Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: heavy-handed

The cover notes for this historical novel indicate that it is a sort of parable for our own time, and that is accurate. It is, however, somewhat self-consciously a parable, and therefore not a very good novel. It's a pity; the author writes well, and appears to know his history, but we get no real historical detail and precious little character development -- just a parable. Don't waste your time.