Interesting. I actually came to the exact opposite impression after finishing all 7 volumes. I felt it was a poorly written book with mostly cartoonishly shallow characters, but with occasional sparks of brilliance and a few interesting and novel ideas and observations. However, on balance it was a disappointment.

Even reading Harold Bloom's essays didn't convince me that it's a great work. He was also mostly focusing on the few great ideas in the book, while glossing over the ridiculous plot twists and simply bad writing and editing.