Instruct: Classify a given review as either positive or negative.
Query: Not Chevillard's best, but close

I enjoyed this novel very much, but it was bound to pale next to Chevillard's Crab Nebula. The abrupt transitions are not so surprising or funny. But there's enough clever language play and humor for anyone. A group of naturalists and neighbors tries to classify, domesticate and exploit the changeable Palafox, who confounds all of their plans and expectations, sometimes violently.