This book has destroyed me. I don't know what to do with myself now that it's over, having listened to the unbelievably incredible audio version in a matter of days. Until this book, I've never been so steeped in a story that I nearly forgot I was sitting in Chicago traffic and not in a dimly lit theatre, watching these characters perform Caesar or King Lear. This is one of the most captivating books I've ever read. It's a dark, glimmering gem, riveting in its attention to detail and characterizations. It is maddening, heartbreaking, alluring, and poetic. The overarching Shakespearean theme could have been hokey in a different author's hands, but here it was sharply wielded and deftly woven into these character's lives. It's made me want to revisit several of his works. Part of me already wants to reread this book, if only to fill the void it's left. I would recommend this book to literally anyone of any taste.