Overall the narrative is character-driven, with some art theories, may or may not taken from wikipedia, sprinkled around. The dramatic conflicts of the story are neither sufficiently set-up, nor convincingly resolved. Personal tragedies are mainly by accident. The clashes of artists are decided by mere trickery. There are moments of brilliance with breathtaking writing, but the mundane slice of life sections in between take way too long to get through. Thankfully, the protagonist is very likeable, with true kindness and compassion, and a willingness to help others with self-sacrifice. And he's just generally decent. In a genre full of anti-heroes and creeps, he is a breath of fresh air.