I started out intrigued, and then the more I got into the story the more my interest was getting peaked, and then we actually got to the shockingly-grotesque and terribly offensive first scene with the windup girl which happened to be highly sexual and explicit. If this were a movie that scene would have given the book an NC17 rating. I get the sense that the author is one of those who has to truly get a rise of shock and disgust from his readers in order to get his point across. I find that unnecessary and offensive. I decided for myself to put down the book.