I tend to like Steve Martin's writing. He has a very upfront style. Good description, but not flowery - very straightforward. I liked the narrator's voice in the novel, though occasionally got very frustrated of his tolerance for Lacey - his friend, and the focus of the book. She's an ambitious woman with little regard for anything other than what she wants. She uses sex and sexuality, as well as a fairly sharp wit, to get what she wants, and the men in her life seem to be flummoxed by this. She leaves them in her wake, panting like the wolves in so many Warner Bros. cartoons. I find this to be a little ridiculous. While I'm not an art person, the book focuses heavily on the world of art dealers and collectors, and I feel that Martin made this fairly accessible. He dropped numerous names, but there were pictures of many of the works referenced, which was a great aid. Overall, I liked it. I think I preferred both Shopgirl and Pleasure of My Company to Object of Beauty, but I think it's worth a read.