It worked though, because I bought the book. And read it too. And two days later, I'm not sure whether I enjoyed it or not. It definitely is not the most thrilling book I have ever read, although it is definitely one of the more bizarre. Reading the book so many years later, in light of the influence it has had on modern fiction, it's difficult not to find it staid and predictable. The story tells of a recently recruited but cunning detective who infiltrates a circle of anarchists, shortly before an assassination is due to take place. Hijinks ensue and the story devolves into a nightmare that ends in a bizarre rendering of the Last Supper. (No spoiler here, trust me.) There is some kind of moral here about anarchy and social order perpetuating each other, but quite honestly by this point I was too bored to thread it out.
It's not a bad book; it's just been done. That's not the fault of the book itself, only the fate of most revolutionary literature: to be outdone by their successors.
Having said this, the first paragraph is perfect - atmospheric, enticing, intriguing. I judge a book on three things: the first paragraph, the smell of the pages and the cover. Check it out on page 3 of Project Gutenberg and see what you think.
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