Avoid this book.
As someone with industry experience supporting databases with millions of daily users and half a million concurrent users, I've dealt with many systems. I'm aware of how to normalize DBs, the pitfalls of building DBs in given ways, and how to administer, develop, and support these databases. I've read many DB books and took a course for my master's, requiring this book. It disappointed. I'm not saying the book is entirely worthless (thus, it did not receive a 1-star rating), but the overall approach to it is entirely over-engineered. Basic concepts are exploded into difficult and poorly communicated industry problems, which could only lead someone newer to databases to believe this is an impossibly challenging concept. Find yourself a different book if you are new to databases, one that adequately explains normalization focuses on SQL queries, and touches more on NoSQL but doesn't take 600 pages to write what could be communicated in 200 pages or less.
As with many books in the industry, it also didn't age well. The book is over a decade old, and it clearly shows. When did we last see MS Access at any firm besides a non-tech-based startup? How many folks still use SQL Server 2012 for new development? I've made my point by now. If you want a SQL Server-specific book, pick up the now-defunct Exam Refs for SQL Server 2017, such as Exam Ref 70-761: Querying Data with Transact-SQL or Exam Ref 70-762: Developing SQL Databases. There are more in this series, but they will certainly be more approachable and applicable than this book.
If you read this book and are disheartened or feel like development or databases are not for you, then you're wrong. This book makes you feel confused and, at times, stupid as you try and read through the drivel and drudgery written in it.