Deserves 5 stars, no rather 6... 
 Too good to be true. Actually as perfect as a novel can be: think Stoner but more poetic, McEwan and Yates yet more epic, Franzen with even more depth. But so fresh, christal clear and beautiful. And what a sparkling atmosphere! It's the best book (under 400 pages) I've ever read. Do you know the feeling that you read the first sentence of a book and you just hope the writer will keep that quality? That after the opening scene you almost prey that he or she will hold on without losing focus or brilliance? After 100 pages you cannot believe you're still marking descriptions and metaphores with your pencil. And when you turn to the last page you can't believe the ending is as pefect as the first phrase. I don't encounter many of such experiences. It makes me want to buy a thousand copies and give them randomly to friends and strangers and leave some in trains and plains. I even think that the world would be a better place if this was the bible, koran or other religious book - conquering the world with it's wisdom, beauty and humanity. This book is why I read. This is my reward for scrolling down all these lists on the internet. Not convinced yet? I'll send you one of my thousand copies ;-)