Since the Goodreads iPhone app added a barcode scanner, I felt it was necessary to scan this particular book. It's a pretty good book if you like late 19th and early 20th century clip art. But if reading is your thing, you're going to be awfully disappointed. The story is not compelling. In fact it's non-existent. The characters are okay insofar as they are the elements of an assortment of fonts, but as they play the most marginal of roles in this book, even they will disappoint if it is strong, complex characters you seek. In the end, if it's clip art you want, this book may well serve your needs. Otherwise I'd recommend Dickens or Chekov.