I found the story to be
Is this book have a familiar name?
Pros: I learned a lot about exquisite art/antique furniture restoration when reading this book. The characters are well-developed and unforgettable, and the general plot is interesting and believable. The honest, intelligent candor of the young central character was his most endearing quality..Cons: I found the story to be frustrating, and often downright depressing. There were too many instances of the reader being dragged through the gutter on teenage/young adult unhealthy and dangerous 3-day drug and alcohol binges.. There were obvious reasons why the young characters would be so flawed, and I must admit that their ability to physically survive was remarkable. The main character stayed consistent throughout the book, which isn't a good thing when one is caught in the throes of post traumatic stress disorder since the age of thirteen.Learning about art and its effects on humanity is interesting to a degree, but holding the storyline hostage, while the reader muddles through page after page of descriptive writing, is not the best way to write an engaging book. I found myself skipping pages while searching for the continuing storyline.I am glad I read the book. It opened up another sub culture for me. But I suspect that the important teaching points could have been made with 200 less pages. 