One of Burgess's main theses is that Joyce meant this book for everyone and that readers shouldn't be scared away by academics and others who would set the book above out heads, high in the ivory tower. Yet, there are definitely parts where he presents Joyce's characters (whom he calls "the humble men of Dublin"), in supercilious language, which risks defeating his point. Why potentially further obscure Ulysses and Finnegans Wake in a book meant to make them more approachable?
That said, the book is well written and lucid for the most part. A fan of Joyce should enjoy it. I cannot gush as unequivocally about the book as some other reviewers have, because I am not sure how successful he has been at his goal of bringing Joyce to a new audience that has never previously read him due to intimidation. I think I am too familiar with Joyce to be able to tell how helpful ReJoyce would be for the first-timer. From what they've written, I think the other reviewers may be too familiar also.
