*CONTAINS SPOILERS* Lawrence has a writing style that is somehow both vague and very specific. Perhaps this is due to his struggles with publishers over what was "too obscene to print." Perhaps it is because this book deals with emotions and actions that we in the west treat at once in a vague manner by not talking about them, talking around them or euphemizing them to death; yet at other times being very graphic when talking about sex. This book was much deeper than I was expecting, with Lawrence's style changing and becoming much quicker to read as Connie became happier and spent more time with the keeper. With Clifford the text became ponderous, floundering, and more roundabout. While the characters, especially Connie, seemed more like types than people who really undergo a dramatic change, they weren't hard to identify with on some level. In fact, most characters don't undergo much change, except for changes in situation (not changes in belief). The goal of the book--promoting love not tied to money and materialism--was well established, though sometimes seemed a bit heavy handed. I gave this book three stars because of the lack of character development and occasional preachiness, but aside from that the simple story of love between a man and a woman was well done, and again erotic without being too much like a grocery store romance novel. I liked reading the Signet Classics edition because of the very informative afterword, despite the company's continual bragging that they were the only company with rights to the complete edition (in the 60s).