This book took a lot of mental effort to read, in the most positive sense of the phrase. It was written in a completely unique style--5 books that are encased within one another. Each is unique in its own literary style, and COMPLETELY different from one another. If your book club readers are savvy enough to get through this book (and it does take a little tenacity) there will be an excellent discussion at the end of it. If your club is in it for best seller/quick action/ easy read this is not the book for you.

Although the format of six short stories split in two can be odd at first, the cliffhangers are totally worth the payoff in the end.

What a fascinating book. Great concept, to take character archetypes and follow a timeline forward and then back again during times of crises. Beautifully written, amazing characters, can't wait to read it again!

Ingeniously written. Different than anything I have ever read. 5 books encapsuled and woven though each other, but each so uniquely different. YOu must read it to understand what I am talking about. A talented author, for sure.

Unique in style. A must read.

Hard to describe, this book is so different. Very thought-provoking. Keeps your interest

I liked the idea of this book, but it was an exhausting read. I was left with the feeling of "just because you can doesn't mean you should", ie just because the author can craft a nifty new way of telling a story (or 7 or 8) doesn't make it fun to read.
Others in my book club liked it. Perhaps I look for a bit more relaxation in my books than mental callesthenics.

The book is essentially 6 nested novellas, that overlap and intertwine. Each section is set in a different time period (from 1850 to post-apocolyptic future and then back). There are themes that run through each section and it is VERY thought provoking. There is lots to discuss in terms of writing style and point of view, and then there are all sorts of "big issues" to talk about, so it's a great book for groups. But each section is written in different language styles appropriate to the time period, so it is not an easy, light, beach book for summer!

Well-liked by most in our book club: if you find you don't like one section, keep reading: the next one may turn out to be your favorite.

I would recommend this for book groups, with one large caveat (or multiples). We take a break in December, so we assigned this book for January, which meant the group had 2 months to read it. I think that was a mistake, as the book takes a little more concentration than the others we\\\'ve read, so it was very easy for people to set it aside. It also wasn\\\'t a great choice for over the holidays. However, the conversation we did have was pretty great, so if your group is up for a challenge, I would highly recommend this.