This is one of those mammoth books you put down after many months, feeling complete satisfaction at what you consumed.
First of all, putting aside the philosophy, the actual writing itself is phenomenal. The characters inner monologues and feelings are beautifully written. Ayn Rand has a way of bringing into words things that you always knew, you just didn't know you knew it. This is the mark of high intellect. She's able to articulate so eloquently all the messy contradictions of our thoughts and feelings, that we often can't even explain ourselves. It was an utter joy to read the dialogues and thoughts in this book.
The roller coaster of emotions and intellectual conundrums characters go through throughout the book is so well written, and you're able to see bits of yourself in everyone from the industrial genius Hank Rearden to the loathsome coward James Taggart.
The book is unapologetic in its approach to it's philosophy. Characters are archetypes: they are ideals and philosophies given human form. Despite this, other than perhaps John Galt who is the pinnacle of the ideal (a superhuman), the characters still remain utterly human and relatable throughout their trials and tribulations.
Many of the speeches were just incredible and I've had to go back and reread them several times. Francico's speech on money: phenomenal. The bum's speech on the evils of the "from each according to his ability to his according to his need"... I was always ambivalent on this outlook but reading this book I genuinely found it horrifying and I think she's completely right.
Could the book have been shorter? Perhaps. Is it Ayn Rand unapologeticly presenting why her worldview is "correct". It certainly is. But again, the actual writing is so good that I think she's earned the right to create the book in this way. Not just that, she's clearly very intelligent and has a lot of keen insight into things. Again, Francisco's speech on the nature of money... I challenge anyone to read that and not feel some deep appreciation for what she's articulated.
I really wish I read this book when I was younger, it would have had such a positive impact on my life.