I'm just interested enough in this to check out a little more.  It's pretty interesting, and you have to like the potential for a different world around a unifying concept.  Maybe I was expecting it to be a little more over the top than it actually was, but I'm certainly not going to take points off for a story trying to have some integrity.  Still, is it completely superficial of me to have a real problem with the word balloons?  The shape of them, to me, suggests a gravelly voice.  So as I read the book, EVERYONE is talking in the same three-packs-a-day, whiskey-soaked tone.  Although I suppose that's noir, it's kind of bothersome that the women sound the same.  You know.  In my head.  Anyway, I would have liked if they remained a little more veiled about who was who... but if they did, people would complain about being confused.  One thing I do know for sure is that the best way to charm me is to start the story with Jean Grey already dead.