The Longest Journey can be difficult to get into, but is worth the effort. Set at the end of the Victorian period in England, it follows the character of Rickie Elliot from his Cambridge days through various attempts to find happiness and fulfillment in life. It helps to know a little about British society to fully understand each character's actions. The fascinating thing about the novel is that there isn't a single character that you can pinpoint as good or bad -- like real people, the characters lie and put on false fronts. It's fun to discover just who Rickie's friends and relatives really are. Characters like Agnes, who Rickie loves, and Mrs. Failing, his relative, make some great points about women in society. Although this book is primarily a "novel of manners" like Jane Austen would write, there are several exciting plot twists, including a surprise ending. If you enjoy books by authors like Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy, try The Longest Journey.