Gold Bug

Just finished The Gold Bug Variations by Richard Powers. Concentrated prose style. Intricate subject matter entwined with a very humane, personal plot. Learned a bit about genetics and theory of The Goldberg Variations. Very satisfying. I'd say its a very good novel; that's meant as high praise. To pull off something this ambitious without falling into the mud requires real talent and great discipline. Recommended to people who love writing and literature and have 650 pages of thoughtful concentration to spare. Its enjoyable, satisfying and pays dividends.

That was hard to write. It's kind of hard to explain this book.