This was an absolute masterwork, and this was prior to Moore's "Watchmen." The literary and metatextual nods and allusions are worth the read, not to mention the thought and multiple layering that is Moore's stock-in-trade.

The character of "V" is one of my favorites in that he hardly has one. He is a symbol more than a man, and often alludes to this in both the book and the titular movie. It's something of a pity that Evie doesn't always have enough literary knowhow to realize he IS saying this.

Moore's use of multiple story lines to encompass a far more complicated world is as sharp as his work in "Watchmen" if not more so. The many characters from different perspectives throw this dark and bleak world into even more stunning contrast.

This book is definitely recommended for more mature readers, although with sufficient guidance someone at the early high school levels could read this for its entire content. Top notch, and worth reading for any reader, period.