Classic. Be forewarned...... It takes forever to pick up steam. Stick with it. You will be rewarded tenfold for your effort.
The plot and characters, well conceived, are really just a vehicle for Rand to express her philosophical beliefs. The book is filled with quotes galore and at times all the blunders in modern history begin to make sense.
Is Rand hopelessly ideological or frighteningly perceptive?
Who knows? That is for the reader to decide. But this much is true, She will challenge the reader to think.