When a book is divided into such disparate sections (albeit intricately linked) it can be hard to rate it as a whole. Certainly it helped that I have some background knowledge of finance and am a huge fan of Edith Wharton's oeuvre. (Is there a prize for being the millionth person to mention her in their review?) There was a cleverness to it, but I can't help but wonder if it couldn't have been more clever? If the first and second sections had been woven together with Ida's narrative, it probably would have helped some of the drag I felt in the first two sections and allowed for a similar level of discovery, nevermind that Ida is more dynamic and relatable than the other characters. That said, the writing was distinct and controlled, and the book had some interesting things to say about class, privilege, voice, and the crafting of any sort of narrative or story, however true or fictional it's meant to be.