Quit at page 125 after looking up 15 words (several of which made zero sense in the context used) and a continual stream of just asking myself, "What the hell?" every other page. If I had to pick a single word for this, it would be: uneven. The book is very uneven. I wonder about the editor and his or her fitness, really, based on just how uneven it is. It read, in parts, like two or three people were writing and someone did a shitty merge. I kept trying to make it be characterization, but even within the points of view of the individual characters, it was uneven. Does he care or not care? Is she angry or not angry? I mean, based on the conceit: Academic mentor/advisor writes a passive aggressive recommendation letter for his student seeking her first tenure-track job pretty much guaranteeing she won't get it, and said student just sorta... gets on with life. I mean, life must be got on with, but any normal human would be incandescent with rage. This woman is... frustrated, at best. There's a whole section on how she should report him-- AND SHE SHOULD-- which she puts down, then ignores.

Just, like, what? I have to go read other reviews now to see if I'm really right or really wrong or what.

Edited to Add: I'm right. Ha! And having read a few reviews "the DaVinci Code for people who think they're too smart for the DaVinci Code." Lord Jesus have mercy dodged a bullet here.