There are some incredibly profound thoughts about the nature of peasants in this book, that in the first few pages of the introduction. From there, the book starts in on a lot of detail regarding the characters in the story. In a different time, I think I would be all over this book. It would be fascinating to an anthropologist, but it was too much for me to handle right now. I read to get to sleep, and it's a little too intelligent and intense for me at this point in my life. It has received loads of critical acclaim, so I think it really is just me.