the reading experience unpleasant. Structurally, this is more like linked stories than a novel--not much of an arc, and mostly what ties the stories together is the fact of the main characters all having been in the same residence hall tower at Vassar, graduating in 1933. At times the characters seemed amazingly modern in their views and behavior, and at other times hopelessly antiquated. This was the fun and surprise of the book.