I started this book twice before and paused it as I wasn't able to get through it. Third time is indeed a charm. I decided to sit down and just finish it. And so I did. It was exactly what I expected it to be. 
 The language - beautiful as it is didn't work for me. The words felt misplaced, as if Flanagan wanted to pump as many adjectives as possible to make a simple point. The horrors of war, the delicacy of a relationship and complexities of quasi-friendships all come together in the end. Thankfully Flanagan doesn't drag the final act and provides a satisfactory justifications for the actions done by the other side. In all honesty, the love story made me cringe. The book felt too long for the story it was going to tell. 
 This book didn't work for me. Let's leave it at that.