Overall this was a fair book. The basic plot of “why do we exist” was well thought out and an interesting spin, if you’ll excuse the pun you will come to understand if you read the book, on what makes a human. Unfortunately the book began to drag about three quarters of the way through.The endless repetition of running and dying, scary monsters and misunderstandings begin to take its toll. Then there is a new twist that doesn’t quite make sense. At this point the book begins to fall apart and it seems as if Mr. Bear is not quite sure how to end. Or rather that he wants to go on with the oddity that is this tale but was rightly told by his editor “Alright then. That’s quite enough of that.” Unfortunately, the story does not quite fill out the potential that began with its birth.