I'm about 400 pages into City on Fire. Thoughts.

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Don't worry, friends, no spoilers.

Well, I'm basically enjoying it. It's a good book. It's one of those huge books that has a lot of scope, even if most of its set in a single year. Good characters that represent points of view, good ideas. It's not amazing, though. I don't know if things get better in the second half, but I don't know WHY this was paid $2 million for. Or, why it took 10 years to write. If we're talking expansive novels, and things considered by some to be the great American novel, look at Underworld (which has clearly influenced this), Gone with the Wind, or a few others.

I was hoping this a "proper" high-brow book, with lots of complexity, and advanced language. A bit like Infinite Jest. But outside of its size, it doesn't really seem different to any regular book. I don't know.

Thoughts on this? I know a few people on this board have read it, because one of them recommended it to me. Not saying I regret buying it, just that I don't understand why some people think it's great.