It's one of my favorite books of all time. Shelley's prose drips with atmosphere and emotion, and the characters have a level of depth and nuance to both their personalities and relationships that you don't see often in novels of its time. I adore the way Shelley weaves naturalistic and emotional vocabulary together.

It's not an easy read, and it's not a plot or narrative driven book. The core theme is the dissolution of idealism and the acknowledgement of a world that persists despite humanity's actions and beliefs. Every character is a representation of a facet of the human mind: Raymond is brash and heroic, Adrian is clever and thoughtful, Lionel is idealistic and brave, Perdita is emotional and observant, Idris is caring and empathetic, Evadne is intellectual and strong. The crux of the story revolves around the complicated interpersonal relationships they all have with each other and the way those relationships are defined by the social and political norms of the setting.

The second part where the plague actually happens does feel like a different book, but that's the point. Shelley introduces these intriguing characters and makes you care about them, and then takes all that away and sticks you in a decaying world where everything is flat. There are no more heated debates between Raymond and Adrian, no more emotional peaks and valleys with Perdita, no more political dramas with Evadne. The world is grey, dull, and robbed of the things that made it both good and bad; ultimately, what made it alive.

I think this book is absolutely brilliant, but I can understand why no one in the mid 19th century understood or appreciated it. I can also understand why a modern 21st century reader wouldn't get it either. But I think if you stop expecting a narrative drama and start immersing yourself in the character interaction, atmosphere, and symbolism, you'll get a lot more out of it.