Instruct: Classify a given review as either positive or negative.
Query: A meandering plot

This novel really did not hold my interest. It starts out with a number of seemingly unrelated incidents. The author apparently knows where he is and when he is, but it would be nice if he would share that with his readers. The novel then proceeds with a bunch of parallel plots, jumping continually from one to another. That is compounded by the author occasionally telling you how to build a watch when you just wanted to know the time. Do we really need a manual on building sound suppressors for handguns?The various plots eventually start to come together but, by that time, I was losing interest and skimming over substantial amounts of material trying to get on with the story. I regret that I followed the advise of the majority of reviewers, who rated it with four and five stars, and purchased the novel. It is a skimmer rather than a page-turner, and it is not on my listing of recommended novels for other readers.