This is one of those "I wish I could write like that" books. The story is built masterfully, as it pans accross the ages, using several points of view, with different writing styles for each. Both the main plot and the various storylines take a while to unfold, and yet I found myself captivated by the whole thing. Little hints that not all is what it seems are scattered here and there, and the further in you go, the creepier it gets. 
 Basically, it's brilliant. And complex. And it's going to follow me for a while now.