Status Updates From The Stars Compel

...nothing in this existence stands apart...p416

a light repast...warm almond milk, fried cream wheat cakes with honey, poached partridge and a dried fruit compote..

how about a breakfast buffet of veal sweetbread pastries, smoked mussels, a timbale of cod tripe, a salad of bitter greens...grilled squares of buckwheat polenta shot through and through with tender leeks, and that Milanese sweet, panettone. p71

Quite possibly my joy in finally locating this sequel has influenced me, or maybe its just that now that I am familiar enough with the vast cast of characters that they seem like old friends, but I find that have lost that niggling critical reaction to the events portrayed and am just sheerly enjoying carrying on....

Very "compelling" so far!