Errrrrg. 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 out of sheer bloody-mindedness because it contained so many things that are very, very important to me. And yet, in all fairness, I should probably round down to 3 because it took me forever to finish. 
 I am conflicted! Conflicted, I tell you! Perhaps what I need is an extended meditation on what makes a "good" book: this book definitely hits some criteria and not others. 
 But. I will write that up later. I have to think for a while.