I utterly enjoyed this novel, and it was very nearly a 5 star read. But as with something like [b:Flashforward|337132|Flashforward|Robert J. Sawyer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316727290s/337132.jpg|327550] the overwhelmingly transhumanic ending ruined it a little for me.

Other than that, the characters were fascinating, and there aren't many who could've so deftly handled the memory mismanagement. I think the most fascinating mental swap for me was Tarasov reading Dora and the trauma from her childhood, which rang particularly strong for me having a very young daughter of my own. Nikki's surgery was also extraordinary to observe, and this is only a small portion of the genius Sawyer's nailed in this book.

Some have noted the way in which this book is almost written to be turned into a movie. I sort of saw that; although there were several cliffhanger moments which made me think series more than film. Nonetheless, it's not harshly written or shallow. If the ending was a bit more my taste, assuredly a 5 star title.