<blockquote><b><i>“In reality they all lived in a kind of hieroglyphic world, where the real thing was never said or done or even thought, but only represented by a set of arbitrary signs.”</i></b></blockquote> I can't believe I'm finally done with this book. Seriously, I thought this would never end. Although a short book, it took me the longest to finish, mainly because it was so slow going and the plot failed to move and things never happened in this that I was super close to DNF it. Only my total obsession with finishing book series and books in general, no matter how much I'm hating it, that kept me going (one of the reasons why I was able to finish "The Great Gatsby", "The 100" and why I will read "Grey" as well). I just couldn't connect or sympathize with any of the characters (they annoyed me to no end - especially Archer, he's just a total idiot), the plot failed to intrigue me or keep me interested and the most interesting characters were not properly developed for me to understand their motives and their actions. I get the whole criticism of the society of that time, the judgmental AF society and everything, but I was so irritated over the characters and the slow pacing that I couldn't fully get into this side of the book as much as I would've liked. Overall, a terrible book for me, and I failed to understand what was so brilliant about it or why so many people love it. Thankfully I'm free to move to other things. Actual rating: 1.5 stars.