Beneath this story lie deeper questions: of what drives women to prostitution, of the relationship between the individual and society, as well as unexpected philosophical considerations such as an examination of the sense of self, perhaps paradoxically heightened by being trapped in rigid social conformity. Above all, the book is an exploration of the roles of women in such a hot-house world and of the men who rule it. (...) This is a rich, complex read. Be prepared for a book utterly unlike anyt..hing we are used to in crime fiction: a long, densely-written work that resembles a Russian novel more than anything else." - Jane Jakeman, The Independent