Words are inadequate

I've read The Human Dress and I'm willing to say that it is objectively just not as good a book as any of the Commonwealth books. The prose isn't as fluent or well-constructed, and frankly the structure is kind of a mess. For whatever reason, he wanted to write a big sprawling multi-thread ensemble cast book: but there is one thread that is hugely stronger and more interesting than the others, and paring the rest away to focus on that one character...would have been a much more conventional choice, but you know, the conventions exist for reasons. (I'd be willing to bet that you know which character I mean.)

The book starts too early: it should start with the beginning of that character's story; and (mild spoiler alert, so I'll ROT-13) vg tbrf ba gbb ybat. Gurer'f bar vapvqrag gung vf gur raq bs gur punenpgre'f fgbel — lbh'yy xabj vg jura lbh trg gb vg — ohg gurer ner n qbmra puncgref nsgre gung, naq gurer vf abg bar jbeq va gurz gung V qba'g svaq fhcresyhbhf.