after 3 months of reading, I have finished this mammoth of a book. Without a doubt this is the best book I have ever read. After more than 700 pages, spanning over 5 or so decades in the timeline of the story, the characters in this book become like real life companions. You are elated in their moments of happiness and are utterly crushed in their periods of misery. It has taken me to levels of emotion I have rarely felt in my entire life and I think it is the first book I have read which has brought me to tears on numerous occasions. This book is not a happy story; it is centred around tragedy. Yet within this tragedy the author manages to convey moments of profound beauty amidst such darkness, and perfectly captures the fragility of life itself. All of your pre-conceived notions about how life should be and how we define ourselves and each other are challenged, leaving you with an entirely new outlook on the world around you. Exploring facets of sexuality, mental health, addiction, abuse, self-harm, life and death, and love; no stone is left unturned. Utterly fantastic.