** spoiler alert ** 
 The story was non-linear, which is fine, but more than that it was disjointed. The story included the impact of sexual abuse, the methods and ethics of mental health treatment, the rise and fall of a marriage, the class and cultural issues of interaction between people, and the decline of a man from world-class charmer to alcoholic small-town doctor. 
 Although the book starts with one perspective, it shifts in Book 2 - from young actress Rosemary to middle-age psychiatrist Dick Diver. The shift brings welcome depth and insight, as Book 1 seemed a bit anemic. Rosemary was the newcomer to a group of wealthy people partying in Italy and France, but as she entered the group, she could have done a better job in bringing the reader along. It was a loosely affiliated group with its own complex structure that was not the easiest to navigate or integrate. 
 The issues of mental health also were a major part of this story - both Nicole's sexual abuse/schizophrenia and Dick's addiction. Their opposing trends were fascinating. Nicole started out vulnerable, weak and unstable, and she found her voice and confidence. Dick was the ultimate in suave, charming and sophisticated, until he hit the bottle and nosedived to become an angry and pathetic man. This couple could not get together on timing! Along with this, the power balance shifted - from Dick as husband/psychiatrist who ran the show to newly healthy and wealthy Nicole who supported the family's changing lifestyle. 
 The story had many engaging elements, but didn't come together enough for my taste - there was a disjointed quality about the events described, which often seemed to be included to reinforce points already effectively made in beautifully written descriptive passages.