I'm not sure I can really give this a review that is meaningful about this book right now. I will say that this is the type of story that drew me to science fiction in the first place, and that it hearkens back to the very best of the philosophical and heady science fiction that makes this genre great. 
 The reason that I shy away from talking about a meaningful review is because it has a narrative that might frustrate a few people, its slow, ponderous, and of course, gloriously digressive. 
 If you're ready to dig deep into what it means to exist, then please dig in and enjoy. If you want to be entertained on a purely visceral level, then maybe you should choose a different book. 
 Personally though, one of my favorites of the year, maybe in the past few years.