I suppose it's a bit dishonest to rate this book at all, considering I couldn't finish it. But it's been seven years and I'm not over the frustration I had after being bewitched by the title, the cover, and the reviews only to crack open the book and find that the story to be one of the most pretentious books I'd (tried to) read. The characters didn't work for me (I know most of them weren't supposed to be the warm, fuzzy, best friend material kind of likable, but I genuinely *did not care at all* -- Blue most of all.) The story couldn't keep me engaged, even with the promise of a great mystery and a possible crime, and I also think the praise that was heaped on the book soured my reading as well. I will give credit that the syllabus structure of the story seemed to work from what I remember, but I can't tell you if the books for each chapter actually tied into the story in any way shape or form. 
 And before you think I gave it one and done with the attempts, I didn't. I waited and tried again. And then again. I had a total of ten failed attempts to read Special Topics in Calamity Physics over a three or four month period. 
 When the eleventh attempt was also an epic failure, I threw the book across the room.