This book was not entirely what I was expecting it to be. There is both happiness and unhappiness in it, but it is probably the sorrow that leaves the biggest impression, even though everything ends being basically okay. There is one unforgettable and cruelly horrific scene that I could not make myself read in depth--animal lovers would do well to watch out. The best part of the book is young Dr. Ralph and Araminta. Dr. Anthony Dexter is utterly cold and incomprehensible, and I didn't care to read so much about him. Those parts of the book were really hard. It makes me wonder whether I would really want to read other things by this author. It was just a book that left me feeling more sad than happy. ( )

I'm not sure why this book meant so much to me but after I finished reading a friend's copy, I went down to Powells and randomly just happened to find one for myself. The concept of the veiled woman- and the power of myth- was overwhelming. This book made me cry. ( )